Programme Support Officer (P)

Job Description

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM is committed to ensuring a workplace where all employees can thrive professionally, while working towards harnessing the full potential of migration. Read more about IOM's workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration

For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:

                1. Internal candidates

                2. Candidates from the following non-represented member states:

Bahamas, Barbados, Comoros, Congo (the), Cook Islands, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Holy See, Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

Second tier candidates include:

All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states of IOM.

Context

The Planning and Coordination Unit (PCU) sits within the Support and Coordination Unit of the Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery (DHRR). The Unit drives strategic direction and coherence across DHRR by fostering institutional collaboration, enhancing coordination, and supporting integrated planning and policy alignment in line with IOM’s Strategic Plan 2024–2028, global frameworks, and institutional priorities. Through these efforts, the Unit strengthens the Department’s ability to advance IOM’s mandate in crisis response and recovery. 

Under the overall supervision of the DHRR Deputy Director and direct supervision of the Head of the Planning and Coordination Unit, and in close coordination with the Humanitarian Policy Senior Adviser within DHRR, the Programme Support Officer will provide programmatic and analytical support to ensure that DHRR’s work, and activities are implemented in line with organizational standards, donor requirements, and departmental priorities.
 

Responsibilities

1. Maintain an up-to-date understanding of IOM's crisis response contexts — including evolving humanitarian needs, institutional policies and priorities, and ongoing operations — and humanitarian policy work. 
2. Monitor, track and analyze IOM’s performance against global humanitarian policy commitments (e.g. Grand Bargain, Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and related inter-agency frameworks), ensuring timely and accurate internal and external reporting (including on-demand requests), and supporting follow-up actions as required.
3. Support the development, review and updating of IOM humanitarian policies and guidance by conducting background research, consolidating and analyzing inputs from across the organization, contributing to drafting processes, and facilitating internal coordination and consultations.
4. Provide technical and procedural guidance to Regional Offices (ROs) on strategic planning, programme/project development, resource mobilization, and the preparation of strategic documents, including flash appeals, crisis response plans, situation reports, and memos, ensuring alignment with IOM's Project Development & Implementation (PD&I) Handbook and established organizational standards. 
5. Support capacity-building of ROs and Country Offices (COs) on the PD&I Handbook, PRIMA, and other departmental tools. Contribute to the maintenance and updating of IOM's deployment roster and the Emergency Manual and support intra-departmental knowledge management initiatives in coordination with KM focal points, as needed. 
6. Support DHRR divisions, upon request, with information management and analysis, including data extraction from the Project Information and Management Application (PRIMA). 
7. Contribute to DHRR's internal and institutional reporting efforts, ensuring timely and quality submissions in line with departmental and organization-wide requirements - including inputs to the DG's Daily Brief and departmental submissions to institutional processes (e.g., Strategic Results Framework (SRF), International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), and the Blue Book). 
8. During HQ-led Institutional Scale-Up emergencies, support the Migration Emergency Coordinator (MEC) in convening forums and meetings, managing incoming and outgoing communications, and performing other related functions as assigned by the Scale-Up Unit, in accordance with the Institutional Emergency Scale-Up Protocols.
9. Undertake duty travel as required.
10. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, Law, Human Rights, International Affairs, Migration Studies or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or
• Bachelor’s degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.
   

Experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of global humanitarian policy frameworks (e.g., Grand Bargain, IASC) and experience contributing to policy development, analysis, or institutional reporting against policy commitments; 
• Experience in the international humanitarian field, preferably within the UN Common System or with international humanitarian organizations;
• Experience providing technical and procedural guidance to field offices on programme/project development, strategic planning, and resource mobilization;
• Experience in project formulation, administration, and evaluation, including the development of log frames, results matrices, and work plans, preferably in emergency settings; familiarity with IOM's Project Development Handbook and Emergency Manual is an asset;
• Experience drafting humanitarian strategic documents (e.g., flash appeals, crisis response plans, situation reports, briefing notes) and preparing narrative and institutional reports; 
• Experience in information management and data analysis using project management information systems (PRIMA an asset); 
• Experience in emergency response settings or support to HQ-led scale-up responses is an asset
   

Skills

• Good level of computer literacy, including database applications and project information management system such as PRIMA;
• Good oral and written communication skills;
• Prioritization and multitasking, balancing routine reporting, on-demand requests;
• Institutional and donor reporting, including familiarity with frameworks like IATI, SRF, and similar transparency/results mechanisms.
      

Languages
IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish. All staff members are required to be fluent in one of the three languages.

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an advantage.

Required Competencies:

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.
   

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators Level 2

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Notes

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category.

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.

The list of NRMS countries above includes all IOM Member States which are non-represented in the Professional Category of staff members.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.

Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category.

Required Skills

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