Job Description

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration


 

Project Context and Scope

Over the previous decade, one of the priority areas for international assistance to Tajikistan has been to enhance the Government of Tajikistan’s (GOT) border security. Since 2002, the IOM mission in Tajikistan has implemented border management activities and has successfully supported the Government of Tajikistan and the Border Forces of Tajikistan (BFT), improving border management capacities and facilitating safe migration in Tajikistan.

IOM, jointly with the Border Forces of Tajikistan (BFT), have implemented number of projects related to capacity building, providing technical and infrastructure support to enhance border security and management system in Tajikistan. These projects contributed to gender equality, facilitated cross-border dialogue with neighbouring countries, upgraded green border security and infrastructure and built the capacities and capabilities of BFT personnel. Efforts to strengthen the capacities the Border Force of Tajikistan (BFT) have included the construction of several border guard training centres and the rollout of training curricula that are now embedded within the BFT’s core curriculum. Building on these efforts, IOM Tajikistan continues to take important steps in developing border security infrastructure and technical support. Improvements have been made to major infrastructure of BFT both in terms of ensuring adequate facilities and infrastructure for BFT staff and migrants passing through, but also with the greening of infrastructure and the establishment of renewable energy systems – such as the construction of a hybrid solar systems and the installation of water lines to several border crossing points and posts.

To further support the Government of Tajikistan (GoT) and the Border Forces of Tajikistan (BFT) in facilitating safe migration and strengthening border management, IOM Tajikistan will implement a project to assess the feasibility, institutional readiness and technical requirements for adopting responsible AI-enabled intelligence analysis and operational risk profiling within Tajikistan's border management system. To support this initiative, IOM seeks to engage an international expert with demonstrated expertise in AI-enabled border intelligence, risk profiling, responsible AI governance, data readiness assessment, and operational workflow design. The expert will lead a comprehensive feasibility and organizational readiness assessment, facilitate AI sandbox testing to validate potential use cases, and develop practical, context-specific recommendations to guide the responsible adoption of AI-enabled border management solutions in Tajikistan.

Objective and purpose of engagement

The overall objective of the consultancy is to assess the feasibility, institutional and technical readiness, and operational applicability of AI solutions for border management in Tajikistan. Based on the assessment findings, the consultant will develop a phased, costed implementation roadmap that outlines priority AI use cases, governance requirements, capacity-building needs and implementation milestones to support the responsible, sustainable and effective integration of AI into border management operations.
 

Organizational Department / Project to which the Consultant is contributing

Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Unit / AI Sandbox for Border Intelligence Analysis and Risk Profiling in Tajikistan project

Responsibilities

Tasks to be performed under this contract

The international expert will work under the overall supervision of Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Program Manager of IOM Tajikistan and in close coordination with BFT designated focal points, analysts, operations, IT/data focal points and other relevant stakeholders. The assignment will include desk review, consultations, field-level validation where feasible, workshop facilitation, analysis, reporting and roadmap development. There are number of specific areas which should be studied and further put into the development phase by hiring an international expert:

  • Review existing project materials, BFT capacity-building priorities, relevant national AI and data protection frameworks, and international good practices on responsible AI use in border management and security services.

  • Design and apply a feasibility and readiness assessment methodology covering operational needs, data readiness, technology readiness, institutional capacity, legal and governance safeguards, and sustainability requirements.

  • Conduct consultations with BFT HQ, relevant operational units, IT/data focal points and other agencies, as agreed with IOM and BFT.

  • Map current intelligence analysis and risk profiling workflows and identify pain points where AI-enabled or technology-assisted approaches could responsibly support human analysis.

  • Assess available and potential data sources, data quality, access constraints, security considerations, existing BFT information systems, interoperability requirements, integration considerations and personal data protection implications.

  • Conduct a dedicated cybersecurity and information security assessment covering hosting options, access controls, audit logging, and security risks associated with AI solutions.

  • Conduct a Data Protection and Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA) to evaluate the legal and operational implications of processing personal and sensitive data.

  • Evaluate potential deployment and hosting options (on-premises, private cloud, government cloud, etc.), taking into account security, sustainability, infrastructure and data sovereignty requirements.

  • Identify practical AI-enabled use cases suitable for a controlled sandbox environment, ensuring that human decision-making authority, proportionality, accountability and oversight are maintained.

  • Facilitate two hands-on sandbox workshops and interagency/technical discussions to test practical AI use cases, human-in-the-loop procedures, explainability mechanisms, lessons learned, recommendations, and governance arrangements.

  • Introduce a structured AI tools evaluation matrix covering security, explainability, interoperability, scalability, sustainability, vendor dependency, support requirements and total cost of ownership implications.

  • Develop a practical roadmap for responsible adoption and potential scale-up of AI-enabled intelligence analysis and risk profiling, validated with BFT and relevant stakeholders. The roadmap should include:

    • Costed, sequenced and realistic implementation options, including operational, support, licensing, infrastructure, maintenance and capacity-building needs, governance steps, technical requirements, risk mitigation measures and sustainability considerations.

    • A practical AI Governance Framework covering accountability, human oversight, explainability, risk management and governance arrangements.

    • Knowledge-transfer materials and scale up milestones

Methodology

The expert is expected to apply a participatory, evidence-based and risk-sensitive methodology. The work should combine desk review, structured interviews, operational workflow mapping, technical and data-readiness analysis, scenario-based sandbox exercises and validation with relevant stakeholders. The methodology should include a structured AI tool evaluation matrix covering security, explainability, interoperability, scalability, sustainability, vendor dependency, support requirements and total cost of ownership. The methodology must be adapted to the sensitivity of border security operations and should avoid recommending any technology deployment that is not supported by adequate legal, operational, data protection and governance safeguards.

Data Protection, Confidentiality and Responsible AI Requirements

The consultant must treat all information obtained during the assignment as confidential and use it only for the purposes of the consultancy. The consultant must comply with IOM data protection requirements and any additional confidentiality, security or access conditions established by IOM and BFT. Recommendations must be grounded in responsible AI principles and should ensure that any AI-enabled approach remains lawful, necessary, proportionate, transparent to relevant oversight structures, subject to human decision-making authority, and supported by appropriate risk mitigation and accountability arrangements.

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

  • The quality targeted and detailed of the work performed as established in above as well as compliance with agreed delivery dates;

  • Satisfactory completion of tasks as indicated in these Terms of Reference;

  • Timely delivery of deliverables as indicated in the below Timeframe and agreed upon in the implementation Work Plan;

  • Compliance with IOM Data Protection Principles and other provided guidance materials.

Tangible and measurable output of the work assignment

  • Inception report, including proposed methodology, workplan, consultation plan, assessment tools and list of documents/data required

  • AI Readiness and Feasibility Assessment Report, including gap analysis, cybersecurity assessment, Data Protection and Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA), interoperability assessment, hosting and deployment options assessment, recommendations, and prioritized AI use cases.

  • A sandbox workshop package 

  • 2 sandbox workshops to test workflow concepts and a workshop report

  • AI Tool Assessment and Pilot Demonstration Report (Sandbox workshop report), including a structured AI tool evaluation matrix,lessons learned and recommendations.

  • Draft and final AI Implementation Roadmap, including AI Governance Framework for responsible AI adoption and knowledge-transfer and capacity-building materials.

  • Validation Workshop, including a workshop report.

Duty station

The International Expert will undertake a home-based mode of working based on the agreed work-plan and methodology as well as two visits will be paid to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The consultant is expected to use own IT and other equipment required for the task. IOM in Tajikistan will cover the costs of DSAs during stay in Dushanbe and a round trip from the place of residence and back by the most economic route. 

Management and supervision

The International Expert will closely work and report to the Project Manager. As work progresses, the international expert will share expected delivery results with the IOM Tajikistan for review. IOM Tajikistan will ensure to provide timely comments to the consultant’s work and address any Consultant’s request. Potential guidance will also be provided by the IBG and Information Management and Technology teams in IOM’s Regional Office in Vienna, IOM HQ, and other IOM missions, where relevant. 

The International Expert will report to the National Project Manager of the IBG Unit in IOM Tajikistan. Day-to-day coordination will be undertaken with IOM project staff and BFT-designated counterparts. IOM will facilitate access to relevant project documents, stakeholder consultations and logistical arrangements, subject to availability, security considerations and required approvals. All deliverables will be submitted in English in editable format. IOM may request revisions to ensure technical quality, consistency with project objectives and compliance with organizational standards.

Realistic delivery dates and details as to how the work must be delivered.

Contract and payment

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of deliverables by IOM, according to the payment schedule agreed in the consultancy contract. A proposed structure may include instalments linked to approval of the inception report, feasibility and readiness assessment, workshop package and summary report, and final roadmap with costed recommendations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Information Technology, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, Digital Transformation, Public Administration, Security Studies, International Relations, Border Management, Engineering, or a related field from an accredited academic institution.

Experience

  • At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in border management, security-sector reform, intelligence analysis, risk profiling, AI-enabled decision support systems, digital transformation or government technology modernization.

  • Demonstrated expertise in responsible AI, AI governance, algorithmic risk management, human-in-the-loop systems, explainable AI, ethical use of sensitive operational data and development of governance frameworks for AI adoption.

  • Demonstrated experience conducting feasibility studies, readiness assessments, digital maturity assessments, institutional capacity reviews and costed implementation roadmaps.

  • Proven experience in cybersecurity, information security governance, risk assessment, and secure digital solution design for government, law-enforcement, border management, or comparable environments.

  • Proven experience in data governance, data protection, privacy assessments and management of sensitive operational or personal data.

  • Experience assessing enterprise information systems, interoperability requirements, integration architectures and digital transformation initiatives.

  • Experience evaluating AI tools and technologies, including commercial and open-source solutions, and assessing suitability, security, explainability, scalability, sustainability and cost implications.

  • Experience designing and facilitating AI pilot project, proof-of-concepts, sandbox environments, stakeholder validation exercises, and technical workshops.

  • Experience developing governance frameworks, implementation roadmaps and policy recommendations for government or public sector institutions. 

  • Experience in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, or comparable border management and security environments is an asset.

Skills

  • AI Governance & Responsible AI
  • Cybersecurity & Information Security
  • Digital Transformation Strategy
  • Assessment & Analytical Skills
  • Data Governance & Privacy Management

Languages

For this consultancy, Excellent analytical, facilitation, report-writing and communication skills in English. Knowledge of Russian and/or Tajik is an asset.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

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

  • 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

IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. 

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

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

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.

No late applications will be accepted. 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

Required Skills

Job info

Contract Type: Consultancy (Up to 11 months)
Initial Contract Duration: 3 months
Org Type: Country Office
Vacancy Type: Consultancy
Recruiting Type: Consultant
Grade: UG
Is this S/VN based in an L3 office or in support to an L3 emergency response?: No
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