Consultant-(Support the Revision of the Pre-Departure Orientation Training Package)

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

Nepal faces increasing climate-induced migration and significant health risks among both internally displaced populations and foreign labour migrants. Climate change affects livelihoods, agriculture, water security and employment opportunities, and can indirectly contribute to foreign labour migration as an adaptive livelihood strategy. At the same time, many Nepali labour migrants, particularly those working in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Malaysia, are exposed to extreme heat, harsh occupational conditions, limited rest, dehydration, unsafe working environments and other health risks.

Evidence and policy discussions in Nepal have highlighted growing health concerns among foreign labour migrants, including heat-related illness, cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, diabetes, respiratory conditions, injuries, mental health and psychosocial problems, communicable diseases, and other occupational and climate-related health vulnerabilities. These conditions may have serious implications for migrants' health, safety, productivity, household welfare, and may also create long-term pressure on Nepal's health and social protection systems.

The Foreign Employment Board (FEB) conducts Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) for outbound Nepali labour migrants working in overseas. The current PDOT package includes important information on rights, responsibilities, travel preparation, occupational safety and emergency contacts. However, recent recommendations and stakeholder consultations have emphasized the need to revise the package to better incorporate health-related topics, particularly climate-health vulnerabilities, non-communicable diseases, mental health and psychosocial well-being, occupational health and safety, communicable disease prevention, and practical self-care measures in destination countries.

Under the CMHN project, MoHFS, with support from the IOM-IDF and in coordination with the FEB, and other relevant stakeholders, will support the revision of the existing pre-departure health orientation package. During a consultation with FEB, it was further recommended that the consultant conduct a basic country-specific data analysis to make concrete recommendations for revising the PDOT package.

The consultant will play a key technical role in reviewing the existing package, conducting desk review and country-specific analysis, facilitating consultations, identifying gaps, drafting the revised health orientation package, and developing practical, tailored PDOT materials for use by orientation providers and relevant government entities.

Migration Health Division (MHD), IOM Nepal, under the overall supervision of the Project Manager/Chief Migration Health Officer (CMHO) and the project team, with direct coordination with FEB’s PDOT focal point and coordination with the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) and Technical Working Group/Task Force (TWG/TF).

Under the direct supervision of CMHO and in close coordination with the PIC/TF, IOM Nepal project team and relevant government counterparts including MoYLE, FEB, MoHFS, NHEICC the Consultant will:

Responsibilities

A. Conduct desk review and situation analysis

• Review the existing PDOT curricula, training package, orientation manuals, IEC materials, facilitator guides, audio-visual materials and available orientation delivery modality.

• Review relevant national policies, laws, guidelines and institutional arrangements related to foreign employment, migrant health, occupational health and safety, health promotion, public health, climate change and health, migrant’s rights and safe migration.

• Review available national and international evidence, good practices and guidance from relevant agencies, including IOM, World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO), on migrant health and rights, occupational health, pre-departure orientation, climate-health risks and health promotion for migrants.

• Review draft migrant Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and service package currently being drafted by MoHFS, and other available relevant literature as appropriate.

B. Conduct country-specific and occupation-specific analysis

• Conduct a concise country-specific analysis using available data and information from Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment (MoYLE), FEB, and other relevant sources, focusing on major destination countries such as GCC countries, Malaysia and other priority destinations.

• Analyze available information on migrant volume and profile by destination country, sex, age group, occupation/sector, employment type and other relevant variables, subject to data availability.

• Analyze country-specific and occupation-specific health and safety risks, including climate induced health risks such as heat exposure, dehydration, other heat related illness and associated kidney and cardiovascular risks;  workplace injuries, mental health stressors, communicable disease risks, access to health care, insurance and emergency support mechanisms.

• Identify practical country-specific and occupation-specific preventive messages including appropriate health-seeking behavior, key health risks and information on when and where to seek health care, etc. for integration into the revised PDOT package and related materials.

C. Facilitate stakeholder consultations and technical discussions

• Conduct key informant interviews and expert consultations (at least six) with migration health, occupational health, climate-health, mental health, health promotion, labour migration and other relevant experts to incorporate diverse perspectives.

D. Consult selected orientation providers (at least three) and, where feasible, returnee migrants (at least seven) to ensure that the revised content is practical, understandable and relevant to migrants.

• Document and synthesize consultation feedback and incorporate relevant inputs into the revised PDOT package.

E. Produce a report with gaps and technical recommendations based on all the desk reviews, analysis and consultations done under activity A, B and C 

• Incorporate all the findings from desk reviews and situational analysis, country-specific and disease-specific analysis of the data of the FEB, and technical consultations and meetings with different stakeholders

• Based on the above findings, identify the strengths, gaps and opportunities in the existing PDOT health content and delivery modality.

• Prepare a concise report with technical recommendations for revision of the existing PDOT package highlighting priority concerns, proposed session structure, key messages, learning methods, digital integration options, and implementation considerations.

F. Support drafting the revised pre-departure health orientation package

• Support drafting and finalization of the revised health component of the PDOT package, incorporating evidence-based, practical and destination-relevant information on climate-related health risks, occupational health and safety, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health and psychosocial well-being, sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, health insurance, access to health services, emergency preparedness, and appropriate preventive and help-seeking measures for outbound Nepali labour migrants.

• Develop practical, migrant-friendly health orientation content and key messages tailored, as appropriate, to migrants’ destination, occupation and vulnerability profile, with due consideration to gender, age, disability, literacy and language, including information on preventive practices, emergency contacts, documentation and pathways for accessing health services in Nepal and destination countries.

• Review and technically harmonize the revised health content of the PDOT package with relevant national policies, guidelines and migrant-health initiatives.

G. Develop technical content for PDOT materials

• Prepare technical content for PDOT materials, including key IEC messages, and draft script/storyboard inputs for short audio-visual content, as agreed with FEB and PIC.

• Ensure that all materials use simple, clear, practical, culturally appropriate and easily understandable language suitable for outbound migrant workers with diverse literacy levels.

• Provide guidance on how the materials can be used in classroom-based, online or blended PDOT modalities to ensure wider access, flexibility and better understanding among migrant workers considering their diverse literacy levels.

H. Support validation, finalization and handover

• Present draft outputs during meetings and validation.

• Incorporate feedback from technical meetings, consultations and finalization workshop.

• Prepare the final version of the revised PDOT health orientation package and related materials for handover to relevant government entities.

• Prepare a brief completion report summarizing tasks completed, consultations conducted, key decisions, final outputs, limitations and recommendations for implementation and future updates.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Advanced degree (master’s or higher) in public health, health education/promotion, occupational health, health policy or related fields. 

• Academic or professional training in curriculum development, training package development, health communication, occupational health and safety, migrant health, or climate and health will be an advantage

Experience

• Minimum three years of professional experience in public health, health promotion, occupational health and safety, migration health, training package/curriculum development, policy/guideline development, or related fields. 

• Proven experience in developing or revising training curricula, orientation packages, manuals, facilitator guides, IEC/BCC materials, audio-visual scripts, SOPs, guidelines or technical guidance documents. 

• Experience working with Government agencies, particularly MoHFS, MoYLE, FEB, or other relevant government entities. 

• Prior experience in migration health, occupational health, climate-health risks, health promotion for migrants, or pre-departure orientation will be a strong advantage. 

• Experience in conducting desk reviews, occupation-specific analysis, stakeholder consultations, expert meetings and synthesis of findings into practical recommendations as required. 

• Experience in developing user-friendly IEC and relevant materials for diverse audiences, including low-literacy, semi-skilled or vulnerable migrant workers, will be an asset. 

Skills

• Strong analytical, synthesis and technical writing skills. 

• Ability to translate technical health evidence into simple, practical and action-oriented orientation messages for outbound migrant workers. 

• Good understanding of Nepal’s foreign employment system, pre-departure orientation mechanism and institutional roles of MoYLE, FEB, and MoHFS. 

• Knowledge of migrant health, occupational health and safety, climate-health vulnerabilities, heat stress, NCDs, communicable diseases, mental health and psychosocial well-being, and health insurance/access to care issues relevant to labour migrants. 

• Ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations and incorporate feedback from government, technical experts, orientation providers and migrant-related stakeholders as required. 

• Ability to prepare clear IEC messages, and script/storyboard inputs for audio-visual materials. 

• Fluency in English and Nepali, both spoken and written. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other analytical software as required.

Languages

For this consultancy, Fluency in English and Nepali both oral and written is a must. 

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

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