National Programme Officer (Immigration and Border Governance) FMM

Applications are welcome from internal and external candidates. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process. For the purpose of this vacancy, internal candidates are considered first-tier candidates.
  Context

Under the direct supervision of the FMM Programme Manager, in coordination with relevant thematic leads at the country, regional and global levels, the successful candidate will be responsible for the coordination of the Immigration and Border Governance component of the Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM II) programme\".

The overall objective of the proposed intervention is to maximise the development potential of free movement of persons and safe, orderly and regular migration within ECOWAS in the context of the regional integration process. Previous EU support towards implementing ECOWAS migration-related policies and frameworks was instrumental in improving migration governance in the region. This second Phase of the FMM programme will build on the success of the previous output for migration governance at the regional and national level, with the inclusion of civil society, through a multi-stakeholder consortium implementation modality comprised of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), under the lead of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The programme will be implemented at regional, national and local levels, with the main objective of effectively implementing the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration.

This five-year programme aims to maximise the development potential of free movement of persons and migration in West Africa by supporting the effective implementation of relevant ECOWAS frameworks.

1. Assist with coordinating and monitoring the operational, administrative and financial aspects of the programme IBG activities in accordance with IOM policies and practices as well as donor's requirements.

2. Provide technical assistance in formulating the overall planning for priorities and activities in the relevant area.

3. Support the immigration and border management (IBM) working group under the MIDWA process to further exchange among ECOWAS MS on IBM and Free Movement of Persons, the Right of Residence and Establishment and collect recommendations and way forward on key topics such as documentation, the opening of borders, common border management system, procedure within the region and introduction and adoption of ECOWAS biometric ID and Passports, ENBIC and harmonisation of travel documents such as passports, ID cards, vehicle registration and driver's license. 

4. Support in the organisation of the annual Heads of Immigration Meetings. 

5. Organise regional trainings and Training of Trainers (TOT) to facilitate appropriation by MS training academies of the existing standardised ECOWAS training curriculum for border officials (immigration, customs, security etc. 

6. Support ECOWAS in the drafting of standardised procedures and processes for opening borders, risk profiling, cross-border cooperation, and information exchange between Member States. 

7. Support the Programme Manager to identify emerging issues relevant to border governance, identify gaps and provide suggestions to improve implementation and contribute to developing thematic papers, reports and promotional materials as necessary. 

8. Coordinate timely preparation and dissemination of project reports in accordance with IOM procedures and donor requirements. 

9. Participate in developing and adjusting work plans, project budgets, Monitoring & Evaluation tools and standard operations procedures. 

10. Coordinate collecting, verifying and analysing data and background information; update information management systems and social media platforms on project-related activities, including project awareness and visibility, summaries, press releases and other relevant materials. 

11. Contribute to planning, developing, organising and delivering capacity-building activities targeting IOM staff, ECOWAS and Member states, civil society partners, implementing partners and communities. 

12. Attend conferences, workshops and meetings related to the thematic area of expertise, as required by the Senior Programme Manager. Maintain partnerships with other agencies, as well as with potential donors, active in the region in relevant technical programming areas

13. Undertake duty travel relating to project implementation, monitoring visits, project assessments, liaison with counterparts, etc. 14. Perform other related duties as required.

Education   Bachelor's degree in Political or Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Migration Studies, Human Rights, Law or related fields from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or, ·    Master's degree in the above-mentioned fields   Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.   Experience

• A minimum of two years' experience for candidates holding Master's Degree in immigration and border governance, preferably in Project Management, business administration, international relations and governance
• Knowledge of border management and social development issues as well as general migration related issues in the ECOWAS region.
• Good knowledge of project development, administration and evaluation concepts and procedures.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain strong working relations with relevant Government counterparts, UN and international organisations and private sector entities.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Good knowledge of information technology and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications especially Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, and SharePoint.
• Previous work experience in international organisations and companies would be an advantage.
• Preferably within the United Nations or within the international humanitarian field.   Skills
  • Strong planning, coordination and logistics skills related to implementation of project activities; 
  • Good communication skills; 
  • High level of computer literacy (Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point); 
  • Ability to independently carry out tasks; 
  • Ability to multi-task and to prioritise required; 
  • Ability to work effectively with government counterparts; 
  • Good representational skills. Languages
    • Fluency in English. IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish. 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 three 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.