Programme Manager, Countering People Smuggling

Position Title: Programme Manager, Countering People Smuggling

Duty Station: Bangkok, Thailand

Classification: Consultancy

Type of Appointment: Consultant Contract until 30 June 2024, (subject to extension based on performance and funding)

Desired Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 27 February 2024

Reference Code: CFA031/2024

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and 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.

1.ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND SCOPE:

The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) is a non-binding and state-driven process involving 49 members (countries and international agencies), including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as a number of observer countries and international agencies who participate in this voluntary forum.

The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) was established in 2012 as a unique regional mechanism that brings together relevant policy knowledge, technical expertise and operational experience from Bali Process members and other key stakeholders to develop practical initiatives that address people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime.

The RSO is administered by the Governments of Australia and Indonesia with corporate support provided by the International Organization for Migration.

The RSO assists Members by working across four key objectives in:

• Providing specialist technical assistance to Bali Process Members, Task Forces and Working Groups.
• Developing and delivering fit-for-purpose operational capacity building activities relevant to the Bali Process’ mandate.
• Providing support in policy development and promoting best practice to improve aspects of migration management, and responses to people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime.
• Actively engaging and promoting the RSO’s work to partners and dialogues outside of the Bali Process structure.

More information can be found at www.baliprocess.net.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Reporting to the RSO Co-Managers and the RSO Programme Coordinator – Policy, Partnerships and Capability Development, and working cooperatively with colleagues across the RSO, the Programme Manager will be responsible for the overall management of the RSO’s Countering People Smuggling work programme, including working with Bali Process Member States (hereinafter BPMS) to improve BPMS capability to understand and counter People Smuggling activities.

The Programme Manager, Countering People Smuggling will serve as the primary focal person for the day-to-day management of the RSO activities that will support BPMS to counter People Smuggling activities, through partnership-based projects, development of policy guidance and provision of capacity-building activities and trainings. The Programme Manager will be responsible for assuring that all assistance provided to BPMS on Countering People Smuggling is technically sound and appropriate for the needs being addressed.

The Programme Manager will also be required to establish and maintain productive working relationships with stakeholders both inside the RSO and external to the RSO and supervise and mentor staff.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

Strategy and Monitoring

• Keep abreast of latest developments on people smuggling and related policy developments regionally and globally, with the objective of ensuring RSO activities to support BPMS countering people smuggling efforts are responding to identified needs and priorities.
• Periodically develop ‘Needs Assessments’ for identified BPMS to determine the assistance the RSO could provide to support BMPS to prevent and counter people smuggling activities.
• Support the development and ongoing review of an RSO Countering People Smuggling Strategy and supporting framework to guide the establishment of a work plan and activities.
• Prepare advice for consideration by the RSO Co-Managers and Programme Coordinator on the development of a central resource / knowledge hub on the RSO website to support BPMS in the area of Countering People Smuggling.
• Actively propose, prepare, and submit for consideration by the RSO Co-Managers and Programme Coordinator, concept notes to support the establishment of projects, delivery of activities, publication of materials, establishment of partnerships etc. for preventing and countering people smuggling activities.
• Ensure the countering people smuggling elements of the RSO Annual Workplan are delivered and keep the Programme Coordinator and the RSO Co-Managers updated on progress.
• Submit a monthly performance report to the Programme Coordinator outlining progress and achievements.

Programme coordination and management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the RSO with respect to countering people smuggling and undertaking day-to-day project implementation and management, including through the provision of technical guidance, monitoring, and oversight.
• Support and monitor the overall implementation of the partnership-based projects focusing on countering people smuggling, including but not limited to, liaison with delivery partners/contractors, setting objectives and deliverables for delivery partners and contractors, reviewing budgets, supporting donor bidding processes, and ensuring continuous project monitoring and evaluation to ensure technical quality and relevance to RSO’s objectives.
• Develop and maintain work plans, implementation strategies, and monitoring plans to ensure timely implementation and achievements of project and capacity building activities and results.
• Contribute to development of project proposals and follow-up actions, in line with the RSO’s mandate and strategy, and in coordination with the Programme Coordinator and the RSO Co-Managers.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and training to programme staff, consultants and secondees as relevant.
• Contribute to, or lead, the drafting of RSO briefings, minutes, documents, reports, corporate documents and undertake training as required.

Bali Process Member States Capability Development (Capacity Building, Training, and Promotion of Policy and Best Practice)

• Support and facilitate the delivery of policy roundtables and workshops for BPMS to and improve understanding of people smuggling trends and promote best practices on detection, deterrence, and disruption of smuggling activities, and on investigation and prosecution of people smugglers.
• Support and facilitate the delivery of capacity building activities and training to government officials, protection practitioners, law enforcement and other frontline officers on relevant aspects and best practices of countering people smuggling.
• Support BPMS agencies to improve and strengthen information and intelligence sharing activities through dedicated workshops and roundtables and by actively supporting the operations of the RSO Regional Information, Liaison and Outreach Network (RILON) Initiative.
• Publish and facilitate the publication of research papers, briefing notes, policy guides, environmental scans, BMPS toolkits etc.
• Lead and ensure technical oversight in the development of curricula and supporting modules, interactive learning activities and group activities, including training of trainers’ activities, where appropriate.
• Develop monitoring and evaluation plans to measure capacity building impact and lessons learned, support participants to create post training return to work action plans, and conduct monitoring and follow-up with participants.
• Oversee the development of relationships with trainers, experts, and other specialists who can assist the RSO to deliver capability development activities and maintain a record of trainers’ information.

Engagement and Partnerships

• Support the work of the RSO and work cooperatively and collegiately across all teams within the RSO, noting the overlap in thematic areas and topics within the RSO Structure.
• Support the Bali Process Working Groups as required, with specific focus on the Bali Process Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks involved in People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons and the Bali Process Taskforce on Planning and Preparedness.
• Establish, develop, and maintain professional relationships with donors, stakeholders, and partners among the BPMS and with RSO program and project delivery partners.
• Support and contribute to RSO Communications, Engagement and Outreach activities.
• Represent the RSO at bilateral, regional, and intergovernmental meetings, including the preparation and delivery of discussion points, managing consultations, coordination of background documents and reports, and ensure appropriate distribution to key stakeholders.
• Represent the RSO and actively participate in various forums such as roundtables, conferences, webinars, meetings, and capacity building and training activities.
• Support the RSO-BPMS Secondments Program and RSO Alumni Network.
• In coordination with the RSO Communications, Engagement and Outreach activities, provide input to RSO publications and reports on people smuggling, draft articles and news items for RSO publications, and provide reports to Programme Coordinator and Co-Managers as directed.
• Identify and maintain a list of trainers and policy experts, and contribute to RSO stakeholder RSO-alumni database databases.
• Ensure that RSO products and activities to key stakeholders are disseminated and promoted through engagements and events via RSO social media channels.
• Protect and promote the RSO ‘brand’, ensuring appropriate recognition of our efforts is granted.

General

• Perform other duties as may be assigned.

3. REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree or master’s (desirable) in Political Science or Social Sciences, International Relations, Law, Migration Studies or in a relevant field from an accredited academic institution with four years of relevant professional experience; or
• Six years of relevant professional experience.

Experience:

• Experience in the field of countering people smuggling/smuggling of migrants in any capacity.
• Experience in the field of protection and migration management, specifically related to assistance to vulnerable migrants and persons affected by displacement, and/or counter-trafficking, including project management.

Experience working with or in Government or an International Organization and/or with Bali Process Member States in the areas of people smuggling, trafficking in persons, protection of migrants and persons affected by crisis in a related field (desirable).

• Demonstrated expertise in project cycle management, including project development, management, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation.
• Experience in developing training curriculum and methodologies and delivering training to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience in drafting or leading group efforts to draft publications, such as handbooks, technical guidance, research reports, etc. is an asset.
• Demonstrated experienced in engaging appropriately with stakeholders across a range of fields (Government, IO, NGO, Private Sector), including with senior level stakeholders and establishing and nurturing professional relationships.
• Demonstrated experience in achieving outcomes in a cross-cultural environment.
• Experience developing, supervising, and mentoring staff.

Skills:

• Motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the work of the RSO.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build partnerships and networks.
• Ability to engage with, listen to, and mobilize teams to successfully accommodate challenges and achieve beneficial outcomes.
• Ability to work under limited direction.
• Ability to manage and provide leadership and direction to programme staff.
• Intellectual ability and personal resilience to positively challenge conventional ways of doing things. Has the judgment and integrity to engage constructively with risk.
• Ability to achieve RSO outcomes to a high degree. Ability to work to tight deadlines and ensure RSO outcomes are delivered to agreed requirements.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Ability to lead, mentor and develop a team to deliver on RSO outcomes.
• Strong ability to communicate with influence in oral and written English.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (oral and written) is required.
• Knowledge of Thai, Indonesian, Burmese and Malay is desirable (but not essential).

4. DESIRABLE COMPENTENCIES

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• Integrity and transparency: maintain 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: demonstrate 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 action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Managerial Competencies

• Leadership: provides a clear sense of direction, leads by example and demonstrates the ability to carry out the Organisation’s vision; assists others to realize and develop their leadership and professional potential.
• Empowering others: creates an enabling environment where staff can contribute their best and develop their potential.
• Building trust: promotes shared values and creates an atmosphere of trust and honesty.
• Strategic thinking and vision: works strategically to realize the Organization’s goals and communicates a clear strategic direction.
• Humility: leads with humility and shows openness to acknowledging own shortcomings.

Other

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 and verification of residency, visa, and authorisations by the concerned Government, where applicable.