Programme Development Officer (SHIFT Africa) (P), Nairobi

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.

Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. 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, the following are considered first-tier candidates:

1. Internal candidates
2. Candidates from the following IOM Member States that are not represented among staff members in the Professional and higher categories:
   Bahamas, Barbados, Cabo Verde, 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, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Second tier candidates include:

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

Organizational Context and Scope

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director (Operations) and the direct supervision and strategic and technical direction of the Regional Thematic Specialist (Labour Migration), and in coordination with the Head of Unit, Partnerships and Development, Private Sector Partnerships (PSP), Headquarters (HQ), the Programme Development Officer (SHIFT Africa) will be responsible and accountable for coordinating the end-to-end programme-development process for SHIFT Africa, translating approved strategic and technical direction and inputs from relevant IOM functions into a coherent, technically sound and investment-ready programme package.

The Programme Development Officer (SHIFT Africa) will support the integration of relevant private-sector, market and partnership considerations into programme design, drawing on PSP expertise on private-sector engagement, partnership structuring, investment and co-investment, while working with regional and country teams to translate opportunity-system and market intelligence into viable programme pathways.

Responsibilities

1. Coordinate the end-to-end development of the SHIFT Africa programme, preparing and maintaining a programme-development plan covering required products, consultations, reviews, decisions, dependencies, responsibilities and submission timelines, under the guidance of the Regional Thematic Specialist (RTS).
2. Coordinate and consolidate regional, country and HQ contributions, including relevant private-sector, market and partnership inputs, into one coherent continental programme design, identifying gaps and inconsistencies and supporting alignment between the overarching programme architecture and its proposed regional, country and partnership components, under the guidance of the RTS.
3. Translate approved strategic and technical thematic inputs into programme development, including theory of change, results chain, results framework, intervention logic, implementation arrangements, workplan, budget, and risk framework, under the guidance of the RTS.
4. Support structured engagement with Mastercard Foundation and other strategic partners throughout the co-creation and programme-development process, preparing working and decision materials, translating feedback into programme-design implications, tracking requests and commitments, and ensuring timely consolidation of IOM inputs, in coordination with the RTS.
5. Coordinate and support the development and consolidation of the programme budget with relevant units, including cost assumptions, unit-cost methodologies, cost-per-transition scenarios, leverage assumptions and distinctions between programme expenditure and contributions expected from governments, employers, financial institutions and other partners, in coordination with the Resources Management Unit (RMU).
6. Coordinate the integration of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) considerations into programme and project design, working with MEAL, data and thematic specialists to support the development of indicators, baselines, targets, and verification approaches that are internally consistent.
7. Compile and analyse programme-development evidence and opportunity-system intelligence, including country and regional inputs, opportunity assessments, market and institutional information, delivery experience, partnership intelligence and costing information, for use in programme design decisions, in coordination with the RTS.
8. Coordinate programme-design consultations and working sessions involving Country Offices (COs), Regional Offices (ROs), HQ units, governments, private-sector and market actors, development partners, youth organisations and other stakeholders, working with relevant PSP colleagues on private-sector and partnership-related engagements, in coordination with the RTS.
9. Promote coherence between the programme’s continental ambition and country-level implementation realities, including alignment across IOM regions and operating contexts.
10. Support the development and integration of partnership models involving private-sector actors, employers, financial institutions, training providers and regional organisations, including the articulation of partner value propositions, potential contributions and roles within opportunity-led portfolios, in coordination with PSP and relevant technical and regional teams.
11. Support compliance with IOM programme-development requirements, coordinating inputs from legal, finance, procurement, risk, safeguarding, data protection and other relevant functions and tracking the resolution of review comments.
12. Maintain an organised programme-development repository, including current and archived versions, source evidence, assumptions, costing files, consultation records, partner information, review comments, approvals and decision logs.
13. Support the transition from concept development to full proposal development and inception planning, documenting assumptions requiring validation, outstanding design questions and preparatory actions for subsequent approval and action.
14. Perform such other relevant duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master's degree in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, International Development, Labour Market Development, Social Sciences, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or,
• University degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional experience.

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience coordinating the development of large-scale, complex, multi-country and multi-partner programmes;
• Experience in the design and application of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning approaches, including indicator development, target setting, results measurement, data analysis and the use of evidence for programme adaptation;
• Experience coordinating programme development across multiple technical, operational and geographic teams is an advantage;
• Experience working in an international, inter-governmental, or non-governmental organisation, the United Nations, or government;
• Experience engaging with governments, development partners, private-sector actors, financial institutions and other market actors in the context of programme development, partnership development or resource mobilisation; and,
• Experience applying programme development approaches to employment, labour mobility, livelihoods, economic inclusion or related programming is an advantage.

Skills

• Demonstrated programme and project development skills, with demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts, evidence and strategic priorities into coherent, scalable, and measurable programme designs;
• Demonstrated analytical skills, including the ability to synthesise quantitative and qualitative evidence;
• Demonstrated ability to develop results frameworks and integrate monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning into programme design and adaptive management;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with donors and partners, contribute to the development of high-quality proposals and support resource mobilisation;
• Demonstrated ability to effectively coordinate diverse teams of thematic programme, operational and Country Office specialists across complex multi-country processes;
• Proven ability to foster a culture of evidence use, learning, knowledge management and continuous programme adaptation; and,
• Demonstrated partnership-development skills, including the ability to understand partner incentives, articulate mutual interests, and contribute to the structuring of practical partnership modalities.

Languages

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

Working knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.

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 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.

Managerial Competencies – behavioural indicators Level 2

• Leadership: Provides a clear sense of direction, leads by example and demonstrates the ability to carry out the Organization’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.

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.

Appointment will be subject to all clearances, including medical and security, as well as accreditation and any residency or visa requirements. Vacancies close at 23:59 local time in Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.

IOM is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Candidates are expected to uphold these standards and principles at all times.

IOM does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process—whether for application, interview, processing, training, or otherwise—and does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM WAVE 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.

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, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and any forms of discrimination.

IOM conducts reference checks and background verification, including through system-wide databases such as ClearCheck, to help ensure that candidates have no record of misconduct, including on sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, or fraud.