Special Advisor to the Director General

Job Posting Organization:
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) was established in 1951 and is a Related Organization of the United Nations. It is the leading UN agency in the field of migration, working closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all, providing services and advice to governments and migrants. The organization is committed to ensuring a workplace where all employees can thrive professionally while working towards harnessing the full potential of migration. IOM operates globally, with a presence in numerous countries, and focuses on various aspects of migration management, including policy development, capacity building, and humanitarian assistance.

Job Overview:
The Special Advisor to the Director General (DG) plays a crucial role in providing high-level strategic advice and recommendations to the DG of IOM. This position is pivotal in ensuring strategic coherence across external engagements, policy priorities, and organizational leadership functions. The advisor will be responsible for overseeing the workflow supporting the DG’s external engagements, ensuring timely delivery of quality materials aligned with organizational priorities. The role requires a deep understanding of global migration issues and the ability to provide authoritative guidance and oversight to advance the DG’s mandate and strengthen IOM’s global positioning. The advisor will also coordinate with various offices within IOM to advance DG requests and priorities, and will accompany the DG on engagements and travel as needed, ensuring accurate capture and dissemination of outcomes and follow-up actions. This position demands a strategic leader who can manage special projects and foster a collaborative work environment.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Special Advisor to the DG include:

• Providing high-level policy advice and strategic recommendations to the DG on emerging global migration issues.
• Ensuring prompt and effective follow-up on all matters delegated by the DG, focusing on strategic outcomes.
• Exercising authoritative review and clearance of all materials supporting the DG’s external engagements, including public remarks, talking points, travel materials, presentations, and media briefs.
• Overseeing the workflow supporting the DG’s external engagements, ensuring timely delivery of quality materials aligned with organizational priorities.
• Providing strategic, organizational, and conceptual context to support DG decision-making.
• Coordinating with Headquarters, Regional, and Country Offices to advance DG requests, priorities, and engagements.
• Accompanying the DG on engagements and travel as requested, ensuring accurate capture and strategic dissemination of outcomes and follow-up actions.
• Leading any ad hoc special projects or events to advance the DG priorities.
• Providing strategic leadership and day-to-day supervision to staff under direct supervision, including setting priorities, guiding performance, and fostering a collaborative and high-quality work environment. 1
• Performing other duties as may be assigned by the DG.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the position include:

• A Master’s degree in Political Science, Social Science, Law, International Relations, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with ten years of relevant professional experience; or a Bachelor’s degree in the above fields with twelve years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience with executive offices or as Chief of Missions in headquarters and field locations.
• Experience in liaising with government and diplomatic authorities and international institutions.
• Experience in providing strategic advice, writing executive briefings, reports, and recommendations is required.
• Sound knowledge of migration issues and knowledge of IOM institutions is essential.
• Proven ability to collaborate with staff and stakeholders at various levels is necessary.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in Political Science, Social Science, Law, International Relations, or a related field from an accredited academic institution. Alternatively, a Bachelor’s degree in the same fields is acceptable, provided the candidate has twelve years of relevant professional experience. Accredited universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database, ensuring that the educational background meets international standards.

Experience:
Candidates should have significant experience, specifically ten years of relevant professional experience for those with a Master’s degree, or twelve years for those with a Bachelor’s degree. This experience should include working with executive offices or as Chief of Missions in both headquarters and field locations. Additionally, candidates should have experience in liaising with government and diplomatic authorities and international institutions, as well as in providing strategic advice and writing executive briefings, reports, and recommendations.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position, both oral and written. Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is considered an advantage. Proficiency in the required languages will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term contract for one year, with the possibility of extension. It is classified at the P-5 grade level and is intended for professional recruitment. The selection process is open only to internal candidates and former IOM staff members who were separated in the last 12 months due to the structural adjustment process. Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile, and any offer made to the candidate is subject to funding confirmation. The selection process may also be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations, and recommended candidates will remain eligible for appointment in a similar position for a period of 24 months. Candidates must be medically fit for appointment and meet any residency or visa requirements, as well as security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">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 and only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system.