International Consultant for developing the curriculum and conducting three (3) capacity-development activities (training events or workshops) on rights-based border management

Consultant

Overview

Develop curriculum and conduct training activities on rights-based border management.

You have:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences (migration, law or related subject) from an accredited educational institution
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in the field of migration and border governance
• Proven knowledge of international standards and best practices related to border governance
• Ability to conduct advocacy and capacity building events
• Knowledge of the regional and/or national context is mandatory
• Ability to work with a diverse group of stakeholders, including government representatives and civil society
• Advanced level of written and spoken English
• Advanced level of written and spoken Russian would be an asset

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

In 2025, IOM Belarus in cooperation with the State Border Committee (SBC) of Belarus launched an international technical assistance project “Strengthening the Capacity of the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus in Response to Increased Migration at Borders” to improve border management in Belarus, protect migrants’ rights, and strengthen the country’s capacity and preparedness for a potential increase in cross-border migration in line with international standards and best practices. This will enhance SBC’s capabilities and operational efficiency, contribute to a more efficient and humane border management system, to ultimately save migrant lives at borders, while mainstreaming human rights-based, gender-responsive and child-sensitive approaches, and advancing commitment to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration along with predictable human mobility.

Within the project, IOM will support, the design of curriculum and subsequent three (3) capacity-development activities (training events or workshops) facilitated by an external expert. Content-wise, the teaching curriculum will reflect IOM’s rights-based border management in increased mobility-affected settings, including actions to prepare for, respond to and recover from increased arrivals of migrants at borders, and related aspects of migrant protection. Based on the gaps identified during a rapid capacity gaps assessment, the training curriculum may include sessions on general approaches to gender- and child protection-sensitive border management, inter alia children at borders and best interests of the child, involvement of interpreters and cultural mediators, health at borders, interagency contingency planning, situational context analysis, risk assessment, operation of border management information systems (BMIS), rapid mobile intervention and mobile assistance, screening, identification and referral of migrants in vulnerable situations in the context of increased arrivals, managing information and communication, maintenance of secure protection-sensitive borders, and countering migrant smuggling and human trafficking, cooperation of migrants in investigations, data privacy and data protection, detention and alternatives to detention, search and rescue operations, based on international standards and best practices.

Importantly, the training sessions will become a platform for the dissemination of the internal regulatory document developed within the project to steer interagency cooperation and communication of stakeholders to respond to increased migration situations at borders and refer migrants in vulnerable situations to support services.

It is envisaged that all three capacity-development activities will be held in three regional cities of Belarus. In each region, relevant central-level and regional staff of SBC and relevant governmental agencies and NGOs will be invited to participate.

Against this background, IOM is launching a competitive recruitment process to engage an external expert to implement the above-mentioned activity in the period from July to October 2026.

Qualifications

Education

• Advanced university degree in social sciences (migration, law or another related subject) from an accredited educational institution

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in the field of migration and border governance, including practical engagement with inter-agency coordination;
• Proven experience in designing and delivering capacity-building programmes and training curricula, including for government stakeholders, in the area of border governance;

Skills

• Proven knowledge of international standards and best practices related to border governance, humanitarian border management, countering migrant smuggling and human trafficking, and assistance to migrants in vulnerable situations, inter alia in high-mobility contexts;
• Ability to conduct advocacy and capacity building events and fulfill the requirements described in the Terms of Reference ensuring practical applicability of outcomes;
• Knowledge of the regional and/or national context is mandatory;
• Ability to work with the diverse group of stakeholders, including government representatives, civil society etc.

Languages

• Advanced level of written and spoken English;
• Advanced level of written and spoken Russian would be an asset;

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. 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

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

Responsibilities

• In close cooperation with IOM and SBC, to conduct a rapid capacity-development needs assessment through surveying/interviewing relevant representatives of SBC during an online call or in-person meeting;
• To undertake mapping of available IOM resources on the topic of consultancy;
• To develop a detailed context-specific training curriculum. The curriculum should include, but not be limited to, IOM’s rights-based border management in increased mobility-affected settings, including actions to prepare for, respond to and recover from increased arrivals of migrants at borders, and related aspects of migrant protection; general approaches to gender- and child protection-sensitive border management, inter alia children at borders and best interests of the child, involvement of interpreters and cultural mediators, health at borders, interagency contingency planning, situational context analysis, risk assessment, operation of border management information systems (BMIS), rapid mobile intervention and mobile assistance, screening, identification and referral of migrants in vulnerable situations in the context of increased arrivals, managing information and communication, maintenance of secure protection-sensitive borders, and countering migrant smuggling and human trafficking, cooperation of migrants in investigations, data privacy and data protection, detention and alternatives to detention, search and rescue operations, based on international standards and best practices.
• To integrate the internal regulatory document developed within the project to steer interagency cooperation and communication of stakeholders to respond to increased migration situations at borders and refer migrants in vulnerable situations to support services into the training curriculum.
• To develop and submit training materials in advance of delivery.
• To design and facilitate three (3) 1.5-day training workshops for up to 30 participants each in regional locations.
• To administer pre- and post-training assessments to measure knowledge improvement.

• To prepare and submit a comprehensive final report summarizing activities conducted, results achieved, challenges encountered, lessons learnt and recommendations for follow-up actions and sustainability.

  It is expected that the external expert will ensure the delivery of the following key outputs in the period from July to October 2026:

• A rapid capacity-development needs assessment is conducted in close coordination with IOM and SBC, and a rapid needs assessment report along with mapping of IOM resources on the topic of the consultancy is available.
• A comprehensive, context-specific training curriculum aligned with rights-based border management framework and reflecting the internal regulatory document designed withing the project is developed and endorsed by IOM and SBC.
• A complete package of training materials (e.g. presentations, facilitator guides, participant handouts, case studies, and practical exercises) is developed and approved by IOM prior to training delivery.
• Three (3) in-person training workshops for up to 30 participants each in three regional cities of Belarus are conducted.
• A comprehensive final report, including training outcomes and assessment results, key challenges and mitigation measures, lessons learned, best practices and recommendations for follow-up actions and sustainability, is submitted and endorsed by IOM.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 hour ago - Updated 1 hour ago - Source: iom.int