Cotabato (Philippines)
Job Description
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
Project Context and Scope
The International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s health program in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) aims at strengthening the resilience and responsiveness of the region’s health system and improving access to healthcare, as part of the organization’s strategy to alleviate the driver of unwanted migration and to reduce health-related risks during displacements and migration cycle. IOM has implemented various health-related projects that contributed to better health outcomes in the BARMM.
IOM’s project “Building Resilience through Inclusive Governance and Healthcare Transformation in BARMM (BRIGHT-BARMM), funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), aims to enhance the local capacity of Ministry of Health (MOH), the local provinces and cities/municipalities, to pursue key and cross cutting reforms in health systems. It will strengthen Health Systems (HS), particularly in areas of health governance and leadership, financing, and data and information, to provide a more conducive setting for implementing Safe Motherhood (SM), Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH), and Global Health Security (GHS) programs.
Within the GHS component, IOM seeks to strengthen the capacity of the government, health workers, and frontline workers to promote inclusive, preventive, and culturally and gender appropriate health programs for returning migrants and mobile populations. This includes improving access to health information, strengthening referral pathways, and reducing the potential spread of infectious diseases through Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) materials, capacity-building of health workers at Points of Entry (PoEs), and the establishment of referral pathways to strengthen access to screening, counselling, and treatment for returnees and migrants. To support these efforts, IOM will engage a consultant to provide advisory and technical assistance with Focus on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) for Returning Migrants and Mobile Populations.
Under the overall guidance of the Head of Sub-Office in Cotabato City, direct supervision of the National Migration Health Programme Coordinator, and in collaboration with the technical leads, the successful candidate will develop and finalize a comprehensive Migration Health RCCE Package for Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFs), migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities in ZamBaSulTa. This includes the refinement and validation of RCCE messages and communication materials, development of RCCE standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operational tools, and creation of a training package to support capacity-building and implementation. The consultant will also conduct pilot testing and training activities, document findings and recommendations, and develop an institutionalization and sustainability plan to support the long-term adoption and utilization of RCCE interventions. These outputs will contribute to strengthening national and local capacity to promote inclusive, preventive, and rights-based health programmes for returnees and host communities in areas of return and reintegration.
The objective of this consultancy is to strengthen migration health Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) systems in ZamBaSulTa by validating and institutionalizing culturally appropriate RCCE messages, materials, tools, and operational procedures; building the capacity of relevant stakeholders; and establishing sustainable mechanisms to improve health awareness, promote health-seeking behaviors, and facilitate access to health services among Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFS), migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities.
Responsibilities
Category B Consultant hired will provide advisory and technical assistance services, with a primary focus on assessment, facilitation, analysis, and guidance, rather than implementation. The consultant will deliver a report on three-installment payment basis:
A. FIRST DELIVERABLE: Migration Health RCCE Refinement, Packaging, and Pilot Testing
Building on the outputs, recommendations, and key messages generated during the completed RCCE workshop, the consultant shall refine, package, and validate migration health RCCE materials intended to promote preventive health behaviours, improve access to health information, and strengthen awareness of available health services among Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFs), migrants, mobile populations, frontline workers, and receiving communities in ZamBaSulTa.
The consultant shall:
Review, refine, and validate the draft migration health RCCE messages developed during the consultation workshop, ensuring technical accuracy, consistency, and alignment with national and BARMM health priorities.
Consolidate key messages into a Migration Health RCCE Message Package covering priority topics relevant to migrants and mobile populations, including health-seeking behaviours, health screening and assessment, disease prevention, health promotion, and access to available services, following the mobility continuum.
Recommend appropriate RCCE medium or platform aligning with the consolidated messages/ contents based on the mobility context, location, communication channels, and intended audience.
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All materials shall consider the following:
Gender-sensitive
Culturally and contextually appropriate
Disability-inclusive and accessible
- Age and linguistically appropriate for target communities
- Accessible for individuals with low literacy levels
- Aligned with principles of inclusion, accountability, and protection
- Conduct two structured pilot testing and validation of the materials to local health workers and select individuals of the target audience, including persons with different ability, age, gender, and with reading difficulties. Pilot testing shall include at minimum:
- Two structural feedback and validation sessions, engaging frontline workers, and local health workers in target POEs, and onsite testing.
- On-site testing of selected communication materials;
- Documentation of participant feedback, lessons learned, and recommended revisions.
-Activities shall be completed with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 November 2026 (30% of overall contract value)
B. SECOND DELIVERABLE: Migration Health RCCE SOPs, Tools, and Capacity Building Package
Building on the refined Migration Health RCCE Message Package and validated communication materials, the consultant shall develop operational guidance, tools, and a comprehensive capacity-building package to support the effective implementation, dissemination, and institutionalization of RCCE interventions aligned with the documented referral pathways for ReFs, migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities in ZamBaSulTa.
Co-develop with the Referral Pathway Consultant the refinement of the training design, curriculum, agenda, and learning materials for the RCCE and Referral Pathway Training to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders serving returning migrants and mobile populations.
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Develop a draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) manual and accompanying operational tools that can be used to guide government partners in promoting effective communication and engagement with the target audience using the developed RCCE materials. The SOP Manual shall include, at a minimum:
Roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders in RCCE implementation;
Procedures for planning, dissemination, and utilization of RCCE materials across various communication channels;
Community engagement approaches for migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities;
Mechanisms for collecting, documenting, and responding to community feedback;
Procedures for identifying and addressing misinformation, rumours, and communication barriers;
Guidance on inclusive, gender-responsive, culturally appropriate, and disability-inclusive communication;
Monitoring, documentation, and reporting requirements for RCCE activities; and
Recommended quality assurance measures to ensure consistency and effectiveness of RCCE interventions.
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Develop a complete Migration Health RCCE Training Package designed to strengthen the capacity of partner agencies to effectively communicate and engage with migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities. The training package shall include, at a minimum:
- Facilitator's Guide
- Participant's Manual
Presentation materials and session guides;
Practical exercises and case studies;
Pre- and post-training assessment tools;
Group activities and learning exercises; and
Training evaluation forms.
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Facilitate a capacity-building and orientation workshop for ZamBaSulTa government partners, which shall:
Orient participants on the finalized RCCE Message Package, materials, SOPs, and operational tools;
Strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills on migration health RCCE principles and approaches;
Enhance capacity to effectively communicate and engage with migrants, mobile populations, and receiving communities;
Promote consistent implementation of RCCE interventions across participating agencies; and
Generate stakeholder feedback to further strengthen implementation and institutionalization of RCCE activities.
- Facilitator's Guide
-Activities shall be completed by 30 November 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 December 2026 (30% of overall contract value)
C. THIRD DELIVERABLE: Finalization, Institutionalization, and Turnover Package
Building on the validated Migration Health RCCE Message Package, finalized communication materials, draft SOPs, operational tools, and capacity-building activities, the consultant shall finalize all technical outputs and support their institutionalization to ensure sustained utilization by the relevant stakeholders beyond the consultancy period.
The consultant shall:
Incorporate all revisions and recommendations arising from pilot testing, stakeholder consultations, technical reviews, and capacity-building activities.
Finalize the complete Migration Health RCCE package and SOPs. Ensure all materials are ready for implementation across multiple communication channels and target audiences, including ReFs, migrants, mobile populations, frontline workers, and receiving communities.
Provide all finalized RCCE content materials, outputs, and reports in editable formats suitable to guide future adaptation, dissemination, and scale-up.
Develop a practical sustainability package to support the continued implementation and utilization of migration health RCCE interventions beyond the project period, outlining at a minimum the recommended governance arrangement, coordination structures, monitoring and reporting mechanisms, capacity development needs, and actions required to support the long-term operationalization of the referral system through the partner agencies.
Final consultancy report and handover package.
-Activities shall be completed by 30 December 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 15 January 2027 (40% of overall contract value)
Qualifications
Performance indicators for the evaluation of results
The Consultant’s performance will be assessed based on the timely completion, quality, and comprehensiveness of the agreed deliverables, as well as the effectiveness of technical assistance, stakeholder coordination, and documentation and reporting.
• Percentage of task completion specified in the ToR based on supervisors’ performance evaluation. Tasks are divided into technical assistance (60%), coordination, liaison, and networking to National, Regional, and Local stakeholders and partners (10%), documentation and reporting (30%).
• Relevance of planning, organization and timeliness for managing and delivering progress reports and outputs.
• Contribution to achieving project goals and objectives in BARMM, such as strengthened operational and institutional capacity and guidelines or policies, BARMM application of new knowledge, and effective service delivery.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Master’s or Higher degree in Public Health, Sociology, Communications, Emergency/ Disaster Management, Health Systems/Operations, or any related field from an accredited academic institution with ten years of relevant professional experience.
Advanced knowledge and proven experience in public health, global health security and migration health.
Demonstrated experience on the following:
Communication management in emergency situations and on sensitive issues;
Development of key messages for vulnerable populations such as migrants;
Use of various RCCE platforms and tools to communicate and engage with a variety of audiences;
Experience in conducting RCCE training, would be an asset;
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Capacity in the management and response to health‑related misinformation and disinformation is considered an asset.
Experience working in complex health system environments, preferably in the Philippines or similar contexts, and strong understanding of Population Mobility Mapping, Health Mobility and Border Management, WHO Risk Communication and Community Engagement toolkits, Bangsamoro Migration Health Network and other international standards are desirable.
Prior working experience with the International Organization, UN, Development Organization, National, and BARMM government is highly desirable.
Familiarity with the issues, policies, structure, and context of the Global and Philippines on public health is a must.
Strong analytical, communication, and training skills are required to build capacity among health staff at various system levels effectively.
Languages
For this consultancy, English and Tagalog.
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
- 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.
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
Required Skills
Job info
Contract Type: Consultancy (Up to 11 months)Org Type: Country Office - Sub Office
Vacancy Type: Consultancy
Recruiting Type: Consultant
Grade: UG
Is this S/VN based in an L3 office or in support to an L3 emergency response?: No
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