23229 Head of Programmes (P) full-time

IOM has been engaged in migration management in Guinea for over two decades, supporting both national authorities and vulnerable populations through various programmes in migration, development, and humanitarian sectors. The Head of Programmes position is a senior management role within IOM’s Country Office in Guinea. This critical position ensures the strategic and operational alignment of IOM’s migration-related programmes in Guinea, which face complex and interconnected migration challenges. The Head of Programmes leads a broad portfolio that includes migration management, youth employment, immigration governance, public health, climate change, crisis response, disaster risk reduction, and peacebuilding. This role requires close coordination with national governments, UN agencies, donors, and local communities to ensure that programmes are relevant, impactful, and sustainable.

In addition to overseeing IOM’s operations in Guinea, the Head of Programmes will lead the UN Network on Migration for Guinea, driving collaborative efforts to implement the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. This requires building partnerships among UN agencies, government authorities, and civil society to address migration challenges comprehensively.

Given the extensive scope of this position, the Head of Programmes must work with high levels of autonomy under the supervision of the Chief of Mission, exercising strategic judgment to drive the mission’s objectives while adhering to IOM’s global standards, donor agreements, and local contexts. Strong leadership, innovative thinking, and the ability to manage complex, multi-country operations are essential for this role.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership and Programme Management
• Lead the development and implementation of country strategies for Guinea, ensuring programmatic interventions are cohesive and aligned with migration-related challenges. Areas of focus include:
• Labor Migration and Youth Employment: Oversee initiatives aimed at promoting job creation and skills development for vulnerable youth populations.
• Immigration and Border Governance (IBG): Lead IBG projects, including capacity-building for national authorities in border management and counter-trafficking.
• Crisis Response and Disaster Risk Reduction: Direct crisis response efforts and manage disaster risk reduction initiatives.
• Community Stabilization and Peacebuilding: Lead peacebuilding projects focusing on community cohesion, particularly in conflict-affected regions.
• Migration Health: Ensure the effective delivery of Migration Health Assessment Center (MHAC) services and public health support for mobile populations.
• Coordination and Integration: Harmonize programming across Guinea to achieve regional impact.
• Human Resources and Capacity Development: Supervise and mentor program staff, fostering a learning environment for continuous knowledge-sharing and capacity-building.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL): Oversee robust monitoring systems to track program outcomes, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
• Donor Engagement: Lead resource mobilization efforts to secure funding from key donors, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Swiss Development Cooperation, and others.
• Partnership Development: Build relationships with government counterparts, UN agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and civil society organizations to enhance IOM’s impact.
• Coordination with UN and Humanitarian Agencies: Represent IOM at UN forums and inter-agency meetings, ensuring migration issues are prioritized in development and humanitarian agendas…
• Cross-Border Initiatives: Develop cross-border projects, particularly in peacebuilding, migration governance, and community stabilization, aligning efforts with Guinea and neighboring countries.
Policy Development and Advocacy (10%) and Leadership of UN Network on Migration
• Policy Leadership: Support capacity-building and policy dialogues on migration governance at the national and regional levels.
• UN Network on Migration Leadership: Lead the UN Network on Migration for Guinea, aligning with the Global Compact for Migration. Foster collaboration with UN agencies, government representatives, and civil society to support migration priorities.
• Migration Policy and Data: Lead migration data collection efforts, ensuring evidence-based approaches inform national and regional migration policies.
• Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA): Ensure robust PSEA mechanisms across all IOM projects and lead staff training on safeguarding.
Additional Responsibilities:
• Oversee the management of programme-related budgetary, financial, and administrative functions in coordination with the Resources Management Unit (RMU).
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, conducting programme assessments and evaluating impact.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned
Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

Master’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, Business Administration, Migration Studies, International Relations, Law, or a related field with seven years of relevant professional experience; or,
University degree in the above fields with nine years of relevant experience.
Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Experience

Proven experience managing large, complex programs in migration management, governance, peacebuilding, immigration and border management, youth development, counter-trafficking, or similar fields;
Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise multidisciplinary teams;
Familiarity with the West African context and migration issues;
Strong resource mobilization and donor engagement experience;
Demonstrated staff management experience, including staff evaluations; and,
Extensive experience in training and capacity building.
Skills

Proven leadership in strategic program development and implementation;
Excellent partnership-building skills with government, UN agencies, and civil society;
Familiarity with IOM/UN project management cycles and donor requirements;
Knowledge of UN and bilateral donor programming;
Capacity to interface with government officials and stakeholders on migration issues; and,
In-depth knowledge of migration-related issues and policies.
Languages

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

Working knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, 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.

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

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. 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.