As part of IOM’s Migration Management mandate, the Community Stabilization Unit (CSU) contributes to preventing and addressing the root causes of instability and irregular migration in Somalia. Through initiatives such as the Rapid Stabilization Support and Early Recovery Initiative project, CSU supports the stabilization of conflict-affected areas by enhancing safety and security governance, fostering inclusive local structures, and facilitating community engagement.
The CSSF represents one of the three programmatic areas encompassed by the Rapid Stabilization Support and Early Recovery Initiative project (CS.1278). The project is co-funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and has a duration of 24 months.
The project has the objective to contribute to stability and peace through an integrated stabilization package that provides a contextually appropriate bridge to longer-term development interventions, with an exit strategy defined in conjunction with government and civil society counterparts. The project strives to achieve this objective by leveraging three integrated yet distinct programmatic models, including the CSSF, which is a locally driven, participatory mechanism that brings together state and community actors to identify, prevent, and address security challenges while building trust, institutional legitimacy, and social cohesion.
As the CSSF enters a critical phase of institutionalization and potential scale-up, IOM seeks to hire a Strategy Consultant to support the development and refinement of strategic and operational frameworks that will guide its effective implementation and long-term sustainability, in accordance with relevant governance structures and strategic framework, and contributing to address critical gaps and needs being identified during the UNTMIS transition process.
Category A Consultant: Tasks to be performed under this contract
Under the supervision of the Security Sector Governance PM, and in coordination with relevant technical specialists, lead the development, refinement, and streamlining of strategic and approach documents related to the operationalization and institutionalization of the CSSF, across the IOM Somalia’s stabilization portfolio.
Under the supervision of the Security Sector Governance PM, and in coordination with relevant technical specialists, support the design of strategies, technical frameworks, and guidance materials to enhance the coherence, sustainability, and institutional relevance of the CSSF across federal and state levels.
Conduct in-depth research and analysis on safety and security governance in Somalia, including stakeholder mapping, governance structures, and existing institutional capacities, to inform strategic decision-making.
Draft and review programmatic documents, including strategies, concept notes, donor briefs, and policy frameworks, ensuring technical quality, contextual relevance, and alignment with IOM and FCDO standards.
Facilitate internal coordination with CSU field teams and HQ/RO counterparts to align strategic planning with operational objectives and best practices.
Provide technical inputs for internal and external presentations, learning products, and donor updates that showcase the added value and results of the CSSF approach.
Collaborate with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team to ensure results-based strategic planning and to integrate learnings into revised strategies.
Assist in documenting and disseminating lessons learned, good practices, and innovation emerging from CSSF implementation to inform policy and programmatic adjustments.
Ensure that gender, conflict sensitivity, and inclusion principles are fully integrated into all strategic and planning documents.
Contribute to fundraising strategies, donor engagement tools, and positioning materials to support the sustainability and expansion of CSSF programming.
Undertake travel to field sites and perform other duties as required to support the CSSF’s strategic and programmatic goals.
All the project related documents and materials – inclusive of handouts, power point presentations, strategic briefs, concept notes, donor briefs, and policy frameworks – are to be delivered to the Security Sector Governance Programme Manager and duly filed. Meeting minutes and NFF concerning meetings, consultations and workshops with local and international partners are also to be delivered to the Security Sector Governance Programme Manager and duly filed.
Regular updates are to be provided to the Security Sector Governance Programme Manager, coherently with the workplan compiled at the beginning of the assignment. Challenges are to be openly discussed in order to jointly develop adequate solutions.
The assignment must be completed as per the contract duration.
Master’s degree in international relations, Political Science, Peace and Conflict Studies, Development Studies, Public Administration, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or University degree in a related field with seven years of relevant experience.
Demonstrated experience in strategy development, policy writing, and program design in areas such as safety and security governance, peacebuilding, community stabilization, or institutional reform.
Experience working with government institutions, security actors, and communities in fragile or post-conflict settings, particularly in Somalia or similar contexts.
Strong experience in drafting analytical reports, strategic frameworks, and donor-focused materials.
Familiarity with donor-funded programming, particularly FCDO or similar governance and stabilization portfolios.
Experience in field-level coordination, government liaison, and facilitation of inclusive stakeholder consultations.
IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish.
Proficiency of language in English is required, will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
