Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND SCOPE: 

The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) is a non-binding and state-driven process involving 49 members (countries and international agencies), including the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as a number of observer countries and international agencies who participate in this voluntary forum. More information about the Bali Process is available at www.baliprocess.net.

The RSO was established in 2012 to facilitate the operationalisation of the Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) to reduce irregular migration in the Asia and Pacific region. The RSO aims to support and strengthen practical cooperation on refugee protection and international migration, including human trafficking and people smuggling, and other components of migration management in the region. The RSO is co-managed by the Australian and Indonesian Governments. More information is available at www.rso.baliprocess.net.

Technical consultancy to support the development of practical guidance and tools for Bali Process Member States (BPMS) on safe, ethical, and trauma-informed engagement with persons with lived experience of migration, trafficking, people smuggling, and related forms of exploitation.

There is increasing global recognition that people with lived experience play a critical role in shaping policies and programmes that affect them. However, across the Asia–Pacific region, engagement with persons with lived experience often remains ad hoc, inconsistently safeguarded, and insufficiently operationalised.
The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) is developing a Lived Experience Engagement Model (LEEM) to address this gap. As a first phase, the RSO is establishing an internal framework and orientation to ensure institutional readiness and consistent practice. Building on this internal foundation, the second phase focuses on developing Bali Process Member State guidance and tools that can be applied in diverse national contexts.

The consultant will support this second phase by conducting structured consultations, engaging people with lived experience in an ethical and trauma-informed manner, and drafting practical, user-oriented guidance and tools for Bali Process Member States. 

Deliverable 1 - Inception Report and Workplan
Payment: 10%
Indicative timing: Within two weeks of contract start 
The consultant will submit an inception report outlining:

• Methodology and analytical approach
• Consultation framework and ethical safeguards
• Plan for engaging people with lived experience as partners in developing the guidelines
• Stakeholder engagement plan (Member States, UN agencies, civil society)
• Detailed timeline for deliverables
   

Delivery format: Written report (PDF/Word)
 

Deliverable 2 - Consultation and Scoping Report

Payment: 25%
Indicative timing: March 2026
A report synthesising consultations with:

• Selected Bali Process Member States for consultation
• Relevant UN agencies and stakeholders
• Civil society organisations
• Persons with lived experience 
   

The report will analyse:

• Existing practices and approaches
• Identified needs, opportunities, and barriers
• Considerations on whether guidance should be general or include country-specific examples
   

Delivery format: Written report
 

Deliverable 3 - First Draft of Bali Process Member State Guidelines

Payment: 25%
Indicative timing: April 2026
A first draft guidance document for Bali Process Member States, including:

• Core principles for ethical and trauma-informed engagement
• Practical application guidance
• Risk mitigation and safeguarding considerations
• Clear linkages to the internal RSO framework
• Practical checklists
• Templates
• Learning and reference resources
• Case examples
• “Do and Do Not” guidance
   

Delivery format: Draft guidelines and tools (Word/PDF)
 

Deliverable 4 - Final Bali Process Guidelines and Tools

Payment: 40%
Indicative timing: June 2026
Revised and finalised guidance and tools incorporating feedback from validation and review processes.
Delivery format: Final guidance document and tool package

Education

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, human rights, migration, international development, or a related field

Experience

• Documented experience engaging ethically with persons with lived experience, including trauma-informed and survivor-centred approaches
• Demonstrated experience developing guidance, frameworks, or tools on lived experience engagement, safeguarding, or related areas
• Experience conducting consultations with government stakeholders and international organisations
• Strong analytical and drafting skills, with the ability to translate principles into practical tools
• Experience working in the Asia–Pacific region 

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required. 

Travel required

No travel is anticipated for this consultancy.
If travel becomes necessary, it will be subject to advance agreement and in accordance with applicable organizational travel policies.

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.

How to apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via IOM E-Recruitment System within the above said deadline referring to this advertisement. Please attach the following documents in your application. 

• a cover letter, indicating the dates of availability; 
• a curriculum vitae; 
• a duly completed IOM Personal History Form which can be downloaded from https://thailand.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1371/files/Vacancies/Form/iom-personal-history-form-270122.xls.

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