Six Countries Irregular Migration (SCIM) Policy Analysis and Options Development Consultant

Open to Internal and External CandidatesPosition Title : Six Countries Irregular Migration (SCIM) Policy Analysis andOptions Development ConsultantDuty Station : Home-basedClassification : Consultancy, Category BType of Appointment : Consultancy Contract (38 days (over 10 weeks))Desired Start Date : As soon as possibleClosing Date : 25 March 2026 (11:59 PM, Bangkok Time)Reference Code : CFA19670/2026Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and 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.1. ORGANISATIONAL 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 High Commissioner for Refugees (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 can be found 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 can be found at www.rso.baliprocess.net To deliver on its mission, the RSO operates according to four core purposes that underpin how it provides support to Bali Process Members and Working Groups. These core purposes are: (1) being responsive to Bali Process Members and Working Groups by engaging with members to deliver activities that contribute towards Bali Process commitments and sourcing specialist technical assistance; (2) operational capacity building through the development and delivery of fit-for-purpose operational capacity-building activities relevant to the Bali Process mandate; (3) capability development through policy and promotion of best practice by conducting research and providing access to information and resources that support dialogue, policy development and improved responses to people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime using a victim-centered approach; and (4) outreach, engagement and advocacy to promote the RSO's work to external partners, publicly advocate on key issues, and act as a connector for information sharing and dialogue among Bali Process members. These core purposes, particularly the emphasis on operational capacity, capability development through policy and information sharing necessitate a structured and systematic approach to the design and delivery of capacity building and policy development initiatives. Irregular Migration and People Smuggling In Asia, 2025 was the deadliest year on record in terms of fatalities during forced displacement and migration journeys for the third consecutive year, with more than 3,000 deaths recorded by the IOM Missing Migrants Project. On maritime routes, some 892Rohingya refugees lost their lives or went missing at sea, according to UNHCR, making the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal among the world's deadliest. These journeys are frequently undertaken in unsafe vessels, with limited access to rescue, disembarkation, and protection-sensitive responses, increasing the risk of loss of life and exploitation. Regional analysis also continues to highlight the resilience and adaptability of in-land smuggling networks in South and Southeast Asia, noting their ability to exploit differences in legal and operational environments and gaps in cross-border coordination. This convergence of protection risks and criminal facilitation places individuals in highly vulnerable situations, while creating complex policy challenges for governments balancing border management, protection obligations, and domestic pressures. In response to the upwards trend of humanitarian and security concerns, the RSO is supporting the launch of a senior regional policy initiative with the intent to strengthen upstream approaches to jointly tackle people smuggling and irregular migration, including maritime security challenges, by bringing together senior policy officials from Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Timor Leste to identify shared challenges, improve policy coherence, and consider practical, non-binding approaches that can be adopted within national systems. The six countries are linked along the same South and Southeast Asia irregular migration corridor, across the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, where movements involve Rohingya and other groups transiting through Bangladesh, Myanmar-linked routes, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, with onward impacts for Australia. Bringing these countries together at senior policy level is intended to support discussion between officials responsible for how governments anticipate, respond to, and manage irregular movements. This includes how policy responses are informed both at the point of detection, through earlier-stage indicators, and how individuals are supported, protected, and managed within and between national systems. The purpose of this consultancy is to undertake independent, high-quality open-source, desktop research on the policy, economic and political incentives of each of the six participating countries in the senior regional policy initiative, as they relate to managing and responding to irregular movement and maritime people smuggling along the South and Southeast Asia route, and provide recommendations for practical, realistic non-binding policy tools that could be considered for co-development and national adoption by the participating countries. The consultant will be supported by existing insights and RSO knowledge products, as well as existing thinking and stakeholder consultation already undertaken with the donor and participating countries. However, the consultant is not expected to validate pre-existing concepts. Existing proposals may be considered as inputs, but the consultant is expected to independently identify and assess the most relevant and value-adding policy options.2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES The Consultancy services will be directly managed by the Programme Manager (International Migration Strategies), who will act as Contract Manager and primary point of contact for this assignment. The Consultant will contribute to RSO Work Plan and Strategic Plan 2024-2026, especially the initiative on countering people smuggling. The Consultant will support the ongoing work on maritime people smuggling, particularly in the aforementioned six countries (Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste). The RSO will support the Consultant by coordinating and organising meetings and discussions with relevant stakeholders, as required.Category B Consultant: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignmentOutput 1 - Policy Landscape and Gap Analysis Paper* Looking at the countries of Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, the analytical paper would provide:1. Issue summary on the regional drivers of irregular migration and maritime people smuggling along the participating countries' shared movement corridor 2. Current national level responses and regional resourcing snapshot, including analysis of political and economic factors shaping responses 3. Mapping of gaps in existing regional coordination mechanisms (E.G Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) policy-making bodies, Bali Process engagement, bilateral Immigration Cooperation Working Groups and forums, and immigration and border officials networks) 4. Identification of overlapping equities for countries of origin, transit and hosting, and likely areas of policy opportunity where a small, senior-level group could find valueOutput 2 - Policy Options Paper* Building on the analytical findings, the policy options paper would cover:1. Developed practical, realistic non-binding policy recommendations relevant to the six-country context, taking into account differing roles and pressures across the route 2. Clear articulation of the policy problem each recommendation seeks to address 3. Description of how each recommendation would work in practice 4. Consideration of political and institutional feasibility across participating countries 5. Identification of risks, constrains and considerations for further developmentOutput 3 - Decision support matrix* The decision support matrix would provide a concise, quick-reference guide on the policy options, to be used by senior policy officials at the first meeting of the six countries. It would provide a high-level assessment of implementation considerations, including:1. Level of effort and coordination required 2. Degree of complexity and difficulty to progress 3. Indicative national resource implicationsThe consultant would be supported to conduct country-level consultations with key stakeholders in migration management and protection where required, including governments, UN agencies, civil society, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders determined by the consultant in consultation with the RSO.Output 1: Policy Landscape and Gap Analysis PaperIndicative Delivery Date: April–May 2026 Payment Schedule: 40%Key Tasks and Indicative Number of Days:* Development of inception note and workplan outlining methodology and sources Indicative Number of Days: 3 days Indicative Delivery Date: April 2026 * Desk‑based research and analysis across six countries Indicative Number of Days: 6 days Indicative Delivery Date: April 2026 * Targeted stakeholder consultations (as required) Indicative Number of Days: 2 days Indicative Delivery Date: April 2026 * Drafting of analytical paper (first draft) Indicative Number of Days: 5 days Indicative Delivery Date: April 2026 * Incorporation of feedback and finalisation of Output 1 (final draft) Indicative Number of Days: 4 days Indicative Delivery Date: May 2026Output 2: Policy Options PaperIndicative Delivery Date: May 2026 Payment Schedule: 40%Key Tasks and Indicative Number of Days:* Development of 3–5 policy options based on analytical findings Indicative Number of Days: 5 days Indicative Delivery Date: May 2026 * Drafting of policy options paper (first draft) Indicative Number of Days: 4 days Indicative Delivery Date: May 2026 * Incorporation of feedback and finalisation of Output 2 (final draft) Indicative Number of Days: 4 days Indicative Delivery Date: May 2026Output 3: Decision Support MatrixIndicative Delivery Date: June 2026 Payment Schedule: 20%Key Tasks and Indicative Number of Days:* Development of decision support matrix (quick‑reference, comparative tool) Indicative Number of Days: 5 days Indicative Delivery Date: June 2026Performance indicators for the evaluation of resultsThe RSO will schedule a bi-weekly meeting with the Consultant to discuss the progress, and foreseeable challenges for the timely delivery of all specified outputs within agreed timeframes. In addition to these progress meetings, the Consultant is at liberty of requesting meetings, as appropriate, with the RSO.Upon submission of the deliverables, the Contract Manager will review and provide feedback. The consultant shall incorporate feedback from various stakeholders and align the deliverables with the RSO strategic objectives. This is to ensure the quality and comprehensiveness of the outputs as well as other deliverables, as assessed by RSO management. The Consultant shall consider the practical applicability of policy recommendations for government consideration.Duration of this assignment is from April to June 2026. The detailed timeline, level of effort, and the proposed payment schedule will be agreed between the RSO and the Consultant at contracting stage, in line with IOM and RSO procedures.1. REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCEEducation:* Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Migration Studies, Development Studies, or related field (minimum requirement), * Master's degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Migration Studies, Development Studies, or related field (preferred),Experience:* Minimum 5 years of experience in migration-related research, policy analysis and policy writing, * Experience in the Asia-Pacific region and understanding of regional migration dynamics (preferred), * Experience working on issues related to returns, reintegration, case management, or cross-border migration cooperation (preferred), * Previous work with the RSO or similar regional mechanisms an advantage, including international migration management organizations.Skills:* Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities, * Excellent writing and communication skills with ability to produce clear, comprehensive documentation, * Ability to translate complex analysis into clear, concise, and decision-oriented outputs for senior officials, * Experience in stakeholder consultation and engagement processes, * Familiarity with migration management, migrant protection, border security, or transnational crime issues, * Project management skills and ability to work independently.Languages:* Excellent written and spoken English, * Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences, * Additional regional languages (e.g., Bahasa Indonesia, Malay, Thai, Bengali, Tetum, and Vietnamese) an advantage.Travel requiredThis is a home-based assignment. During the period of this consultancy, the Consultant may be expected to undertake travel to attend events and meetings, if in-person attendance is required.Should the Consultant be required to travel by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Consultant will be provided with transportation or reimbursed for the cost of their travel following advance agreement and in accordance with IOM’s travel policies, including IN/64. DESIRABLE COMPENTENCIESValues* 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 will…