National Consultant – Migration Preparedness Needs Assessment and Contingency Planning in Azerbaijan

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. Project Context and Scope Azerbaijan is located in a region prone to significant environmental and geological hazards, including earthquakes, floods, heatwaves and droughts, as well as geopolitical tensions. Disasters and conflict may cause significant cross border and internal displacement, placing national disaster response and border and migration management capacities under significant strain. Against this context, the “Strengthening Emergency Preparedness Capacities in Azerbaijan” project aims to strengthen Azerbaijan's emergency preparedness framework by supporting evidence-based preparedness planning, strengthening national response capacities, and enhancing contingency planning arrangements. The findings from the Needs Assessment will directly inform the development of the the contingency plan foreseen in the later stages of the project. Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing “Strengthening Emergency Preparedness Capacities in Azerbaijan” Project, funded by IOM Development Fund. WBL: 1:1:2:002 and 1:3:2:002 Tasks to be performed under this contract The national expert is expected to support the International Lead Consultants engaged under the project to lead two separate assignments: (i) the development of a high-quality, gender-responsive Migration Emergency Preparedness Needs Assessment Report and (ii) development of a gender-sensitive Contingency Plan. While overall responsibility for the development of these products rests with the respective International Lead Consultants, the National Consultant will provide technical, contextual and coordination support to both assignments to ensure that the final products are aligned with Azerbaijan’s legal, institutional, and operational context and reflect national priorities, capacities, and stakeholder perspectives. The consultant will provide services on an intermittent and as-needed basis, in accordance with the project workplan and key project milestones, under the overall guidance of the IOM Azerbaijan Head of Office, direct supervision of the Project Manager, and in close coordination with the International Consultant. The consultant will conduct a desk review of relevant national legislation, policies, strategies, and institutional frameworks related to migration and emergency preparedness, and compile and summarize key national reference materials to inform the needs assessment and contingency plan development process. The consultant will provide contextual information on national systems, institutional mandates, coordination mechanisms, and local perspectives to ensure that the assessment findings and contingency plan accurately reflect Azerbaijan’s operational environment and institutional landscape. The National Consultant will support with stakeholder mapping and facilitate engagement with relevant stakeholders, including government institutions, emergency response actors, local authorities, civil society organizations, and migrant communities. This will include facilitating communication with stakeholders and providing interpretation/translation support during data collection activities where required. The National Consultant will support the synthesis and integration of stakeholder inputs and feedback, ensuring that perspectives expressed in the local language are appropriately captured and reflected in the final products. The consultant will provide technical inputs to the drafting process, facilitation of stakeholder consultations and validation meetings, and assist the International Consultant in revising and finalizing both products in line with stakeholder feedback and the approval requirements of the State Migration Service and IOM. The consultant will be paid a lump-sum fee of USD 2500 upon satisfactory completion of all deliverables, in accordance with the agreed payment schedule. Payment will take place in two-instalments, and each instalment will be released upon finalization and approval of the corresponding deliverable and the related final product to which the deliverable contributes. First deliverable – Submission of a summary report documenting the National Consultant's contributions to the finalized and validated Migration Emergency Preparedness Needs Assessment, including desk review, stakeholder engagement, contextualization, and validation of findings. Delivered via email by the end of the 12 th week of the contract period. Final deliverable – Submission of a brief report outlining activities undertaken and contributions made by National Consultant to the finalized and validated Contingency Plan. Delivered via email by the end of the 19 th week of the contract period. Performance indicators for the evaluation of results Quality and relevance of inputs provided to the Needs Assessment and Contingency Plan Quality of stakeholder mapping and engagement Integration of gender and protection considerations Timely delivery of outputs Effectiveness of coordination with national stakeholders Required Qualifications and Experience Education Higher university degree in social sciences, disaster management, migration studies, public administration, or related field Experience 3 years of experience in emergency response or humanitarian programming in Azerbaijan Demonstrated experience in emergency preparedness, contingency planning, disaster risk management, emergency response planning, capacity-building initiatives, or the development of operational guidance and preparedness frameworks . Skills Strong knowledge of national institutional frameworks Excellent analytical, research, reporting, communication, documentation, presentation, and workshop conduction/facilitation skills . Strong knowledge of protection, gender mainstreaming, and GBV risk mitigation Experienced in data collection and analysis (quantitative and qualitative) and stakeholder engagement . Knowledge of migration governance, displacement, border management, or related fields is highly desirable Languages For this consultancy, excellent command of Azerbaijani and English, both written and spoken, is required. 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 opt