Regional Thematic Specialist (Humanitarian Response and Recovery) (P)

Role Overview

The Regional Thematic Specialist leads the regional team responsible for humanitarian response and recovery, helping country offices adapt IOM’s strategic priorities to local crises and operational needs. The role combines technical leadership, staff development, partnerships and oversight to strengthen emergency preparedness, protection, lifesaving assistance, displacement tracking, recovery and solutions across the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the Regional Office’s Humanitarian Response and Recovery Unit, ensuring it delivers the functions set out in its terms of reference and provides timely guidance to country offices.
• Advise senior operational leadership on representing IOM’s strategic priorities with external stakeholders, drawing on direction from headquarters and global offices.
• Coordinate technical support for crisis preparedness and response with country offices, headquarters and other regional teams, including work on protection, accountability to affected populations, displacement data, peacebuilding, recovery and durable solutions.
• Organize or contribute to training and capacity development for IOM staff and external partners, in collaboration with relevant headquarters teams and the staff learning function.
• Build working relationships with donors, governments, regional institutions, UN entities, civil society, communities, private-sector organizations, universities and financial institutions; help communicate programme priorities and identify funding opportunities.
• Provide thematic input to project design and reporting, review proposals and reports, and support country offices in applying IOM project guidance and relevant humanitarian standards.
• Work with planning, monitoring and evaluation colleagues to identify programme trends and challenges, advise on adjustments, and help teams incorporate audit findings, evaluations and donor feedback.
• Support country offices in identifying and managing thematic risks, and promote appropriate cash-based assistance, evidence-led programming, knowledge exchange and protection-centred approaches. Convene regional thematic focal points and coordinate multi-country initiatives as needed.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international relations, political science, social science or a related discipline, with at least seven years of relevant professional experience; or a university degree in one of these fields with at least nine years of relevant experience.
• At least five years of experience managing humanitarian response and recovery projects in countries that are not members of the OECD.
• Substantial experience in humanitarian response and recovery, including project development and management, technical support, liaison and capacity building.
• Experience designing and delivering capacity-building initiatives in humanitarian response and recovery.
• Background in an international, intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, the United Nations system or government.
• Experience engaging government and diplomatic representatives, donors, civil society, international institutions and private-sector partners, including in advocacy and resource mobilization.
• Ability to lead and manage multidisciplinary teams, interpret complex operating environments and assess changing migration and displacement dynamics in regional and global context.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to synthesize evidence and present findings clearly; familiarity with relevant humanitarian standards and classifications; and a commitment to learning, knowledge sharing and organizational improvement.