National Consultant to conduct a gender-responsive legal and institutional assessment of the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS)

About the Organization

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.

Job Summary

In July 2026, IOM Ethiopia began implementation of the Regional Counter-Smuggling Programme (RCSP) in the East and Horn of Africa, funded by the United Kingdom Home Office. The Programme aims to strengthen airport border management capacities and regional cooperation to address document fraud, migrant smuggling and related forms of transnational organized crime in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The programme promotes evidence-based policy and institutional approaches, regional cooperation, gender equality and protection-sensitive responses.

The overall objective of this consultancy is to assess how relevant national institutional priorities concerning gender equality are reflected in the legal, policy, human resource and operational arrangements of ICS. The assessment will identify and document existing measures that support women’s recruitment, retention, professional development, career progression and leadership; examine practical experiences and challenges; and identify opportunities for further strengthening.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a legal, policy and institutional desk review: Analytical review of relevant national legislation, labour laws, gender equality policies, public-sector frameworks and available institutional policies or measures relevant to women’s recruitment, retention, professional development, career progression and leadership within ICS. The review shall document existing provisions and good practices and identify issues for further examination through institutional consultations.
• Conduct an institutional assessment and stakeholder consultations: Assess available recruitment and selection arrangements, workforce composition, professional development and promotion processes, mentoring and leadership pathways, workplace conditions, deployment practices and other institutional or operational factors relevant to women’s participation. Conduct consultations with relevant leadership, human resource personnel, gender focal points, operational personnel and other agreed stakeholders. Include confidential interviews and/or focus group discussions with relevant personnel that may draw on experiences from Bole and Dire Dawa international airports. The resulting analytical note shall present institutional strengths, good practices, experiences, challenges and opportunities for further strengthening.
• Draft a consolidated assessment report and recommendations: Draft a consolidated assessment report integrating the desk review, institutional assessment and stakeholder consultations. The report shall include an executive summary, methodology, legal and policy findings, institutional and human resource findings, and relevant operational observations of ICS where appropriate. It shall provide practical, evidence-based and prioritized recommendations, including possible strategies and outreach initiatives related to recruitment, retention, career development, mentoring, role-model initiatives, awareness activities, internship opportunities and women’s leadership.
• Prepare and facilitate a validation process in coordination with IOM and relevant counterparts. The validation package shall include presentation slides, an executive briefing note, a proposed agenda and discussion questions. Following the validation process, the consultant shall revise and submit the final consolidated assessment report, including a short record of feedback received and how substantive comments were addressed.
• Present the principal findings and recommendations of the assessment during a Women in Uniform Conference, organized under the RCSP. The conference will provide a dedicated forum for female officers from border management and law enforcement institutions to discuss professional experiences, institutional practices, gender equality and social inclusion, and opportunities to strengthen women’s participation and advancement. The consultant shall prepare and deliver the relevant conference session, facilitate the presentation of the assessment findings and moderate the subsequent discussion among participating officers and institutional representatives. Key observations emerging from the conference should be reflected, as appropriate, in the final assessment report.

Required Qualifications

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in Gender Studies, Gender and Development, Women’s Studies, Sociology, Social Sciences, Human Resource Management, Public Administration, Public Policy, Governance, Law, International Development, Political Science, Organizational Development, Migration Studies, Security Studies, Criminology, Criminal Justice, International Relations or another closely related field from an accredited academic institution, with at least seven (7) years of relevant professional experience.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in one of the above fields, combined with at least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

• Minimum 5-7 years of professional experience in gender analysis, gender mainstreaming, institutional assessments, organizational development, or related fields.
• Proven experience conducting legal, policy, institutional, organizational, workforce, gender, diversity and inclusion, or human resource assessments and institutional reviews within government institutions, public sector entities, or security sector organizations.
• Demonstrated experience undertaking gender-responsive research, assessments, evaluations, or analytical studies.
• Experience assessing human resource policies and practices, including recruitment, retention, career development, promotion, leadership pathways, and workplace inclusion.
• Experience facilitating stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and validation workshops.
• Proven track record of producing high-quality analytical reports, policy papers, assessment reports, and evidence-based recommendations for government institutions and development partners.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender equality, human rights, protection principles, social inclusion, disability inclusion, and safeguarding considerations in institutional settings.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of Ethiopian legal and policy frameworks related to gender equality, labour rights, public service management, and women’s empowerment.
• Sound understanding of international standards and frameworks on gender equality, women’s rights, diversity, equity, and social inclusion.
• Strong qualitative research and institutional assessment skills, including the use of interviews, focus group discussions, document reviews, and stakeholder consultations.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to identify institutional strengths, challenges, gaps, and opportunities, and to develop evidence-based findings.
• Strong report-writing, drafting, and presentation skills.
• Ability to formulate practical, actionable, and context-specific recommendations for institutional strengthening and policy reform.
• Demonstrated facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to lead workshops, validation meetings, and conference sessions.
• Knowledge of gender-responsive, protection-sensitive, and inclusive approaches in migration governance and border management.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior officials, operational personnel, and development partners.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks, maintain confidentiality, and deliver high-quality outputs within established deadlines.

Travel required

The primary duty station for the assignment will be Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with possible travel to relevant operational locations, including Bole and Dire Dawa international airports, subject to the agreed methodology, institutional authorization and operational requirements. All travel arrangements must be coordinated with IOM in advance.

How to Apply

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system. The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

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.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.