Consultant - National Counter Trafficking Capacity Development

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.
 

The objective of this consultancy is to support the establishment of a coherent, strategic, and standardised national system for counter‑trafficking capacity development in Ireland. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for leading:

• An evidence‑based assessment of existing national counter‑trafficking capacity, including training provision, practitioner preparedness, and perceived effectiveness across selected organisations; and
• The development of a structured National Capacity Building Framework, defining governance arrangements, competency levels, technical standards, and a corresponding learning architecture for counter‑trafficking training in Ireland, aligned with national priorities and international good practice.

Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and nongovernmental 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.

IOM has been supporting Ireland’ efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking, including through targeted training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and frontline service providers, research, as well as public awareness‑raising campaigns. While these initiatives have strengthened capacity and partnerships, recent implementation experience has highlighted fragmentation in training provision, variation in depth and approach across sectors, and the absence of a unified national framework guiding counter‑trafficking capacity development.

In line with the 2023–2027 National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking, there is a need to move towards a more coherent, strategic, and standardised national system for counter‑trafficking training and capacity development. This includes a shared understanding of competency requirements across roles and sectors, agreed technical standards for training delivery, and a structured learning architecture that allows organisations to retain ownership of training within their statutory remits while aligning with national priorities and international standards.

Given its role as an international organization, with access to global expertise and strong partnerships with relevant stakeholders in Ireland, IOM is well positioned to support the Government in establishing such a system. To this end, IOM seeks to recruit an experienced consultant to lead both (i) a targeted assessment of existing national counter‑trafficking capacity across selected organisations, and (ii) the development of a practical, implementation‑focused national capacity building framework to guide future training efforts in Ireland.

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:

The consultant will support and lead the design and implementation of a targeted national capacity assessment focusing on selected organisations involved in counter trafficking prevention, identification, referral, protection, and enforcement in Ireland:

Key tasks under this component include:

• Designing the assessment methodology, based on the Kirkpatrick model, in coordination with IOM, drawing on international good practice and established evaluation models;
• Supporting a mapping exercise of existing counter‑trafficking training received by targeted organisations, including scope, depth, frequency, delivery modalities, and reach;
• Analysing the relevance, effectiveness, and impact of existing training, including alignment with operational needs and outcomes related to victim identification and referral;
• Assessing governance and ownership structures related to counter‑trafficking training provision;
• Synthesising findings into a concise, evidence‑based assessment report identifying strengths, gaps, priority areas for intervention, and recommendations to inform the National Capacity Building Framework development.

Corresponding deliverables:

Building on the findings of the national capacity assessment, the consultant will lead the development of a practical, implementation‑focused National Counter‑Trafficking Capacity Building Framework.

Key tasks include:

• Designing a structured framework that supports consistency in counter‑trafficking capacity development while respecting organisational mandates and operational contexts;
• Defining governance arrangements, including roles and responsibilities within the national counter‑trafficking training ecosystem, and options for coordination, quality assurance, and sustainability;
• Developing a competency model outlining expected knowledge, skills, and actions across different roles and sectors, and across competency levels;
• Establishing technical standards for training content, delivery modalities, and quality assurance, ensuring alignment with national requirements and international standards;
• Designing a structured learning architecture (e.g. awareness, practitioner, specialist levels) that supports progression, coherence, and sustainability;
• Exploring options for accreditation, recognition or certification pathways, where relevant, to support sustainability and professionalisation of learning pathways;
• Proposing mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating training effectiveness over time, based on the Kirkpatrick model to ensure assessing capacity building efforts does not remain at tracking knowledge and skills increase but also translates into systematic follow-up to better understand behavioral change and associated benefits at organizational level;
• Drafting a comprehensive National Capacity Building Framework report, including clear recommendations for its implementation and sustainability.
• Present findings and recommendations in a validation workshop with key stakeholders.

Corresponding deliverables:

The consultancy will be carried out over the duration of the NCTCD project, with sequencing aligned to the project workplan, including inception, consultations, assessment, framework development, and finalisation phases.

• Kick‑off meeting – June
• Survey and consultations – July to August
• Analysis and assessment drafting – August to October
• Output 1: Submission of Assessment Report – October
• Analysis and development of the CB Framework – September to November
• Output 2: Submission of the National CB Framework Report – December

Results will be evaluated based on the following performance indicators:

• Timely delivery of all agreed outputs;
• Quality, coherence, and practical applicability of the assessment and framework;
• Positive feedback from IOM and key stakeholders on the usefulness and relevance of deliverables.

• Advanced university degree in law, social sciences, public policy, education, migration, or a related field;

• Demonstrated expertise in counter‑trafficking;
• Demonstrated expertise in capacity development or training system design;
• Proven experience conducting capacity assessments and developing competency‑based frameworks or learning architectures;
• Strong understanding of governance, quality assurance, and monitoring of training systems;
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and presentation skills;

For this consultancy, for this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

The consultancy is primarily home‑based, with meetings and consultations with stakeholders in Ireland conducted online or in person in Dublin as required. If travel outside Dublin is required, IOM will reimburse these costs.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

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