Project Assistant (Cultural Mediation)

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.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration

Internal and external candidates will be considered for this vacancy. For the purposes of this vacancy, internal candidates are defined as staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded or ungraded contract, including Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), staff on Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP), UN Volunteers with at least twelve (12) months of continuous service in IOM, and staff members on secondment/loan released by the Organization, unless otherwise specified in their contract. Staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded contract will not retain their contract type if appointed to an ungraded position.

Under the overall supervision of the Director, Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, Chief of Mission in Italy and Malta, Representative to the Holy See, the supervision of the Programme Manager – Immigration Border Governance (IBG) and the direct supervision of the Project Area Coordinator, the incumbent will be responsible for providing cultural mediation assistance to the Italian Ministry of Interior – Public Security Department in different emergency operations for the fast and precise application of first-entry procedures in the framework of the MED.E.A. project.

1. Provide clerical operational support to the Ministry of Interior – Public Security Department at the target duty station within the assigned Immigration Office;
2. Support the above Office in the identification procedures of beneficiaries, including in receiving and compiling the asylum-seekers’ claims, accelerated procedures, translating non-official documents from Italian into the migrants’ mother tongue and vice versa;
3. Support the Immigration Office in registering the asylum applications, also through filing and archiving activities;
4. Assist the Office in informing migrants and asylum-seekers about identification procedures, including within the Hotspots and other border areas, as applicable;
5. Keep the Project Area Coordinator informed of the activities performed, in particular in relation to vulnerable groups in need of specific protection and referral;
6. Provide clerical assistance in the mediation activity in an objective and impartial way;
7. Provide general information on national laws and administrative procedures, in particular those related to asylum;
8. Prepare all relevant financial documentation related to the project (payment/ reimbursement/travel) and provide regular reporting to the project team on the activities performed in the assigned duty station;
9. Provide a detailed report at the end of service in line with the standard template provided by the project manager;
10. Perform any other duties as may be assigned.

• High School Diploma with three years of relevant professional experience;
  or
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent from an accredited academic institution with one year of relevant working experience.

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

• Previous experience in the framework of migrants’ assistance and cultural mediation is a distinctive advantage.
• Previous experience with international organizations, EU Agencies and/or Italian Border Police or Police Immigration Offices is an advantage.
• Previous experience with the IOM Italy Immigration and Border Governance team is a distinctive advantage.

• Knowledge of the procedures related to the asylum application, including the so-called C3 templated used to file asylum-seekers claims.
• Knowledge of the work of the Immigration Office, in particular the International Protection Section (IV section).
• Psychological understanding in interpersonal communication and sensitiveness in addressing the asylum-seekers’ claims.
• Capacity to prevent and mitigate conflicts between the beneficiaries/asylum-seekers and the police officers.

All IOM staff members in all categories are required to be fluent in one of the IOM's official languages (English, French, Spanish).

For this position, fluency in Italian and Arabic, 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.

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

Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category.

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