Job Description

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.

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

Project Context and Scope

AThe International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s health program in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) aims at strengthening the resilience and responsiveness of the region’s health system and improving access to healthcare, as part of the organization’s strategy to alleviate the driver of unwanted migration and to reduce health-related risks during displacements and migration cycle. IOM has implemented various health-related projects that contributed to better health outcomes in the BARMM. 

IOM’s project “Building Resilience through Inclusive Governance and Healthcare Transformation in BARMM (BRIGHT-BARMM), funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), aims to enhance the local capacity of Ministry of Health (MOH), the local provinces and cities/municipalities, to pursue key and cross cutting reforms in health systems. It will strengthen Health Systems (HS), particularly in areas of health governance and leadership, financing, and data and information, to provide a more conducive setting for implementing Safe Motherhood (SM), Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH), and Global Health Security (GHS) programs. 

Within the GHS component, IOM seeks to strengthen the capacity of the government, health workers, and frontline workers to promote inclusive, preventive, and culturally and gender appropriate health programs for returning migrants and mobile populations. This includes improving access to health information, strengthening referral pathways, and reducing the potential spread of infectious diseases through Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) materials, capacity-building of health workers at Points of Entry (PoEs), and the establishment of referral pathways to strengthen access to screening, counselling, and treatment for returnees and migrants. To support these efforts, IOM will engage a consultant to provide advisory and technical assistance with a focus on  Referral Pathways for Returning Migrants and Mobile Populations.

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Sub-Office in Cotabato City, direct supervision of the National Migration Health Programme Coordinator, and in collaboration with the technical leads, the successful candidate will produce analytical papers, finalize the Referral Pathway Toolkit and SOP Manual, and facilitate the development of a Referral Pathway Institutionalization and Sustainability Plan. These outputs will contribute to strengthening national and local capacity to promote inclusive, preventive, and rights-based health programmes for returnees and host communities in areas of return and reintegration.

The objective of this consultancy is to strengthen migration health referral systems in ZamBaSulTa by refining and institutionalizing referral pathways, developing standardized referral tools and SOPs, building the capacity of stakeholders through training and mentoring, and establishing sustainable coordination and governance mechanisms to improve access to health, protection, and other essential services for Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFS), migrants and mobile populations. 

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing

Migration Health Unit in Mindanao 

BRIGHT BARMM: MA1161: 3:3:1:006-Consultancy (inc. CP) Migration Health

Responsibilities

Tasks to be performed under this contract

A. FIRST DELIVERABLES: Migration Health Referral Pathway Refinement, Validation, and Operationalization Package

Building on the outputs and recommendations generated during the completed consultation and validation workshop, the consultant shall:

• Review existing and initially drafted health referral systems, protocols, service mapping outputs, and draft referral pathway tools developed under the project, identifying gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for strengthening alignment with national, BARMM, and local referral mechanisms.

• Refine and validate Migration Health Referral Pathway Package for ZamBaSulTa,  ensuring that it is practical, context-specific, gender-responsive, protection-sensitive, and responsive to the health and protection needs of Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFs), migrants, and mobile populations. The package shall include, at a minimum:

  • Referral pathway flowcharts and process maps;

  • Standardized referral and feedback forms;

  • Referral tracking and monitoring tools;

  • Service mapping and directory templates;

  • Roles and responsibilities matrix for participating agencies and service providers; and

  • Referral coordination and reporting mechanisms.

• Prepare a draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual to support the implementation and institutionalization of the referral pathway. The SOP shall clearly define procedures for:

  • Identification and screening of referral cases;

  • Referral initiation, acceptance, and case handover;

  • Follow-up and closure of referral cases;

  • Health, protection, and multisectoral referral coordination;

  • Confidentiality, informed consent, and data-sharing protocols;

  • Documentation, reporting, and referral monitoring requirements; and

  • Roles and responsibilities of Bangsamoro Migration Health Network (BMHN) members and other relevant stakeholders.

-Activities shall be completed by 30 October 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 November 2026 (30% of overall contract value)

B. SECOND DELIVERABLES: Referral Pathway Training Package and Capacity Building

Building on the refined Migration Health Referral Pathway Package and draft SOPs, the consultant shall develop and deliver a comprehensive capacity-building programme to support the effective implementation, institutionalization, and sustainability of referral mechanisms for migrants, ReFs, and mobile populations in ZamBaSulTa.

The consultant shall:

• Co-develop with the RCCE Consultant the refinement of the training design, curriculum, agenda, and learning materials for the RCCE and Referral Pathway Training to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders serving returning migrants and mobile populations.

• Develop a comprehensive Migration Health Referral Pathway Training Package, ensuring that all materials are culturally sensitive, gender-/age-/ability-inclusive, and accessible to the diverse stakeholders involved in referral management and service delivery. The package shall include, at a minimum:

  • Facilitator's Guide

  • Participant's Manual

  • Presentation materials

  • Pre- and post-training assessment tools

  • Case studies and practical referral scenarios

  • Referral pathway simulation and tabletop exercises

• Conduct a training workshop for Bangsamoro Migration Health Network (BMHN) members, frontline POE workers, local health workers in referral facilities in ZamBaSulTa, and other service providers on referral pathways.  Using the training materials and package developed, and referencing the IOM Health, Border, and Mobility Management (HBMM) framework, DOH/MOH referral structure, IOM Protection Handbook, and Sphere standards, the sessions shall cover, as applicable, the following topics: 

• Understanding the migrant context and mobility patterns of ZamBaSulTa, including, informal and irregular movements of Returning Filipinos from Sabah (REFs)

• Health risk identification and prioritization, facilitating and institutionalizing referral pathways, and monitoring and tracking of referral cases.

• Monitoring and evaluation on the effectiveness of referral pathway, and implementing continuous improvement to maintain effective referral

• Prepare and submit a Training Completion Report summarizing the training methodology, participant profile, pre- and post-training assessment results, key findings, recommendations, and proposed actions to support the operationalization and institutionalization of the migration health referral pathway in ZamBaSulTa.

-Activities shall be completed by 30 November 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 December 2026 (30% of overall contract value)

C. THIRD DELIVERABLES: Finalization, Institutionalization, and Handover Package

Building on the validated Migration Health Referral Pathway Package, SOPs, and capacity-building activities, the consultant shall finalize all technical outputs and support their institutionalization for sustained implementation by the BMHN and relevant stakeholders.

The consultant shall:

• Finalize and integrate all revisions arising from stakeholder consultations, validation workshops, training activities, and technical reviews into the Migration Health Referral Pathway Package, ensuring consistency, usability, and alignment with national, BARMM, and local referral systems.

• Finalize the Referral Pathway Toolkit, including referral flowcharts, standardized referral and feedback forms, referral tracking and monitoring tools, service mapping directories, coordination mechanisms, and roles and responsibilities matrices.

• Finalize the Referral Pathway SOP Manual and incorporate recommendations to support institutional adoption, implementation, monitoring, and sustainability of referral mechanisms for migrants, Returning Filipinos from Sabah (ReFs), and mobile populations in ZamBaSulTa.

• Develop a Referral Pathway Institutionalization and Sustainability Plan outlining recommended governance arrangements, coordination structures, monitoring and reporting mechanisms, capacity development needs, and actions required to support the long-term operationalization of the referral system through the partner agencies.

• Prepare and submit all final digital reports and outputs in editable formats to facilitate future reproduction, updating, dissemination, and utilization by BMHN, MOH-BARMM, local government units, and relevant stakeholders.

• Present the final referral pathway package and key recommendations to IOM through a turnover and dissemination session.

-Activities shall be completed by 30 December 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 15 January 2027 (40% of overall contract value)

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

• The Consultant’s performance will be assessed based on the timely completion, quality, and comprehensiveness of the agreed deliverables, as well as the effectiveness of technical assistance, stakeholder coordination, and documentation and reporting.

• Percentage of task completion specified in the ToR based on supervisors’ performance evaluation. Tasks are divided into technical assistance (60%), coordination, liaison, and networking to National, Regional, and Local stakeholders and partners (10%), documentation and reporting (30%). 

• Relevance of planning, organization and timeliness for managing and delivering progress reports and outputs. 

• Practical applicability and institutional adoption by BMHN and relevant government partners.

• Timeliness and completeness of deliverable

• Feedback from stakeholders on the quality of work and reports.

• Contribution to achieving project goals and objectives in BARMM, such as strengthened operational and institutional capacity and guidelines or policies, BARMM application of new knowledge, and effective service delivery.