Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading UN agency in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all, including by strengthening protection systems and countering trafficking in persons.
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) remains a significant protection, governance, and migration management concern in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Geographic isolation, labour mobility patterns, economic vulnerabilities, and limited institutional resources create conditions that may expose both migrant workers and Marshallese citizens to exploitation, particularly in high-risk sectors such as foreign fishing crew and service-sector work. While the Government has taken important steps through the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Act (2017) and the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (2025–2030), persistent gaps remain in frontline response capacity, public awareness, and coordination across stakeholders.
IOM is implementing a three-year project to strengthen national capacity to prevent, identify, and respond to TIP, working with the National Taskforce on Human Trafficking (NTHT), the Office of the Attorney General, Immigration, Police, the Ministry of Labour, and civil society partners including Waan Aelõñ in Majel (WAM). Year 1 of the project focuses on foundational systems strengthening, including the development of a standardized, competency-based training package for frontline agencies aligned with RMI's existing SOPs and international standards.
To support this work, IOM seeks to engage an international Category B Consultant to lead the co-design of the training curriculum and materials, deliver in-person training workshops in Majuro and Ebeye, and support on-site orientation sessions at points of entry. The assignment will strengthen frontline agencies' ability to identify and respond to TIP cases in a victim-centred, gender-responsive, and disability-inclusive manner, and will lay the groundwork for extended and advanced training in Years 2 and 3.
The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the IOM Head of Sub-Office in Majuro, in close coordination with the NTHT, national counterparts, and relevant programme staff. The consultancy will be conducted on a partially home-based and partially in-country basis, reflecting the need for both analytical and material-design work as well as in-person facilitation and validation with stakeholders in RMI.
OutputsResponsible PartyTimelinePayment %
1. Inception Report
Must include:
Desk review of the RMI Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Act (2017), National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (2025–2030), existing SOPs,IOM's RMI capacity assessment on TIP and annual TIP reports from US State Department.
Review and validation of existing SOPs and referral pathways with the National Taskforce on Human Trafficking (NTHT) and relevant agencies to confirm continuity
Proposed curriculum outline and methodology, including modules on victim identification, immediate protection actions, screening and referral, and gender-responsive, trauma-informed and disability-inclusive approaches
Stakeholder engagement plan covering Immigration, Police, Labour, Health, Office of the Attorney General, and civil society partners
Consultant, in consultation with NTHT and IOMEnd of month 115%
2. Draft Training Curriculum and Materials
Must include:
Draft competency-based training package aligned with RMI SOPs and international standards, incorporating IOM's Counter-Trafficking Theory of Change
Session plans, slides, participant handouts, and practical job aids (checklists, referral contact trees)
RMI-specific scenarios and simulation exercises for points of entry, service settings, and workplaces
Draft pre/post knowledge tests and confidence self-assessment tool
Consultant, co-designed with NTHT focal pointsEnd of month 320%
3. Pocket Guides and SOP Checklists
Must include:
Gender-sensitive pocket guides in English and Marshallese summarising TIP indicators, first-line protection actions, and referral steps
Quick-reference SOP checklists for points of entry and health facilities, including disability-inclusive communication and referral guidance
Draft layouts reviewed with NTHT focal points for accuracy and cultural appropriateness prior to finalisation
Consultant, with NTHT reviewEnd of month 415%
4. Final Validated Training Package
Must include:
Training package, pocket guides, and SOP checklists revised to incorporate NTHT and IOM feedback
Validation of the draft curriculum through targeted KIIs or focus group discussions with selected participants and NTHT members, with feedback incorporated into the final training package.
Formal written validation and approval of the curriculum and materials by NTHT and Government partners
ConsultantEnd of month 515%
5. Delivery of Two In-Person Workshops (Majuro and Ebeye)
Must include:
Facilitation of two workshops targeting immigration officers, police, prosecutors, labour inspectors, and health professionals
Guided SOP walk-throughs, case studies, and structured simulation exercises
Distribution and walk-through of the pocket guides and SOP checklists as part of workshop delivery
Agency-specific action plans to embed changes into daily routines
Completed pre/post tests, confidence self-assessments, and feedback cards
Consultant, with IOM and NTHT supportEnd of month 720%
6. On-Site Orientation Sessions and Completion Report
Must include:
Facilitation of on-site orientation sessions with frontline officers at Majuro airport and seaport, embedding SOP checklists and pocket guides into daily practice
Brief orientation session records and observations
ConsultantEnd of month 815%
The total duration for this assignment is eight (8) months. Deliverables are scheduled through month 9, with the remaining contract period reserved as a buffer for IOM's final review, revisions, and formal closeout. The Consultant will agree a final work schedule with IOM at the beginning of the assignment, setting clear deadlines for each deliverable. All outputs shall be submitted electronically in editable formats and will be considered complete upon IOM's written approval, with up to two rounds of revisions within and after the assignment period.
The Consultant will be engaged under an international consultancy contract and will work on a partially home-based and partially in-country basis in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In-person engagement is required for stakeholder validation of the curriculum, delivery of the two training workshops in Majuro and Ebeye, and the on-site orientation sessions at Majuro's airport and seaport.
Education:
University degree (Master's preferred) in law, criminal justice, human rights, social work, international relations, or a related field.
Experience:
Minimum seven (7) years of experience in counter-trafficking, victim/survivor protection, or related migration governance programming.
Proven experience designing and delivering competency-based training curricula for government frontline agencies (e.g., immigration, police, labour, health).
Demonstrated knowledge of victim identification, referral pathways, and case management approaches aligned with international standards (e.g., IOM's Counter-Trafficking Theory of Change, Palermo Protocol).
Experience applying gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and disability-inclusive approaches in training or protection programming.
Experience working in small island or Pacific contexts is an asset.
Languages:
Fluency in English (oral and written) is required.
Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society.
IOM works with its partners in the international community to assist in meeting the growing operational challenges of migration, advance understanding of migration issues, encourage social and economic development through migration and uphold the well-being and human rights of migrants.
More people are on the move today than at any other time in recorded history: 1 billion people – comprising a seventh of humanity. A variety of elements – not least the information and communications revolutions – contribute to the movement of people on such a large scale. The forces driving migration as a priority issue are: climate change, natural and manmade catastrophes, conflict, the demographic trends of an ageing industrialized population, an exponentially expanding jobless youth population in the developing world and widening North–South social and economic disparities.
