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
The 24-month project “Enhancing National Pandemic Preparedness and Cross-Border Health Security in Lao PDR” (PRIMA Code LA10P0566; Project Code MP0745), starting 01 October 2026, supports national and provincial authorities to strengthen pandemic preparedness and cross-border health security. Outcome 2 focuses on strengthening legislation and policy frameworks for priority pathogens. Output 2.1 commits to expanding endorsement and operationalization of bilateral coordination SOPs and cross-border data-sharing protocols with Viet Nam, Thailand, and China.
Migration Health Unit / IOM Lao PDR, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and relevant border, immigration, and counterpart-country authorities; Pandemic Fund project LA10P0566, “Enhancing National Pandemic Preparedness and Cross-Border Health Security in Lao PDR.” IOM Thailand MHU provides technical support to IOM Lao PDR.
Under the project’s health component, the consultant will:
The NO-A will coordinate government and technical engagement; the G5 Project Assistant will support administrative arrangements; and IOM Thailand MHU will provide budgeted technical support. Competent authorities retain decision-making and formal endorsement authority. The assignment is limited to SOP-related procedures; it is not a nationwide or full IHR capacity assessment and does not determine PoE designation. After handover, the IOM Lao PDR project team will coordinate follow-up toward endorsement and operationalization. DRCMU flow-monitoring work is outside this consultancy.
Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment (with realistic delivery dates)
Deliverable 1 – Inception report | Due within 1 months of contract start | Payment: 30% upon written acceptance. The report will set out the methodology, document review, consultation plan, assessment framework, and workplan for all 3 corridors. It will recommend 1 Lao-side priority PoE for each corridor with rationale; identify preliminary priority events/pathogens and stakeholders; provide the common SOP outline, drafting approach, validation and travel schedule; and state assumptions, risks, mitigation measures, and decisions required. IOM Lao PDR and relevant authorities will confirm the 3 sites and scope before detailed assessment begins. The inception report will explain how relevant IHR provisions and WHO PoE guidance will inform the assessment and drafting.
Deliverable 2 – Consolidated assessment and draft SOP packages | Due by Month 4 | Payment: 60% upon written acceptance. Submit a consolidated assessment of the 3 confirmed corridors and PoEs, including current process maps, roles and responsibilities, operational gaps, and recommendations, together with 3 draft bilateral SOP packages using a common structure and country- and PoE-specific procedures. Each draft will cover event triggers, notification channels and timelines, verification and risk assessment, coordination and response, information-sharing safeguards, referral and follow-up where applicable, escalation and after-hours contacts, records, closure, and review. Include consultation records, draft forms or job aids, a comment log, and validation-session materials; provide editable files and clean PDFs. Include a concise IHR/WHO alignment and gap matrix for each package, mapping relevant IHR provisions and WHO guidance to the draft procedures, current arrangements, identified gaps, and recommendations.
Deliverable 3 – Final validated SOP package and handover | Due by Month 6 | Payment: 10% upon written acceptance. Submit the final assessment and recommendations and 3 complete SOP packages incorporating consolidated technical comments and documented validation for each package. Include relevant forms, concise job aids, an updated contact-list template, a response-to-comments matrix, unresolved decisions and endorsement steps, and a handover/implementation plan identifying sequence, proposed institutional responsibilities, resource and coordination needs, monitoring indicators, contact updates, and periodic review. Brief the Lao project team and designated government counterparts and provide editable source files. Formal government endorsement is not guaranteed by the consultant and is not a condition of payment where it depends on government decisions outside the consultant’s control; endorsement steps and decisions must be documented. Include the updated IHR/WHO alignment and gap matrix for each package, noting remaining gaps and any policy or institutional decisions for the competent authorities.
For this consultancy, 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.
IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.
Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:
Core Competencies – behavioural indicators
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.
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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.
