CON 2025 040 | Capacity Building and Documentation Consultant
Cotabato
- Organization: IOM - International Organization for Migration
- Location: Cotabato
- Grade: Senior Executive level - Assistant Director - General level - Internationally recruited position
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Occupational Groups:
- Statistics
- Education, Learning and Training
- Documentation and Information Management
- Closing Date:
Job Description
This project aims to address the causes and impacts of conflict-induced displacement in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); contribute to conditions conducive for longer-term solutions, especially on peace and security, access to rights and services, socio-economic inclusion and strengthened governance processes; and create a safe, voluntary, and dignified pathway for IDPs to achieve tailored solutions to resolve their displacement.
A key outcome of the project is the strengthening the conflict-prevention and peacebuilding capacities of key institutions in the LGUs of the target communities and the relevant ministries. This involves providing capacity-building and operational support to relevant BARMM institutions to assist them in fulfilling their respective mandates and functions related to preventing and resolving conflict and violence leading to displacement. Specifically, the project will support the PSRO, a newly established office under the Office of the Chief Minister which is the primary agency mandated to support and serve transitioning combatants and existing peace mechanisms and settle conflicts among warring groups during this transitional government. While the PSRO has made progress in dispute resolution involving Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members and has supported functioning of the GPH-MILF peace mechanisms, it continues to face operational and technical limitations due to its recent formation.
To address these gaps, the project will support PSRO in their efforts to strengthen the capacity of local MILF peace mediators and scale up effective conflict mediation and de-escalation activities, particularly those involving conflicting MILF actors. In particular, the project will assist in identifying the best practices and lessons learned and develop operational guideline to support PSRO on the systematic recording and documentation of ongoing and completed cases handled by the PSRO. The operational guideline and related documentation processes will integrate the identified best practices and lessons learned, and gender sensitivity and the principles of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, ensuring that PSRO’s conflict prevention and resolution efforts are inclusive, gender-responsive, and aligned with broader peacebuilding goals.
Responsibilities
Category A Consultants: Tasks to be performed under this contract
- Under the overall guidance of IOM’s Peace, Transition, and Recovery Unit and the Head of the IOM Mindanao Sub-Office, the consultant will produce an Inception Report detailing the proposed methodology, a clear work plan, and a stakeholder engagement strategy.
- Document completed and ongoing cases handled by the PSRO, through field visits, desk reviews of existing data, documentation methodologies and tools, KIIs and consultations.
- Coordinate and collaborate closely with the PSRO, MILF peace mediators, and other relevant stakeholders in the development of the PSRO’s Operational Guideline on Intra-MILF Conflicts Leading to Displacement.
- Design and facilitate a learning session and validation workshop with the PSRO, MILF peace mediators, relevant BARMM ministries and agencies, and local government units in the target communities to gather feedback, encourage potential collaboration on PSRO’s conflict mediation and de-escalation activities, and validate the draft operational guideline.
- Ensure the integration of gender sensitivity and the principles of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda in both the documentation process and the finalization of the operational guideline.
- Produce a high-quality and comprehensive Operational Guideline on Intra-MILF Conflicts Leading to Displacement, incorporating stakeholder inputs, best practices and lessons learned, and inclusive peacebuilding principles.
These services shall be provided by the consultant during a period of two (2) months, starting from 28 July 2025 to 28 September 2025. Activities will be conducted in-person and/or on hybrid modality depending on the workable arrangement with partners, government counterparts and stakeholders. All activities are understood to be subject to observance of applicable health and security protocols and to any movement restrictions that may be imposed by the Philippine government.
Deliverables are to be performed in accordance with the following indicative schedule and may adjust upon further deliberation:
First Deliverable: Submission of Inception Report and Initial Coordination with PSRO and Other Stakeholders
- July 2025- Submit an Inception Report outlining the proposed approaches, strategies, and detailed work plan for delivering key outputs under the engagement.
- July 2025- Conduct initial coordination meetings with the PSRO and review relevant documents and resources to understand the context and institutional processes.
- August 2025- Hold key informant meetings with the PSRO, MILF peace mediators, and other relevant stakeholders to gather baseline information and establish collaboration mechanisms.
Second Deliverable: Case Documentation, Stakeholder Consultations, and Drafting of the Operational Guideline
- August 2025- Document ongoing and completed cases handled by the PSRO, and review existing tools and methodologies related to documentation of conflict mediation and de-escalation.
- August 2025- Conduct consultations and collaborative sessions with the PSRO to begin drafting the Operational Guideline on Intra-MILF Conflicts Leading to Displacement and enhancing the case documentation tool.
- August 2025- Submit the draft Operational Guideline along with a proposed case documentation and tracking tool for initial review and feedback.
Final Deliverable: Learning Session and Submission of Final Operational Guideline
- September 2025- Facilitate a regional learning session and validation workshop with key stakeholders, including PSRO, MPOS, MILG, MILF peace mediators, LGUs in target communities, AFP, PNP, JPST, and AJHAG.
- September 2025- Integrate stakeholder feedback into the draft Operational Guideline, finalize the case documentation tools, and ensure the mainstreaming of gender sensitivity and Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) principles across all outputs.
- September 2025- Submit the final, high-quality Operational Guideline on Intra-MILF Conflicts Leading to Displacement, including validated documentation tools and a comprehensive report highlighting best practices and lessons learned in the mediation and conflict de-escalation initiatives of PSRO.
The Consultant may be required to attend online or in-person meetings with the IOM project team, PUNO’s technical teams, and/or stakeholders (such as BARMM ministries and LGUs) on an ad hoc basis, to provide updates on deliverables and to ensure alignment with other project components. The Consultant may also need to travel to BARMM areas to support the conduct of some project activities related to comprehensive data deliverables.
Qualifications
- Relevant educational background in Political or Social Sciences, Migration, Anthropology, Peace and Conflict Studies, or related field from an accredited academic institution; or academic background in any field combined with relevant specialized experience.
- Strong background in mixed methods research on internal displacement, migration or conflict.
- Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills required.
- Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, from grassroots level to regional policymakers.
- Understanding and experience working in the sphere of durable solutions is a strong advantage.
- Experience/familiarity with policies and practices of intergovernmental organizations or international NGOs is preferred.
- For this position, fluency in English and Filipino is required. Knowledge of another BARMM local language is desirable.
Required Skills
Job info
Contract Type: Consultancy (Up to 11 months)Vacancy Type: Consultancy
Recruiting Type: Consultant
Grade: UG
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.