Consultant on Anti-Scam Communications and Outreach Associated with Irregular Recruitment Schemes
- Organization: IOM - International Organization for Migration
- Location:
- Grade:
-
Occupational Groups:
- Communication and Public Information
- Closing Date:
Job Description
The UK’s Seasonal Workers Scheme (SWS) provides seasonal workers entry and employment in the UK for up to 6 months to fill seasonal gaps in agriculture. Since 2020, the number of Kazakh nationals receiving the UK’s Seasonal Worker visas has grown significantly, exceeding 5,000 people in 2024. It is imperative that the migrants’ migration experiences are as positive as possible - from the recruitment process, to employment, to return - to mitigate the risks and maximize the benefits of this migration for the livelihoods and quality of life of migrants and their families.
In Kazakhstan, recruitment of migrant workers under the SWS is officially carried out by the UK-based SWS operators (private recruitment companies) and their sub-contractors (also private recruitment companies) licensed by the UK government. Misinformation and fraud have been rife as there has thus far been no legitimate and reliable information disseminated by the Government of Kazakhstan on the SWS and more specifically, recruitment.
Since 2024, IOM has been supporting the Kazakh government’s engagement in the SWS at the country level to ensure that potential migrants receive accurate and reliable information about the SWS, reducing the risk of exploitation and trafficking. It also helps regulate labour migration flows, ensuring the protection of workers' rights and enhancing bilateral cooperation with the UK.
Significant groundwork has already been undertaken in Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asia region to address unethical recruitment practices linked to irregular labor migration, particularly in the context of seasonal worker schemes. Previous initiatives, carried out in close collaboration with government partners and civil society organizations, have resulted in a set of comprehensive recommendations aimed at improving transparency, strengthening referral mechanisms, and enhancing the protection of migrant workers from fraudulent recruitment practices. These findings have underscored the urgent need for clear, accessible, and trustworthy information for potential migrants, especially in light of increasing recruitment volumes to the UK’s Seasonal Worker Scheme.
Building on this foundation, the current consultancy will translate existing research and recommendations into actionable anti-scam messaging and digital outreach tools. The consultant will develop a strategic communications package and support the design of a targeted online awareness campaign, ensuring that the anti-scam content is both evidence-based and aligned with the priorities of government and NGO stakeholders. This will help bridge the gap between policy and practice, reinforcing existing efforts through public engagement and social media dissemination.
Responsibilities
a) Develop targeted anti-scam messaging and social media content based on the findings of the analysis, in coordination with the internet company responsible for dissemination.
- Develop Key Messages: Create anti-scam messages based on analysis, tailored to different audiences (e.g., youth, rural residents)
- Prepare a content package (posts, captions, hashtags, slogans)
b) Produce a toolkit and campaign brief for use by the internet company, outlining key messaging, audience targeting, FAQs, and communication guidelines.
- Develop a brief/toolkit with messaging strategy, FAQs, visual guidelines, and a standalone fact sheet for awareness.
c) Facilitate coordination with the internet company to ensure dissemination strategies align with campaign goals.
- Hold two meetings to align messaging and formats and provide technical input on digital outreach strategies.
d) Submit a post-campaign recommendations report assessing message effectiveness and potential improvements.
- Conduct a virtual focus group with returned migrants or CSOs to test and refine messaging.
- Recommend ways to monitor impact and submit a summary report with lessons learned and future improvements.
e) Attend and contribute to ‘Safe Migration of Seasonal Workers from Central Asia to the UK’ project events
Qualifications
Higher education (Bachelor’s degree or higher) in Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Development Studies or Migration Studies or related field from a recognized institution;
- At least 5 years of working experience in migration and/or financial inclusion related fields; Prior experience of conducting research on labour migration; Prior experience in producing SOP;
- Extensive experience in communication with migrants and relevant government stakeholders;
- Good knowledge of national and international legislation in the areas of migration and labour legislation, human rights protection, counter trafficking, family and criminal law
- Demonstrated knowledge of international data and migration statistics standards and practices and ability to apply this knowledge to a new context;
- Ability to communicate efficiently and concisely, strong organizational skills, attention to the details, personal commitments, capacity to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from varied cultures and professional backgrounds
- Knowledge of English, Kazakh and Russian.
- Upon request
- Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
- Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
- Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
- Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
- Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.
- Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
- Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
- Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
- Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
- Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.
- 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, verification of residency, visa, and authorizations by the concerned Government, where applicable.
- 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.
- 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 online recruitment system. The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.
Required Skills
Job info
Contract Type: Consultancy (Up to 11 months)Initial Contract Duration: 8
Vacancy Type: Consultancy
Recruiting Type: Consultant
Grade: UG
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.