Chief of Mission (CoM) (P) Multiple Duty Stations - Call for Applications

Organisation: International Organization for Migration
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Contract: Professional
Deadline: 8 November 2026

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

Internal and external candidates will be considered for this vacancy.

For the purposes of this vacancy, internal candidates are defined as staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded or ungraded contract, including Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), UN Volunteers with at least twelve (12) months of continuous service in IOM, staff on Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP), and staff members on secondment/loan released by the Organization, unless otherwise specified in their contract. Staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded contract will not retain their contract type if appointed to an ungraded position.

Context

Under the overall guidance of the Director General and the direct supervision of the Regional Director / Sub-Regional Director or Chief of Mission of the COCF (as applicable), the Chief of Mission is responsible and accountable for the activities of IOM, overseeing and providing policy, administrative, programmatic, and financial support to the Country Office.

1. Strategic Leadership & Country Vision

Personally leads and often directly drafts/updates the Country Strategy, translating IOM's global and regional priorities into a coherent country-level vision. Spearheads this process with a results orientation and a focus on operational excellence, in consultation with the Regional Office, Headquarters, Member States, and other relevant stakeholders, within the overall regional framework.

2. Representation, Government & Political Engagement

Serve as IOM's senior representative to host-government counterparts, diplomatic missions, and international institutions, with a substantive and sustained role in national policy dialogue on migration. Engage proactively and maintain relationships with the host government, civil society, academia, research institutions, and — where relevant to the mission's context — parliamentary bodies, think tanks, and media, to support IOM's credibility, organizational visibility and policy influence. Analyse politically complex situations and design effective courses of action to advance IOM's objectives, exercising political acumen suited to the operating environment.

Support government counterparts and relevant stakeholders in strengthening migration governance, policy frameworks, and institutional capacities, in line with national priorities and international commitments.

3. Programme Oversight & Accountability

Direct and monitor programme design, implementation, and results reporting. Hold authority over project design and implementation, and accountability for financial oversight and fraud prevention. Ensure the mission's M&E culture and systems are resourced and functioning. During institutional emergency scale-up responses, ensure programmes are delivered in accordance with approved response objectives, performance benchmarks, accountability frameworks, and reporting requirements.

Where a Head of Programmes is not in place, the Chief of Mission personally absorbs those functions — directly engaged in project design, implementation troubleshooting, and day-to-day M&E compliance at the project level. Holds full accountability for financial oversight and fraud prevention, exercised through direct, hands-on engagement.

4. Resource Mobilization & Strategic Partnerships

Position IOM strategically with governments, donors, UN entities, diplomatic missions, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society; create avenues for diversified, sustainable partnerships; use representation to build IOM's credibility, visibility, and brand. Cultivate and strengthen existing long-term donor relationships, including maintaining donor trust and encouraging continued contributions. Active engagement with Multilateral Development Banks, Ministries of Finance and development finance actors. Ensure appropriate donor visibility, recognition of donor contributions, and promotion of donor-funded results, in addition to strengthening IOM branding, to support donor accountability and stewardship. Safeguarding IOM’s interests, policies and regulatory requirements and securing favourable terms for the Organization.

5. Resources Management

The Chief of Mission is directly engaged in RMU-level (Resource Management Unit) detail — Human Resources (HR), Procurement, Finance, and systems-based approvals — particularly where no Senior Resource Management Officer (RMO) is in place; may personally process or approve day-to-day HR, procurement, and finance transactions. Retains full accountability for financial oversight and fraud prevention, exercised directly rather than through a delegated structure.

6. Risk, Compliance & Crisis Preparedness

Lead risk management as a strategic function — anticipation, mitigation, accountability, and timely escalation of operational, programmatic, financial, reputational, security, and duty-of-care risks — integrated into decision-making rather than treated as a purely administrative or compliance requirement.

Ensure the Country Office is prepared to support and implement IOM institutional emergency scale-up responses, exercising leadership and accountability for preparedness, risk management, coordination, and compliance with organizational emergency response protocols and surge governance arrangements.

Maintain and regularly test the Country Office's Business Continuity Plan, coordinating with the Regional Field Security Officer and relevant Headquarters/Regional units (e.g., HR, Legal, Occupational Health, Staff Security) as needed. Ensure risk treatment plans are embedded in the mission's activity plans, and that audit recommendations affecting the office are tracked and closed in a timely manner.

Represent IOM within the UN Security Management System. Participate in Security Management Team (SMT) processes and contribute to security-risk decision-making, preparedness planning, and crisis response in coordination with UNDSS and relevant counterparts. May serve as Designated Official ad interim or undertake delegated security coordination responsibilities where applicable.

Ensure an effective internal-control environment within the mission, including appropriate segregation of duties, oversight mechanisms, compliance monitoring, and timely implementation of audit recommendations.

7. People Management & Respectful Workplace Culture

Lead, support, and develop diverse teams; enable collaboration; promote accountability; create the conditions for staff to perform. Explicitly foster a respectful, inclusive, and safe working environment, including PSEA/SH mainstreaming. Drive a culture of performance management, early conflict resolution, accountability, coaching, talent development, and continuous feedback across the mission.

Promote staff wellbeing, psychological safety, duty of care, and healthy workplace practices. Address workplace conflict constructively and foster an environment in which staff feel supported, respected, and able to perform effectively.

Provide direct coaching, mentoring, and day-to-day support, who include junior national and international to staff requiring close guidance. People management is hands-on and personal — performance conversations, skill development, and day-to-day problem-solving happen directly between the CoM and individual team members.

8. Knowledge Management, Data & Innovation

Foster a culture of knowledge sharing and best-practice capture; leverage data. evidence and analysis to guide strategic decisions, priorities and advocacy, apply strategic and innovative thinking, including in resource-mobilization contexts.

9. Strategic Communications, Media & External Visibility

Lead IOM's external positioning and visibility at country level, including media representation and hold authority to articulate and serve as spokesperson for the Organization's priorities and positions, in accordance with IOM communications policies and delegated authorities, and in coordination with the Regional Director and HQ Media and Communications Department, as appropriate. Engage proactively with media, digital platforms, social media, and public audiences to communicate organizational priorities, programme results, institutional positions, and migration realities. Oversee strategic communications planning and ensure alignment between operational priorities, advocacy efforts, and public messaging.

10. Internal Organizational Coordination

Maintain clear, two-way coordination with the Regional/Sub-Regional Office and Headquarters, including standard rhythms such as monthly CoM calls, biannual CO–RO SMT meetings, and quarterly townhalls. Maintain clarity on which decisions sit with the CoM versus the RO/SRO.

Education