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.
Project Context and Scope
The Philippines is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, facing recurrent typhoons, floods, droughts, and other environmental hazards that increasingly threaten lives, livelihoods, and development gains. While rapid-onset disasters generate highly visible and well-documented displacement, the impacts of slow-onset climate processes, including sea-level rise, drought, coastal erosion, shifting rainfall patterns, extreme heat, and gradual ecosystem degradation, remain comparatively under-researched and insufficiently integrated into national and local policy and planning frameworks. These progressive environmental changes gradually erode livelihoods, food security, and human well-being over time, often driving incremental and less visible forms of migration and displacement that are difficult to capture through conventional disaster monitoring systems. In many cases, migration occurs before conditions reach a crisis threshold, functioning as a proactive household adaptation strategy rather than a direct response to a single catastrophic event.
IOM Philippines seeks to engage a National Consultant to undertake a scoping and evidence mapping study examining the relationship between slow-onset climate stressors and human mobility, while identifying emerging mobility patterns, evidence gaps, and implications for adaptation planning and climate mobility governance.
The study will be guided by a concise analytical framework examining how slow-onset climate stressors interact with exposure, socio-economic vulnerability, livelihood systems, and adaptation capacities to shape different human mobility outcomes over time, including migration, displacement, immobility, and planned relocation. The assessment should pay particular attention to causal pathways differentiated impacts across population groups (e.g. women and children, Indigenous Peoples, climate-sensitive livelihood groups, informal settlers, etc.) and locations, and the temporal dynamics through which progressive environmental change influences mobility decision-making.
Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing
The Consultant will work with the Climate Mobility Unit on the implementation of the INTPA Regional Project, “Building Knowledge and Capacity on the Migration and Climate Change Nexus in South-East Asia,” and will report to IOM Climate Action Officer. All deliverables will be subject to review and approval by IOM Philippines.
Tasks to be performed under this contract
Education
- University degree in climate change, geography, environmental studies, migration studies, development studies, public policy, social sciences, or related fields.
Experience / Skills
- At least 5–7 years of relevant experience in climate change, migration, environmental governance, adaptation planning, or related research;
- Demonstrated experience conducting mixed-methods research and policy analysis;
- Experience facilitating stakeholder consultations and qualitative field research;
Travel
- The Consultant may need to travel to selected locations to conduct key information interviews and focus group discussions. The locations are still to be determined.
Languages
For this consultancy, English and Tagalog.
Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
Required Competencies
Notes
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.
No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.