Migration and Development Research Consultant

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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND SCOPE

Thailand is experiencing demographic change, population ageing and evolving labour market needs. Migration is already an important part of the country's economy and workforce, while diverse non-Thai populations also contribute to communities and local development in different ways. Evidence on how migration, migrant skills and the inclusion of non-Thai populations can support longer-term national development remains fragmented across institutions and data systems. Stronger analysis is needed to connect demographic trends, sectoral labour demand, skills and qualifications, differing legal and protection contexts, and inclusive development planning.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), through the ‘Strengthening Labour Migration Governance in Thailand for Resilience, Inclusion and Evidence-based National Development Planning' (THRIVE) Project, supports national institutions to use gender-sensitive evidence and inclusive systems to respond to demographic transitions and labour market priorities. The project works with relevant government counterparts, including the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Ministry of Labour (MOL), the Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI), the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and the Office of the National Security Council (NSC), as well as employers, civil society organizations, skills development providers and migrant communities.

THRIVE aims to generate evidence and strategic guidance to inform national development planning, including preparation of Thailand's 14th National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP). IOM therefore seeks a consultant to undertake policy-oriented research on how migration and the inclusion of diverse non-Thai populations can contribute to Thailand's demographic resilience, labour market responsiveness and inclusive economic development. The research will be guided by a conceptual framework developed during the inception that identifies the causal relations between migration, skills, demographic change, labour market needs and national development outcomes. While maintaining a primary focus on labour migration and migrant skills, the research will consider migrant workers and their dependents, displaced populations, long-term non-Thai residents, and stateless persons, where relevant to demographic change, skills development, pathways to lawful employment and inclusive planning. The research must distinguish clearly among these groups and must not assume that they have the same legal status, rights, protection needs or access to employment.

The 12-month assignment is intended to allow the research and consultations to remain aligned with evolving national planning processes and stakeholder availability. The research will consolidate and analyze existing evidence, complemented by targeted stakeholder consultations, to develop strategic recommendations and translate them into practical policy options.

The regional focus is intended to capture differences in labour demand, migrant skills and the circumstances of diverse non-Thai populations. Evidence from border settings will help examine cross-border mobility, displacement, documentation and access to lawful employment and services related to national development planning. The geographical and population sample will be agreed during inception based on analytical relevance, data availability and feasibility.

Objective of the consultancy

The objective is to produce an integrated, gender-sensitive and forward-looking policy analysis of how migration, migrant skills and the inclusion of relevant non-Thai populations can support Thailand’s demographic resilience, workforce needs and national development priorities. Drawing on existing quantitative and qualitative evidence, demographic and labour market projections, selected international experiences and targeted stakeholder consultations, the research will develop strategic recommendations and practical prioritized and sequenced policy options to inform the 14th NESDP and related labour market policies.

The research will address the following indicative questions:

• How do demographic trends, population ageing and labour force dynamics affect Thailand's current and future workforce needs?
• What roles do migrant workers currently play across priority sectors, occupations, locations and skill levels, and where are the most important evidence gaps?
• Which occupations and skills are likely to face shortages or growing demand, and how could regular migration and better use of migrant skills contribute?
• What structural and institutional barriers limit migrants' access to skills assessment, recognition, certification, upskilling and appropriate employment?
• How do differing legal status, documentation, gender, age, location and protection circumstances shape non-Thai populations' access to skills development, lawful livelihoods, services and participation in development?
• How can migration considerations be integrated into the 14th NESDP and related sectoral strategies while supporting decent work, social inclusion, gender equality and social cohesion?
• What lessons can Thailand draw from selected countries’ migration and labour market responses to demographic change, and what adaptations would be required for these approaches to inform national planning.
• Which practical, sequenced actions could government agencies and relevant partners take in the short, medium and longer term?

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Thailand - Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Unit, contributing to 'THRIVE: Strengthening Labour Migration Governance in Thailand for Resilience, Inclusion and Evidence-based National Development Planning' (Project Code: LM0665).

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Under the overall supervision of Head of Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Unit and direct supervision of THRIVE Project Manager, the consultant will:

• Hold an inception meeting with IOM and consult NESDC to confirm the priority policy questions, intended use of findings and relevant planning milestones. Refine the conceptual framework, research questions, methodology, stakeholder map, analytical framework and workplan, including the allocation of the maximum 50 working days across tasks and deliverables.

• Map relevant policy mandates, institutional responsibilities, data sources and coordination mechanisms related to migration, labour market planning, skills development, professional qualifications and national development planning.
• Conduct targeted key informant interviews and/or small group consultations with selected government agencies, employers and employer associations, representatives of migrant and other non-Thai populations, civil society, academia, skills development providers and other stakeholders agreed with IOM. These consultations will help interpret and triangulate the desk-review findings, address priority evidence gaps and assess the relevance and feasibility of emerging policy options. The consultant shall propose a feasible geographical and population sample that captures relevant perspectives from the Central, Eastern, Northern and Western border regions, using an appropriate combination of desk research, remote consultations and in-person engagement within the available contract value. The sample, modalities and all consultation tools must be approved by IOM before data collection.
• Analyze demographic and labour market trends and the current and potential contribution of migrant workers, migrant skills and other relevant non-Thai populations, with attention to gender, age, skills level, sector, occupation, geography, migration and legal status, documentation and vulnerability, subject to data availability and applicable safeguards.The analysis will cover the 14th NESDP period. It will use existing projections and a small number of illustrative qualitative policy scenarios to examine how migration and better use of migrant skills could respond to population ageing, labour shortages and changing skills demand. The analysis will identify potential benefits, trade-offs and implementation constraints associated with selected policy choices, clearly stating assumptions, uncertainties and evidence limitations.
• Develop strategic recommendations and translate them into practical prioritized and sequenced policy options for the 14th NESDP and relevant institutional strategies.
• Monitor material developments in relevant national planning, migration, labour-market and skills policies during the assignment and update the analysis, strategic recommendations, policy options at agreed reporting milestones.
• Present preliminary findings to IOM and facilitate an appropriate stakeholder validation process, using an in-person, remote or hybrid modality agreed with IOM; systematically document feedback and revise the outputs accordingly.
• Submit a final analytical report, executive summary, policy brief, presentation deck, data/source inventory and consultation record in editable formats, incorporating IOM comments and meeting IOM editorial and publication standards.

Tangible and measurable outputs

All deliverables shall be submitted in English in editable electronic formats. Exact dates will be confirmed upon contract issuance. Payments will be made upon IOM's written acceptance of the corresponding deliverables.

No.DeliverableRequirementsIndicative deadlinePayment1Inception packageInception report (approximately 8-10 pages) covering the refined research questions, conceptual framework and analytical approach; methodology, data/source plan; proposed regional and population sample; stakeholder map; consultation modalities and tools; ethical and data-protection considerations; risks and mitigation measures; annotated outline; comparator-country selection; detailed workplan and any proposed travel.Within 10 working days of contract start15%2Evidence and consultation packageDesk review and evidence matrix organized by policy frameworks; data sources, existing evidence and international experiences; preliminary demographic and labour market analysis; institutional and data-source map; finalized consultation tools; concise consultation progress note identifying emerging findings and evidence gaps; and an assessment of available projections and preliminary findings from the international comparison.By end of Month 420%3Draft research productsFirst full draft analytical report (approximately 35-45 pages excluding annexes), draft executive summary (maximum 4 pages), draft policy brief (maximum 8 pages), complete reference list and source/data inventory. Findings must be disaggregated where evidence permits and limitations must be explicit.The report must include a forward-looking analysis using existing projections and illustrative qualitative policy scenarios, a focused comparison of selected international experiences and their applicability to Thailand, and strategic recommendations translated into practical, prioritized and sequenced policy options for 14th NESDP and relevant institutional strategies.By end of Month 725%4Validation package and revised draftPresentation of preliminary findings; stakeholder validation materials for the agreed modality; record and response matrix for comments received; and revised report, executive summary and policy brief reflecting agreed feedback and relevant policy developments.By end of Month 1015%5Final publication-ready packageFinal analytical report, executive summary, policy brief, PowerPoint presentation, data/source inventory, anonymized consultation record and response matrix, all in editable and PDF formats. Strategic recommendations and policy options draw on the demographic and labour market analysis, qualitative policy scenarios and comparative international findings. They are prioritized, sequenced and grounded in institutional mandates and relevant to national development planning, particularly the 14th NESDP. A complete reference list must be included. By end of Month 1225%

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

• Deliverables are complete, accurate, analytically sound and submitted within agreed timelines.
• Methodology is appropriate, transparent, and implemented in line with IOM ethical and data-protection requirements.
• Analysis triangulates quantitative and qualitative evidence, distinguishes evidence from interpretation, and clearly states data limitations.
• Gender, age, skills, legal status, documentation, sectoral, geographic, protection and inclusion considerations are integrated throughout, where evidence permits, without conflating distinct non-Thai population groups.
• Strategic recommendations are translated into practical, prioritized and sequenced policy options grounded in institutional mandates and relevant to national development planning, particularly the 14th NESDP.
• Stakeholder feedback and IOM comments are addressed systematically and documented in a response matrix.

Education

• Advanced university degree in economics, demography, development studies, public policy, labour economics, migration studies, statistics, social sciences or a related field from an accredited academic institution, with at least seven years of relevant professional experience; or a first university degree in the above fields with at least nine years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience leading applied policy research on migration, labour markets, demographic change, skills development, national development planning or a closely related area.
• Proven ability to analyze and synthesize quantitative and qualitative evidence and translate findings into clear, actionable policy recommendations.
• Strong understanding of Thailand's institutional, labour market and development planning context; prior work with Thai government institutions is a strong advantage.
• Experience designing and conducting key informant interviews, stakeholder consultations and validation processes.
• Track record of producing high-quality research reports, policy briefs and presentations for government, international organizations or development partners.
• Experience integrating gender equality, social inclusion, decent work, human rights and ethical considerations into research is desirable.
• Experience working with the United Nations, IOM or another international organization is an advantage.

Skills

• Excellent analytical, research, writing and presentation skills.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced proficiency in relevant quantitative and/or qualitative analysis tools and in Microsoft Office applications.

LANGUAGES

For this consultancy, Fluency in English and Thai, both written and spoken, is required. Knowledge of another language relevant to migrant communities in Thailand is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

The research will have national analytical coverage and should reflect relevant perspectives from the Central, Eastern, Northern and Western border regions. The consultant shall propose a feasible geographical and stakeholder sampling approach, using an appropriate combination of desk research, remote consultations and in-person engagement. No minimum number of provincial missions is prescribed. The geographical sample and consultation modalities will be agreed during the inception phase, considering population diversity, labour-market, border and displacement contexts, feasibility, sensitivity and available resources.

The contract will be issued on an all-inclusive basis. The financial proposal shall include all professional fees, communications, local transportation, travel, consultation arrangements and other costs necessary to implement the proposed methodology and deliver the agreed outputs. No travel, participant support or other additional costs will be reimbursed separately by IOM unless expressly authorized through a written contract amendment. The methodology should prioritize existing institutional arrangements, government-hosted meetings and remote modalities where appropriate. The consultant shall not promise or provide financial support, incur costs or make commitments to stakeholders on behalf of IOM without prior written authorization. If a proposed consultation cannot be undertaken within the contract value or applicable requirements, the consultant shall agree an alternative modality with IOM.

DESIRABLE COMPENTENCIES

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via IOM E-Recruitment System within the above said deadline referring to this advertisement. Please attach the following documents in your application.

• a cover letter, indicating the dates of availability;
• a curriculum vitae;
• 1 - 2 relevant work samples

Notes

• 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.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.