Duty Station of the Consultancy:ย Home based (with field visits and stakeholder engagements as required.)
Duration of Consultancy:ย 30 days (over a period ofย 6 months;ย July- December 2025).ย
Nature of the consultancy
This consultancy is a short-term, results-oriented assignment focused on supporting the State Employment Support Agency (SESA) in developing a scheme that enhances the employment of returnees in partnership with the private sector. The consultant will provide expert analysis, carry out stakeholder consultation, and design a schemeย and build the institutional capacity of SESA by training relevant staff on the schemeโs implementation,ย to ensure improved labor market integration of returnees. The role requires close collaboration with government entities, private sector actors, and training institutions to develop sustainable employment solutions.ย
Project Context and Scope
The programme โEnhanced Opportunities for the Returning Migrants in Georgiaโ, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission to Georgia, aims to support the sustainable reintegration of returned migrants in Georgia and improve their economic and social well-being, by enhancing the responsiveness and coordination of national and local stakeholders, improving the contribution of local self-governments and other local stakeholders, including through provision of information and services to returnees, and increasing the opportunities for economic reintegration, social inclusion, and financial inclusion of returnees and their families.ย
The programme adopts a comprehensive reintegration approach at the individual, community and structural levels, emphasizing a gender-sensitive and human rights-based approach. The programme builds on existing policies, such as Georgiaโs Migration Strategy 2021-2030, while aiming to address gaps in governance, coordination and capacity at both local and central levels.
Recent migration trends in Georgia reveal an increase in returns, especially from EU+ countries, including rejected asylum seekers and long-term migrants, which is straining the reintegration system. Returnees often face difficulties reintegrating due to limited employment opportunities, skill mismatches, psychological distress and restricted access to services. Reintegration efforts are hampered by insufficient support, lack of coordination between central and local authorities and limited involvement of local stakeholders, private sector actors and diaspora networks. Economic reintegration remains a significant challenge, coupled with gender-specific barriers impacting female returneesโ economic inclusion.
The main challenge the programme intends to tackle is the insufficient and unsustainable reintegration of returned migrants in Georgia, which hampers their social and economic inclusion and limits their potential contribution to the development of their communities and the country. The overall goal is to enable migrants to achieve economic self-sufficiency, social stability and psychosocial well-being, thereby strengthening their ability to contribute to Georgiaโs development.
Key objectives:
Strengthen the institutional capacity of national stakeholders to implement a consolidated comprehensive reintegration framework.ย Empower local self-governance and other local stakeholders to address community development and reintegration challenges.ย Support returned migrants in overcoming employability and employment barriers, improving financial literacy and accessing tailored social services.ย Leverage the diasporaโs expertise and investments to contribute to local economic development.The State Employment Support Agency (SESA) is a key governmental entity dedicated to promoting employmentย In Georgiaย Through various active labour market programmes.ย SESA is responsible for implementing active labor market and employment policies. SESA supports job seekers through free skills development programs, internships, and work-based training to enhance their employability. A key focus of SESA is facilitating the labor market integration of returned migrants by ensuring their access to retraining programs and employment support. Additionally, SESA plays a vital role in organizing Job Fairs within project frameworks and contributing to labor market assessments through its expertise and network of regional and local staff.ย
To strengthen this effort, IOM Georgia seeks to hire a local consultant to support SESA in designing and implementing a structured employability increase scheme for returnees in collaboration with private sector actors. While SESAโs programmes are currentlyย available to returning migrants ( they are identified as one of the priority groups) targeted engagement and consultation will help relevant institutions improve how they communicate information about these programmes to this specific group of Georgian citizens. Moreover, such efforts can support the development of more effective employment schemes tailored to the needs of returning migrants.ย The consultancy will focus on identifying sectors with high labor demand that are suitable for returnees and developing an employment support scheme that facilitates job placement and career progression.
Under the direct supervision of the IOM Programme Manager, the consultant will be responsible for supporting SESA in setting up an employability increase scheme for returnees, in partnership with private sector actors who are willing to hire, train, or mentor returnees and will be responsible for:
Maintaining close collaboration with the IOM Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) to ensure that the employability increase scheme is effectively integrated into broader project objectives. This will include ongoing communication, participation in relevant project discussions as relevant, and alignment with PIU-led activities to facilitate smooth implementation and stakeholder coordination.ย Considering and ensuring alignment and synergy between employment support initiatives and skills development programs.ย Conducting desk research and a comprehensive assessment, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, to collect and analyse information on:ย high-demand sectors and employment trends in Georgia. profiles and skills of returnees applicable examples from global practice which could be applicable in the Georgian context Reviewing employment support programs offered by SESA, with a view to:ย Mainstreaming reintegration of returnees therein Identifying needs, scope and applicability for the development of dedicated employment support programs for returnees.ย Engaging with private sector representatives to understand skill gaps and hiring requirements, and analyse alignment with the profile of returnees, as well as contributing to the organization of networking events. Developing a Labor Market Analysis Report,ย identifying key sectors, skill gaps, employment trendsย ย priority sectors and occupations suitable for returnees. Designing an employability increase scheme for returnees that connect returnees with potential employers, includingย information and outreach to potential beneficiaires, as well asย applicable incentives to encourage businesses to hire returnees and recommendationsย for sustainable implementation. Developing a training curricula on the implementation of the employability increase scheme and deliver one training session to SESA counsellors.ย Developing a targeted capacity-building plan for SESA staff, including training sessions, practical tools, and guidance materials to ensure long-term institutionalization and ownership of the employability scheme. Submitting a consultancy report on the delivery of tasks to IOM Georgia upon completion of the assignment,ย summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for sustainable implementation. Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing\"Enhanced Opportunities for the Returning Migrants in Georgiaโ. Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignmentย ย Deliverable 1: Laborย marketย analysisย report, identifying key sectors, skill gaps, and employment trends, submitted by 15 September 2025. Deliverable ย 2:ย Employmentย supportย schemeย design, including job-matching strategies and mentorship programmes, submitted by 15 November 2025. Deliverableย 3: Training curricula on the implementation of the scheme, for the staff of the Employment Support Agency,ย submitted by 15 December 2025. Deliverable 4: Finalย report,ย summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for sustainable implementation, submitted by 30 December 2025. ย Performance indicators for the evaluation of results
Delivers the listed deliverables on time and with good quality.ย Education
University degree in Economics, Finance, Development studies, Social Sciences, or a similar field Experience Previous working experience in employment policy, labor market integration, or skills development is required. Proven experience in engaging with private sector stakeholders and employment promotion programs. Experience in cooperating with various stakeholders, including international organizations Knowledge of the Georgian labor market and employment policies is an asset. Good knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals is desirable. Good knowledge of the strategies, referrals and practices in the field of reintegration of returned Georgian migrants. Experience in applying gender-sensitive approaches in analysis and policy development is desirable.ย Knowledge of gender-related aspects of migration, including reintegration challenges faced by women and vulnerable groups, is an asset.ย Experience in developing and delivering institutional capacity-buildingย will be an asset. Skills Strong analytical, report-writing, and stakeholder coordination skills. Analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Strong organizational and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring and other formal and non-formal methods. Proficiency in MS Office and online collaboration tools. Languages Fluency in Georgian and English is required. IOMโs official languages are English, French and Spanish. Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments. ย Travel required Not required Required Competencies ย IOMโs competency framework can be found atย this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process. ย Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values: 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. Core Competenciesย โ behavioural indicators 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 Organizationโs 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. 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. For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website:ย IOM Careers and Job Vacancies