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Call for Applications- CFA 2019-01 - Consultant Mauritian Diaspora Mapping and Profiling
Call for Applications
CFA 2019-01
Open to Internal and External Candidates
Position Title: Consultant – Mauritian Diaspora Mapping and Profiling
Duty Station: Homebased and travel to sites
Classification: N/A
Type of Appointment: Consultancy
Estimated Start Date: January 2020
Closing Date: 05 January 2020
Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment. Internal and external candidates are eligible to apply to this vacancy. For the purpose of the vacancy, internal candidates and NMS candidates, as well as external female candidates are considered as first-tier
Context:
Mauritius is a high migration State, largely on account of the size of its diaspora. Indeed, migration has been a recurring phenomenon since its independence in 1968, with Mauritians seeking job opportunities abroad and thus the establishment of diaspora communities in the U.K., France, Australia and Canada. The Government of Mauritius (GoM) strongly believes that its dispersed community overseas is a precious asset to its national development. The immense knowledge and experience which members of the diaspora have acquired in their host countries represent invaluable potential resources for Mauritius.
The GoM, in line with its National Migration and Development Policy, fully acknowledges the importance of harnessing the valuable potential of its diaspora. Estimations (especially from countries of destination and missions abroad) reveal that the size of the Mauritian diaspora is significant and most likely underestimated. Aggregated data from statistics of the countries of destination in the 2013 Migration Profile estimates that the main destinations of the Mauritian diaspora are France, the United Kingdom and Australia. Three out of four Mauritian-born persons abroad live in one of these three countries. There is a lack of an accurate estimation of the number and the skills of Mauritians living abroad, as national data sources do not collect statistics on Mauritians living abroad. The non-availability of reliable data on diaspora remains an important matter to be addressed, as it hinders the development of specific measures for engagement and collaboration. Conducting a preliminary analysis of the diaspora and IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment. Internal and external candidates are eligible to apply to this vacancy. For the purpose of the vacancy, internal candidates and NMS candidates, as well as external female candidates are considered as first-tier. Page 2 / 5 establishing the channels and mechanisms allowing them to transfer their knowledge, skills and experiences is therefore of the utmost importance to the GoM.
Data and profiles of the diaspora are paramount to understand the size and dynamics of the diaspora and how they affect and are affected by policies, to devise coherent and effective evidence-based policies for better outcomes. Taking into consideration the diaspora needs and expectations through consultation and data collection to devise tailor-made programme to match the different diaspora groups based on their skills and knowledge to ensure successful implementation. Providing the Government with strategic diaspora data, will also guarantee effective resources allocation for short, medium and long-term programmes.
Core Functions / Responsibilities:
Purpose of the Assignment
This consultancy forms part of a project entitled: “Building the capacity of the Mauritian Government to strengthen linkages with the Mauritian diaspora”, financed by the IOM Development Fund and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project aims to support the Mauritian Government to strengthen ties with its diaspora through the setting up and capacity building of a diaspora cell, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade.
As part of the project and in line with the National Policy on Migration and Development Action Plan, pilot mappings of the Mauritian diaspora (individuals and networks) are critical to identify relevant skills and resources which can contribute to the socio-economic, cultural, technological and scientific initiatives in Mauritius. The mapping and profiling shall inform of the diaspora location, skills/qualifications, transnational links, level and means of remittances and current/historic participation in Mauritius. The findings of the pilot mappings and profiling will help the GoM to better understand its diaspora and guide the design of potential diaspora engagement programme to enable the diaspora to participate and engage in the development process of the country.
Scope of the Assignment
IOM is seeking the services of a Consultant to undertake a mapping and profiling of the Mauritian diaspora in three pilot countries. The countries which have been pre-selected by the Diaspora Technical Working Group are Australia, the UK and Canada. These three countries have high concentration of Mauritians due to historical reasons. The UK has been attractive for decades (as the former colonial power), whereas Canada and Australia are recent destination countries (mainly for education and economic reasons). Moreover, those countries are members of the Commonwealth which is another factor drawing Mauritian, as well the language (English) and cultural factors., aiming at identifying the social networks, policy gaps, challenges and best practices relative to the Mauritian Diaspora’s engagement with the home country. This consultancy will be undertaken with specific reference to the requirements of the “Building the capacity of the Mauritian Government to strengthen linkages with the Mauritian diaspora” project.
The assignment will be undertaken under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, IOM Mauritius & Seychelles, in close coordination with IOM Experts. It will comprise both desk review and data collection in the field. IOM in coordination with the consultant(s) will agree on the scope and methodology.
Overall, the analysis will include the following:
Provide historical and current perspectives of Mauritius’ diaspora-related trends and engagement that may inform diaspora engagement practices;
• Identify relevant gaps that exist in order to inform policy actions, targets and strategies instruments to enhance the relationship with the diaspora and facilitate their contribution to the social and economic development of Mauritius.
• Document the Mauritian diaspora’s presence in the pilot countries and regions of destination, in order to identify the already established mechanisms in countries of destination and guide how to engage with the different constituencies of the Mauritian diaspora in the different regions of the world.
• Bring out the main features of the Mauritian diaspora in terms of the profile of Mauritians abroad relative to levels of education, professional development, socio-economic status and areas of interest that diaspora programmes and strategies could identify to address.
• Identify social networks which may constitute avenues of strong engagement between the Mauritian diaspora and the home country, to inform policy actions and strategies.
• Identify the various actors in order to inform the institutional framework, whereby outlining the key responsibilities and roles of Ministries, Governmental and non-Governmental institutions and most importantly the diaspora cell, which will act as the central point for coordination of diaspora engagement.
• To identify possible focus areas, which can be of strong interest to the Diaspora in the short and medium terms. such as; remittances, direct investments, human capital transfers, philanthropic contributions, capital market investments, and tourism, or challenges towards diaspora engagement
Responsibilities
The consultant is expected to perform the following tasks / activities:
a) Inception report: the consultant will be expected to prepare an inception report including a desk review and methodology as to how they will approach the assignment, outlining the data collection tools and methods, which shall be reviewed and cleared by IOM prior to moving forward with the assignment. This will include the breakdown of work, timelines and overview of stakeholders to be engaged during the assignment. The inception report will also include a desk review, to gather data from secondary sources (such as statistics; administrative data; reports from relevant local and international experts and organizations). The desk review should also ascertain existing diaspora-related initiatives and policies in Mauritius.
b) Consultations: Schedule appointments and carry out consultations with the relevant stakeholders to gather information for the assignment. The consultant will use qualitative and quantitative methods to reach out and gather information from the different communities. It would be relevant to prepare a few targeted surveys in each country, as well research and use the social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others) where the business or student community is already active.
c) Analysis and Recommendations: The consultant will provide an analysis which will include the presentation of preliminary findings of the number and profile of the diaspora in the selected pilot countries, as well as a diaspora situational analysis. The latter will include an assessment of the existing mechanisms of engaging the diaspora (legislative instruments that extend rights to the diaspora); identify existing networks, policy gaps, challenges and opportunities associated with engaging the diaspora; and formulate recommendations of key and relevant areas for diaspora engagement that might be most relevant and successful in the Mauritian context. While the analysis will focus on Mauritius, it will take into consideration good practices and experiences from other countries.
d) Validation of findings: The Consultant will be expected to share a draft report with IOM for review and validation. Moreover, the Consultant will be expected to participate and present Page 4 / 5 outcomes of the analysis at agreed technical and strategic platforms to discuss, validate and, where relevant, promote the proposed schemes.
e) Final report: The Consultant will produce a final written report, which will be a synthesis of the desk review, analysis and recommendations. The final report will also include a summary brief, which will act as a quick reference of the findings.
Timeline
This assignment is expected to start tentatively in January 2020, but the actual timeline is subject to change based on the date the agreement is signed between IOM and the Consultant. The assignment shall be completed no later than end of June 2020.
Deliverables
i. Inception report
ii. Draft Report of the b) desk review c) consultations and d) analysis and recommendations
iii. Final, print ready report and summary brief (of maximum 30 pages)
All documents are to be produced and delivered in English language.
Required Qualifications and Experience
IOM is seeking applications from individual consultants and/or consortiums of individual consultants. The successful (lead) consultant should have a minimum of the following qualifications and experience:
Education
• Advanced university degree in international relations, political science, international economics, demography, statistics, development studies, social or behavioral science, migration studies, or other relevant social sciences
Experience
• Extensive knowledge of diaspora engagement and mapping
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in academia, research institutes, think tanks, governmental, inter-governmental, or non-governmental organizations.
• Proven previous working experience consisting of substantial involvement in assessments, evaluations, and/or reviews in related areas.
• Working experience with senior officials within government, inter-governmental, and nongovernmental organizations.
• Full computer literacy, including familiarity with research tools.
• Proven capacity to coordinate all administrative and technical aspects of the consultancy. • Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships
Languages
Fluency in English and French is required. Mauritian Creole is an advantage.
Required Competencies
Values
• Inclusion and respect for diversity: encourages the inclusion of all team members and stakeholders while demonstrating the ability to work constructively with people with different backgrounds and orientations.
• Integrity and transparency: maintains impartiality and takes prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour.
• Professionalism: demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter and willingness to improve knowledge and skills.
Core Competencies
• Teamwork: establishes strong relationships with colleagues and partners; relates well to people at all levels.
• Delivering results: produces quality results and provides quality services to clients.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: shares knowledge and learning willingly, and proactively seeks to learn from the experiences of others.
• Accountability: operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.
• Communication: encourages others to share their views, using active listening to demonstrate openness and to build understanding of different perspectives.
Other
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
How to apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications to the Human Resources Unit by email to iommauritius@iom.int with clear reference of the advert (CAF 2019-01) in the subject line by 05 January 2020. The application package should include:
• a cover letter;
• a detailed CV and P11 Form of the lead consultant that will be involved in the assignment, including contact details of three (3) references (The Personal History (P11) form can be downloaded on the IOM Regional Office for Southern Africa vacancy webpage: https://southafrica.iom.int/vacancy;
• a 2-4 pager technical proposal on your capacity and approach to the assignment, including a proposed timeframe;
• A 1-page financial proposal indicating the consultant’s daily professional fees in USD and a breakdown of all costs.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Posting period:
From 09.12.2019 to 05.01.2020
