SVN 2026/051/Project Assistant (Assisted Returns)-G4-Douala

International Organization for Migration · Douala

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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

Applications are welcome from internal and external candidates. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process. For the purpose of this vacancy, internal and internal-equivalent candidates are considered as first-tier candidates.

Organizational Context and Scope

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Migration Agency, has been active since 1951, working closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners to promote a better understanding of migration dynamics. IOM is committed to ensuring that migration is safe, orderly, and regular, recognizing that it benefits both migrants and societies. In this context, the Organization supports the social, psychosocial, and economic reintegration of returning migrants, with the aim of improving their well-being and fostering their sustainable empowerment.

From June 2017 to December 2022, IOM implemented the “EU–IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration”, funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. This regional programme, covering multiple countries along the Central Mediterranean migration route, aimed to protect migrants, save lives, and support their voluntary return and reintegration. During this period, IOM Cameroon significantly strengthened its operational capacity and achieved substantial results in reintegration programming.

Since August 2022, the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR SSA) has succeeded in the Joint Initiative and related projects. It continues to contribute to the protection of vulnerable and stranded migrants along the Central and Western Mediterranean routes, including through assisted voluntary return, while promoting sustainable reintegration in countries of origin, including Cameroon.

Building on these efforts, the European Union–funded project “Migration Governance Enhancement: Comprehensive Support to National Policy Development and Return, Readmission and Reintegration (RRR)”, launched in March 2025, represents a strategic shift towards a more comprehensive and institutionalized migration governance framework in Cameroon. The project aims to strengthen national capacities in managing return, readmission, and reintegration processes, while also supporting the development of the country’s first national migration policy. It adopts an integrated approach combining institutional strengthening, socio-economic and community-based reintegration, and enhanced data, policy, and coordination mechanisms.

Within this framework, and in view of the complementary implementation of the MPRR SSA programme and the RRR project, IOM Cameroon seeks to strengthen its AVRR unit through the recruitment of a Project Assistant (Assisted Returns). The incumbent will ensure the provision of airport assistance to returning migrants, including pre-embarkation activities, as well as support the effective coordination of reception and reintegration support in line with programmatic objectives and organizational priorities.

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