A. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

Established in 1951, IOM is a related organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, 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.

The IOM “Short-Term Placement for Qualified Diaspora Experts” is a programme that seeks to create a structured platform that encourages members of the Kenya diaspora to temporarily return to Kenya and engage in short-term placements within (TVET) institutions, thereby fostering knowledge transfer, capacity building, and fostering connections between the diaspora and local communities. The programme is being supported by the Better Regional Migration Management Programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the Government of the United Kingdom with an objective of enhancing labour migration governance and protection of migrant workers rights and their family members. 

A rapid assessment was administered in 2022 to “Identifying Key Economic Sectors that require Diaspora Skills”. Based on the findings of the draft report, the prevalent skills gaps in Kenya economic sectors that required diaspora expertise included: Information Communication and Technology (ICT) skills, programming, coding, automation skills/ data science, cybersecurity, networking and network management.

In addition, while there are approximately 2300 TVET institutions in Kenya, there are few which offer ICT and digital skills training programs. This results in a shortage of opportunities for students interested in pursuing these fields. Additionally, students sometimes graduate with skills that are no longer in demand or relevant to the job market.

Therefore, IOM took up an initiative under the Better Regional Migration Management program to organize a short-term placement program for Kenyan diaspora with expertise in ICT and Digital skills to get an opportunity to apply their skills and expertise into TVET institutions and fill in the shortage of well-qualified instructors with the expertise needed to teach modern ICT and digital skills. This is a valuable opportunity to harness the skills and knowledge of Kenyan professionals living abroad.

Kenya's TVET sector is growing rapidly, and expertise from the Kenyan Diaspora can make a significant impact on its development.

Are you a Kenyan ICT expert living abroad and are  eager to contribute your skills and knowledge to your home county’s TVET sector? We therefore invite you to be part of a transformative journey through our Short-Term Placement Program. 

B. OBJECTIVES

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the IOM Kenya and TVET hosting institution, you will be responsible :

a) To facilitate the transfer of ICT knowledge and digital skills from the Kenyan diaspora to TVET institutions in Kenya.

b. To enhance the quality of ICT education through offering training to TVET institutions.

c. To promote collaboration and knowledge exchange between Kenyan ICT experts abroad and TVET institutions in Kenya.

C. TANGIBLE AND MEASURABLE OUTPUT

Transfer of skills: The main responsibility of the qualified Kenya Diaspora expert which he/she will be measured against will be to ensure continuous and systematic transfer of knowledge and skills as related to the assignment.

Work plan: A work plan must be developed with the TVET supervisor during the first week of the assignment to provide clear and time-bound activities to successfully implement the outputs of the assignment. This work plan will be shared with the supervisor of the hosting intuition, the IOM programme coordinator and IOM M&E officer. This work plan can be revised during the assignment to reflect new developments or changes.

Monthly  Reports: Monthly progress reports will be submitted by the Kenya Diaspora expert to the TVET host institution supervisor, IOM Kenya project coordinator and IOM M&E officer

Exit interview: An exit interview will be conducted to gather experiences and recommendations for future assignments by other experts

D. QUALIFICATION AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

1. Education, Skills, and experience

1. A degree or diploma in ICT, computer science, information technology, data science, or a related field, is required or preferred.
2. Expertise and experience in ICT and digital skills, which may include software development, data science, cybersecurity, digital marketing, IT management, and related fields.
3. At least 2 years of professional experience in the above respective fields.
4. A Kenyan citizen who is currently living and working abroad in the field of ICT and digital skills.
5. Proficiency in English and Swahili is required, as it is a commonly used language in the TVET institutions.
6. An understanding and respect for Kenyan culture and society as participants will be working in a different cultural context than they may be accustomed to.
7. Familiarity with modern educational techniques and online learning management systems such as Moodle.
8.  Knowledge in using instructional resources at TVET level of education.
9. Demonstrate quality assurance skills in a blended learning environment.

Technical/Functional Skills:

1. Demonstrated knowledge in evaluation and writing comprehensive reports.
2. Technical competencies in facilitation and training in ICT and digital skills, which may include software development, data science, cybersecurity, digital marketing, IT management, and related fields.
3. Time management skills
4. Organizational skills
5. Decision-making skills
6. Should have basic computer trouble-shooting skills
7. Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity
8. Proven communication skills.

Additionally, the Kenya Diaspora expert must have the ability to:

9. Produce high quality outputs in a timely manner, while understanding and anticipating the evolving needs on the ground.
10. Assess situations or circumstances, and to draw sound conclusions.
11. Think strategically, manage competing priorities and be highly organized.
12. Work independently and produce high quality outputs.
13. Display sensitivity towards culture, gender, religion, race and nationality.
14. Strong communication and presentation skills and attention to detail.
15. Advanced knowledge in the usage of computers and office software packages.

2. Competencies

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• 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.

Core Competencies – behavioral 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 organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

E. LANGUAGE

Fluent in spoken and written English and Kiswahili.

F.STIPEND

A monthly stipend amounting to approximately USD 2000 will be paid to the selected candidates

G: SECURITY AND INSURANCE MODALITIES

Health insurance including evacuation due to a medical emergency will be provided by the project. However, experts will be requested to provide a recent medical certificate stating that they are physically fit.

Please note that IOM, according to the contract, will not be responsible for the security of qualified Kenya Diaspora expert during the short-term placement program. The host  institution will be responsible for the security of the individual. Before leaving the country of residence or upon arrival in Kenya, the qualified Kenya Diaspora expert will receive a pre-service briefing including security advice and cultural background.

H: HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this Short-Term placement opportunity, interested and eligible applicants can send copies of the following documents to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through email: ehoarorqn_ken@iom.int

TVET  host institutions will be communicated during the recruitment process. To be considered, applicants must provide a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV), and the contact information (email and phone number) of two professional references by the closing date of this vacancy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The closing date of this application is 15 November 2023 at 12.00 PM.