Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) Officer

Organizational Context

IOM in CAR addresses complex migration and humanitarian challenges stemming from protracted conflict, providing multi-sectoral responses including Migration Resource Centre (MRC) Assistance. The MRC Officer, reporting to the Chief of Mission and Head of Migrant Assistance Unit, oversees MRC operations and technical aspects of migrant assistance and protection, ensuring high-quality, rights-based support for vulnerable migrants within IOM's comprehensive framework.

Job Purpose

The Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) Officer is tasked with the operational management and technical oversight of migrant assistance and protection interventions in the Central African Republic (CAR). This role is crucial for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, rights-based assistance, protection, and sustainable solutions for all migrants, including Third-Country Nationals (TCNs). The incumbent will contribute significantly to programme planning, quality assurance, and coordination with relevant stakeholders, ensuring strict compliance with IOM’s standards and donor requirements. The core purpose is to provide direct, dignified, and rights-based support to vulnerable migrants through comprehensive reception, protection, and integration services within dedicated MRCs, which serve as essential hubs for case management, legal assistance, and referral pathways, aligning with IOM’s global standards in a challenging humanitarian context.

Responsibilities

The MRC Officer oversees daily MRC operations, ensuring adherence to humanitarian, health, protection, privacy, and security standards, including IOM’s Migration Crisis Operational Framework (MCOF) and GoCAR agreements. This includes supervising and mentoring MRC staff, building their capacity to respond to migrant influxes and ensuring understanding of IOM's protection principles. The role involves coordinating with IOM CAR, regional offices, and GoCAR authorities for migrant reception, transit, and onward transportation, including evacuations and complex case referrals. The officer ensures the provision of adequate reception, shelter, feeding, WASH, and health services for migrants, collaborating with IOM units and partners. Key duties also include establishing and strengthening partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, and donors to enhance service delivery and resource mobilization. The incumbent supervises migrant registration and data management systems, ensuring regular reporting, and improves health and protection programming, including psychosocial support and emergency response. Financial and administrative management, budget monitoring, and procurement are also overseen. The officer monitors and evaluates MRC activities against performance indicators, preparing analytical reports with recommendations for programme quality and operational effectiveness, while ensuring compliance with IOM's security protocols.

Work Experience

Candidates must have a minimum of five years of professional experience in migration management, protection, camp coordination, or humanitarian response, including at least two years in a managerial role. Experience in complex emergencies, post-conflict settings, or migration crises, preferably in Africa, is essential. Familiarity with IOM’s mandates, standards (e.g., MCOF, MiMOSA), and protection principles is also required.

Skills

Key skills include leadership and strategic planning in multi-stakeholder environments, strong coordination and negotiation with governments, UN agencies, and NGOs. Proficiency in data management, monitoring, and reporting (e.g., DTM, PRiME) is essential. The role requires the ability to deliver assistance in challenging conditions, adaptability, good judgment, and strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing case notes and reports. Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel) and case management tools is also necessary.

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