Consultant (CAT B)

Position Title               :     Consultant (CAT B)

Duty Station                :     Bangkok, Thailand

Classification              :     Consultancy, Category B

Type of Appointment  :     Consultant Contract 

Desired Start Date      :    As soon as possible

Closing Date               :    07 December 2025

Reference Code         :     CFA17634/2025

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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND SCOPE: 

Southeast Asia, including Thailand is one of the region's most severely affected by climate change, with countries experiencing multi-faceted challenges related to environmental degradation, human mobility, health and socio-economic resilience. Thailand is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, ranked as the 9th most affected country in the period of 2000–2019 by the Global Climate Risk Index Report (CRI) 2021 (Eckstein et al., 2021). Climate change is likely to increase the incidence of flooding across the country, with the number of people affected by extreme river floods anticipated to grow to over 2 million by the 2035–2044 period (World Bank and ABD, 2021). Coastal flooding could affect a further 2.4 million people by 20702100, with many densely populated urban centres situated along the coastline. Thailand also frequently suffers from droughts resulting from shortage of rainfall, reduced flow in surface and subsurface rivers, and poor land management practices (World Bank, 2023a). 

Human mobility patterns in Thailand have become increasingly complex as a result of climate change. Beyond the direct risks to lives and livelihoods, climate stressors contribute to a range of mobility outcomes, from voluntary and labour-related migration to forced displacement triggered by sudden-onset disasters, and in some cases, the need for planned relocation of communities exposed to slow-onset events such as sea level rise. At the same time, certain populations face situations of immobility, where vulnerabilities, poverty, or socio-political conditions limit their ability to move in response to climate pressures. 2 In line with IOM’s conceptualisation of the climate-mobility nexus, these diverse mobility outcomes, migration, displacement, planned relocation, and immobility, have specific operational and policy implications, requiring differentiated approaches for analysis and monitoring. While data on population movement is collected in Thailand through various sources (such as censuses, sample surveys, administrative data, and humanitarian assessments), these data systems were not originally designed to capture the full spectrum of climate-related human mobility. 

Moreover, existing data systems frequently face limitations related to fragmentation, inconsistent definitions, and methodological gaps, making it difficult to build a coherent evidence base. Institutions responsible for data collection, analysis, and use, including government agencies, statistical offices, local authorities, academic institutions, and civil society organizations, also face capacity constraints. These challenges highlight the need for tailored technical support and capacity-building to enable a more comprehensive and actionable understanding of the climate change and mobility nexus in Thailand. 

Against this background, the consultancy will serve as a foundational step to map stakeholders and institutional arrangements, including researchers, academics, and agencies involved in the climate-mobility nexus, to assess the current state of data on climate-related human mobility, and to identify the skills and competencies required among national stakeholders to strengthen data systems in Thailand. The findings will inform the development of a roadmap to guide the institutionalisation of the production and use of climate migration evidence, supporting a more robust, integrated evidence base that can inform policies and programmes on climate action and migration governance. 

The consultancy will contribute to the Migration Data and Research Unit (MDRU) of IOM Thailand, under the project “Resilient Futures – Addressing Climate Mobility in Southeast Asia”.

1. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.