Labour Migration and Social Protection Specialist

LABOUR MIGRATION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST

Location:

Remote

Reporting Manager:

Team Lead

Start date:

September 2026

Duration:

6 months, approx. 15 days total

Type:

Consultancy

Remuneration:

8,000 USD

Application Deadline:

10 September 2026 In this role, you will lead the labour migration and social protection research strand, ensuring that the ecosystem review, product assessment and strategy are technically accurate, corridor-relevant and anchored in realistic institutional partnerships. MAGENTA is a leading Social and Behavioural Change agency. We combine behavioural science, research, strategy and communications to help UN agencies, governments, civil society and other partners address complex social challenges. This consultancy supports the ILO STREAM programme to strengthen uptake of labour migration and social protection knowledge across the South Asia–Gulf corridor. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES The Labour Migration and Social Protection Specialist will report as set out above. Core responsibilities include: - Support inception phase by refining the research questions, technical assessment criteria, stakeholder mix and consultation instruments for labour migration and social protection across the corridor. - Lead the desk-based, high-level ecosystem assessment in the product and ecosystem review, mapping key knowledge actors, trusted intermediaries, partner networks, repositories and information pathways across origin and destination contexts and the migration cycle. - Provide technical review of STREAM knowledge products and the ranked shortlist, with particular attention to rights and entitlements, administrative procedures, access to justice, grievance mechanisms and social protection. - Contribute to and, where appropriate, lead targeted consultations with STREAM partners, workers’ and employers’ organisations, migrant organisations, legal aid providers, labour attachés, recruitment actors, public institutions and civil society. - Identify institutional partnership, ownership and sustainability options, including how existing systems and processes can embed and disseminate STREAM products beyond the programme period. - Advise the communication and digital specialist on technical accuracy, risk, inclusion and gender considerations, particularly barriers affecting women migrant workers in domestic and care work. - Draft and review relevant sections of the product and ecosystem review report, the strategy, and the implementation and monitoring roadmap, as well as contribute to validation and handover sessions. REQUIREMENTS - Advanced degree in labour migration, social protection, labour law, public policy, development studies or a related field; equivalent specialist experience may be considered. - At least 7 years of relevant experience in labour migration and/or social protection, with substantive knowledge of migrant workers’ rights and institutions. - Demonstrated knowledge of the South Asia–Gulf migration corridor, including origin- and destination-country actors and the migration cycle. - Experience conducting desk reviews, ecosystem or stakeholder mapping, key-informant consultations and technical review of policy or knowledge products. - Strong understanding of rights and entitlements, access to justice, grievance mechanisms, recruitment systems and institutional sustainability. - Excellent analytical writing and spoken English required; Arabic or a South Asian corridor language is desirable. COMPETENCIES - Technical rigour and contextual judgement - Inclusive and ethical stakeholder engagement - Concise analysis, collaboration and reliability WORKING CONDITIONS - The assignment is expected to be delivered primarily remotely across a compressed 16-week schedule; availability must align with the agreed workplan and review windows. - The consultant must work respectfully with ILO, MAGENTA colleagues, corridor-based consultants and diverse institutional partners, following agreed data-protection, consent and accessibility requirements. How to apply INSTRUCTIONS Apply before 10 September 2026. Applicants should submit a two-page CV and letter of motivation here. The letter of motivation should describe why you want to join the MAGENTA team, with a specific example of how your experience and skills can enhance MAGENTA’s work.