Migration Resource Centre (MRC) Counsellor (M1)

Jobs Overview

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is seeking a highly motivated, empathetic, and detail-oriented MRC Counsellor (M1) to join its Migration Resource Centre (MRC) team. Working under the direct guidance of the respective MRC Coordinator, the selected professional will play a pivotal role in implementing daily MRC activities, field workplans, and public outreach strategies.

ICMPD is looking for a specialist who can deliver clear communication, provide direct counselling services, and ensure high-quality service delivery to prospective migrants, returning migrants, and their families. This role requires an individual well-versed in local migration dynamics who can seamlessly collaborate with internal project units, public-private stakeholders, and local authorities to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.

Job Details

• Organization: International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
• Position Title: MRC Counsellor
• Job Profile Classification: M1 (Generic Job Profile)
• Employment Type: Full-time / Contract
• Required Languages: English & Urdu (Regional languages like Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, or Saraiki are a major asset)

Key Results & Job Responsibilities

1. Direct Counselling & Client Support

• Provides comprehensive face-to-face, telephonic, and online guidance, counselling, and informational support to a diverse clientele (including prospective migrants, returning migrants, and their families).
• Initiates, manages, and follows up on structural client referrals, linking individuals with appropriate agencies such as technical/vocational training institutes for skill upgrades or relevant state authorities for overseas employment documentation.
• Manages and regularly updates the official MRC website, internal client databases, Facebook page, and alternative social media accounts in close coordination with the MRC Coordinator.

2. Outreach Activities & Public Engagement

• Establishes, nurtures, and maintains highly effective networks and working contacts across both public and private sector agencies.
• Organizes and executes community-level events and outreach campaigns, including information briefings at academic and training institutions, civil society symposia, and training workshops for education or emigration consultancies.
• Sets up informational booths, public kiosks, and temporary structures in high-traffic public locations to widely disseminate essential materials on safe, regular migration, alongside return and reintegration pathways.

3. Development of Information & Knowledge Materials

• Conducts field research and stakeholder mapping to identify existing migration-related programs, available services, and regional frameworks.
• Compiles, structures, and updates critical knowledge products, reference manuals, and informational toolkits required for smooth MRC daily operations.
• Drafts, revises, and develops physical and digital awareness products, including brochures, handbooks, audio-visual materials, and web-based documentation.
• Actively populates and maintains online migration forums and discussions, ensuring professional, timely responses to public inquiries and information requests.

4. MRC Coordination & Administrative Support

• Assists the MRC Coordinator in ensuring timely, efficient, and regulatory-compliant execution of project workplans, aligning outputs with the national strategies of government partners.
• Contributes substantive data and qualitative input toward the drafting of weekly, quarterly, and annual progress reports, mission briefs, meeting agendas, and minutes.
• Systematically updates the MRC database to track and evaluate all public events, client feedback, and community engagement milestones.
• Supports administrative and financial workflows, including preparing expenditure plans, budget tracking metrics, and advance budget requests in accordance with prescribed ICMPD templates and rules.

Required Expertise & Professional Skills

• Planning & Execution: Solid organizational skills with a proven capacity to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple workflows under tight deadlines.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ability to make sound, independent decisions in full alignment with ICMPD’s operational regulations, rules, and corporate values upon consultation with supervisors.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong capacity to gather, cross-reference, and compile complex data, effectively identifying critical patterns to propose workable programmatic solutions.
• Contextual Knowledge: Deep structural understanding of national and regional migration dynamics, socioeconomic push-pull factors, and local labor market frameworks.
• Client & Service Orientation: High degree of client orientation rooted in a firm understanding of social work, community engagement methods, and professional service delivery.
• Interpersonal & Cultural Savvy: Proven ability to work harmoniously and effectively with individuals from diverse nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and institutional levels.

Qualifications, Experience, and Language Skills

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in International Relations, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Administration, or a closely related field. Note: A High School Diploma or equivalent combined with two (2) additional years of targeted, relevant work experience will be accepted in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.
• Experience: A minimum of two (2) years of position-specific professional experience in counselling, social work, migration management, or public outreach.
• Sector Background: Prior experience working within office administration, local government authorities, or business networks is required. Active working experience with international organizations or NGOs is considered a major professional asset.
• Language Proficiency: Complete fluency in written and spoken English and Urdu is mandatory. Working proficiency or conversational knowledge of regional languages such as Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, or other target community languages is highly advantageous.
• Tech Skills: Advanced proficiency in standard IT tools, productivity suites (MS Office), and social media platform management.

How to Apply

Eligible individuals who meet the detailed criteria must submit their formal profile and application documents through the official ICMPD e-recruitment portal.

Steps to Apply:

1. Navigate directly to the official job opening page via the ICMPD Careers Portal.
2. Ensure your updated CV/Resume thoroughly highlights your position-specific experience in migration, social work, or local administration.
3. Complete the online application forms and attach all necessary educational documents, professional reference contacts, and certificate verifications.

Expert Advice for Applicants

Landing an M1-classified role with an international body like ICMPD requires a resume and interview approach that balances strict administrative compliance with strong community engagement skills. When preparing your application packet, avoid generic descriptions. Instead, explicitly emphasize your experience in dealing with vulnerable populations, conducting public awareness campaigns, or managing client referral networks.

The screening committee looks closely at data management capabilities alongside field execution. If you have previously managed public-facing Facebook pages, tracked institutional budgets, or populated organizational databases, make sure these accomplishments stand out in your CV using clear metrics (e.g., "managed a database of 1,000+ applicants" or "conducted 15+ institutional seminars").

During the selection process, your language capability and cultural adaptability are critical evaluation benchmarks. Since the duty station involves interacting directly with local citizens as well as international experts, demonstrating a strong command over both English and Urdu—along with an asset language like Punjabi, Pashto, or Sindhi—will heavily elevate your candidate profile. Review the core values of ICMPD and be prepared during interviews to demonstrate a high sense of initiative, professional judgment, and absolute adherence to strict compliance guidelines.