Senior Migration Research Consultant

Position description

Summary

• Scope: Estimated effort of 25-35 days, depending on proposal and seniority
• Based: Wherever you like, with preference for EU/MENA timezones.
• Supervises: Field Consultants
• Reports to: MEL Officer
• Travel: Mission travel is optional and must be included in your budget if proposed

Solve problems that matter

Seefar is committed to using the highest standards of evidence to guide its programming. This assignment involves producing a flagship report that sets out the state of the art on irregular migration from Federal Iraq. The report will be published as a public good, supporting more targeted interventions to reduce irregular migration. It will advance the donor’s interests in reducing irregular migration, the Government of Iraq’s five-year national plan (2025–2030) to promote safe, orderly and regular migration pathways for Iraqis, and Seefar’s mission by strengthening informed decision-making among people considering irregular migration and by challenging harmful community norms around irregular migration.

Who we are

Seefar Foundation is a social enterprise with a simple mission: to transform the lives of vulnerable people. Through programmes rooted in technology, psychology and behaviour change, we help people build the skills and confidence they need to make a positive contribution to their communities. It’s how we support governments in finding solutions to challenges around irregular migration, poverty, human trafficking, violent extremism, access to justice, and more.

Purpose

A number of interventions are currently underway, or about to begin, that aim directly or indirectly to reduce irregular migration from Federal Iraq to Europe. However, formative research for Seefar’s own programming indicates that understanding of current irregular migration trends and dynamics remains limited, increasing the risk of poorly targeted programmes or policies.

Although major agencies (including IOM, ICMPD, Seefar, and various NGOs) and the Ministry of Migration and Development hold substantial data on irregular migration and return, this information has not been recently consolidated into a single, accessible report that decision-makers can readily use. The objective is therefore to produce a highly usable knowledge product that prioritises decision-relevant insights, enabling practitioners and policymaking communities in both Iraq and Europe to immediately apply findings.

Research Questions

• What are the main places of origin and routes for irregular migration from Federal Iraq to Europe? What are the key destinations and how are these decided? How have these patterns shifted in the past year(s), e.g. in response to visa restrictions in transit countries?
• What are the profiles (and subprofiles) of people who migrate irregularly or seriously consider it? Describe this in terms of their demographics (location, gender, age) and psychographics (how people think and behave). Why do some people who fit this profile not migrate?
• How is the decision to migrate made and how does this vary by population segment? Moving beyond push and pull factors, deliver a rich description of the psychological processes leading to the decision to migrate.
• What is the role of influencers? Break down the people and channels that shape decision-making online versus offline (family, friends, teachers)? What is the actual role of malinformation?
• How do smugglers win customers? Roughly, how are agreements set up, what is the cost of travel?
• How do local communities view irregular migration? How have they responded (or not) with locally-derived solutions?

The report should briefly consider the following cross-cutting areas: (1) How should we think about climate change in relation to irregular migration? (2) What should we know about the relationship between irregular migration and trafficking in persons? (3) What opportunities are there for improved programming, in particular interventions rooted in social and behaviour change.

Methods

• Literature review. An exhaustive review of public reports from the last three years that offer insight into irregular migration from Federal Iraq, including research, project evaluations (where available). A review of media publications or social media output could be further beneficial.
• Synthesis of Seefar project data, including findings from (1) baseline survey (approx. 1,200 respondents), which captures migration intentions, demographics and attitudes and perceptions; (2) interviews conducted as part of formative research; (3) interviews under the ongoing target audience analysis including with community figures at home and with recently-arrived Iraqis in the UK; (3) input from returnees. Your proposal is not expected to budget for any of this data collection.
• Synthesis of third party data. This includes data and insights from the Ministry of Migration and Displacement plus other practitioners (potentially: IOM, ICMPD, GIZ etc.). Seefar personnel will support you in accessing some of this information. However, your proposal should demonstrate any value you can add in ethically accessing data that has not been published.
• Where they add value, key informant interviews conducted remotely or in person. Proposals should explain who you expect to interview, why you chose them, and should be inclusive of any planned travel.

Deliverables

• Report: Publishable report (maximum 25 pages, excluding annexes) written in clear, concise, engaging English with the highest standards of analysis, clear reference to evidence, a neutral, non-advocacy tone, and delivery in the Project Report Template (Seefar will supply). Your should arrange quality assurance prior to submission and propose graphics to explain key concepts. Seefar will pay to translate the report.
• Presentation: The author may be asked to prepare and present results virtually or in person and should accommodate time for this in their proposal. All deliverables must be approved by us at the latest on 6th March 2026; proposers should allow adequate time for revision in their proposed timelines. Seefar may also request the consultant to produce a results deck for someone else to present.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Open to individuals, teams, and consulting companies.
• Clear track record writing quality publications on migration, in English (with verifiable evidence).
• 5-10 years’ experience as a researcher, analyst, or similar
• Availability to work almost full time on the assignment in February and submit a final product by the end of February/early March
• Applied knowledge of international development safeguarding standards in research

Desirable:

• Master’s qualification in social sciences, humanities or similar
• Ability to conduct interviews in Arabic
• Previous experience delivering research and/or migration programming in Iraq

Application instructions

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