Local Consultant Technical Expert – UASC Center Operationalization

About the role

IOM Albania is supporting the EU4Migration in Albania project, which strengthens migration and asylum governance in Albania, with a focus on unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). As part of this, IOM is helping establish a dedicated UASC center and needs a local consultant technical expert in Tirana to develop a practical model for how the center will be managed, staffed, financed and coordinated with child protection, social care, migration and asylum systems. The consultancy lasts 45 working days.

Key responsibilities

• Review legal, policy and procedural documents on child protection, social care, migration and asylum, guardianship, reception arrangements, licensing and service standards.
• Consult with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA), the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), the State Agency for Child Rights and Protection (SACRP), social care structures and other stakeholders.
• Map the roles and responsibilities of institutions and service providers involved in the center's operation.
• Identify the legal and administrative steps needed to make the center operational.
• Develop options for management models (state-led, delegated, mixed or partnership-based), staffing profiles, service standards, case management and coordination.
• Assess guardianship options, including professional guardians, in line with Law No. 92/2025 and the best interests of the child.
• Prepare a financial model covering recurrent costs, staffing and service costs, maintenance, possible state budget implications and sustainability.
• Test the options with stakeholders and prepare a technical options paper and presentation package for MoIA and MoHSW, then revise it based on their feedback.

Deliverables

• Inception note, methodology and workplan (5 working days)
• Legal and institutional mapping notes (8 working days)
• Draft operational model covering management, staffing, profiles, standards and coordination (12 working days)
• Guardianship options note (7 working days)
• Financial model and sustainability note (6 working days)
• Final technical options paper and presentation package (7 working days)

Paid in three instalments after IOM accepts each deliverable by email, with indicative dates in late November and early December 2026.