BACKGROUND
Cameroon is entering a new phase of strengthening its national reintegration system under the EU funded Return, Readmission and Reintegration (RRR) programme. For the first time, reintegration centres across Yaoundé, Douala, Bertoua, Maroua, and Bafoussam are expected to deliver standardized, high-quality training, soft skills development, vocational orientation, and employability services, as described in the RRR Action Document. These centres will ultimately become reference points for returnees seeking psychosocial stability, employability pathways, and viable socioeconomic reintegration options.
Recent consultations with migrants highlighted significant gaps in the reintegration experience. Returnees reported short and fragmented trainings, limited clarity on reintegration steps, inconsistent quality between centres, weak communication, and the absence of harmonized tools or guidance. Migrants also stressed the need for practical soft skills, structured coaching, and a coherent vocational training pathway adapted to their aspirations rather than the “followership logic” often seen in project selection. These observations, captured during the Yaoundé focus group session, confirm the urgency of developing clear service standards, guidance materials, and professional training modules to support the reintegration process.
Given these needs, the RRR project requires an accelerated 3-month foundational phase—one focused not on large-scale field delivery but on building the system itself: harmonizing training content, defining minimum service standards, preparing vocational partnership templates, creating job fair models, and producing a unified guidance document for reintegration centres and staff.
PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The Reintegration Assistant (Soft Skills, Vocational Training & Job Fairs) will lead the development of core tools, standards, and operational guidance necessary for reintegration centres to deliver harmonized and high-quality training and employability services.
In addition to designing centre-based training, the assignment will establish a continuous soft-skills development mechanism (“formation continue”) to address behavioural, attitudinal, and employability gaps that arise during reintegration follow-up after beneficiaries leave the centre. This will strengthen long-term outcomes and ensure ongoing support throughout the reintegration journey.
The position aims to:
Develop standardized soft skills and employability training packages; Create a unified guidance and orientation document for staff and beneficiaries; Design replicable job fair and employer-engagement models; Map vocational training providers and produce partnership templates; Establish a continuous soft-skills support mechanism integrated into follow-up workflows; Produce a 12-month operational workplan for the Reintegration Unit.A. Harmonization & Development of Training Modules
Review all existing training materials and practices across the five reintegration centres. Develop a standardized Soft Skills & Employability Training Package, including: Trainer’s guide Participant workbook Session plans Evaluation and assessment tools Integrate evidence from migrant feedback, adult-learning methodologies, gender considerations, and protection principles.B. Development of Reintegration Guidance & Orientation Tools
Draft a Reintegration Training & Employability Guidance Note covering: Minimum standards of service Reintegration centre workflows Roles and responsibilities Orientation and onboarding procedures Vulnerable-case considerations Referral pathways (psychosocial, GBV, administrative support) Develop a Migrant Orientation Briefing Pack explaining: The reintegration journey Expected timelines and milestones Services available in the centres Rights, responsibilities, and follow-up mechanisms.C. Vocational Training Pathways & Mapping
Map at least 25 vocational training centres (public, private, NGOs). Develop selection criteria for training service providers. Draft MoU templates and partnership frameworks with training institutions and employers. Identify opportunities for certification, apprenticeships, and placement.D. Job Fairs & Employer Engagement Model
Develop a Job Fair Toolkit, including: Concept note and methodology Implementation checklist Employer invitation templates Visibility and communication tools (in coordination with communications staff) M&E tools to track participation, interviews, and job outcomes Propose a national job fair calendar and operational roll-out plan.E. Work Planning & Capacity Development
Produce a 12-Month Reintegration Workplan, covering training, employer engagement, job fairs, and monitoring. Deliver orientation sessions for reintegration centre staff on new tools and standards.F. Establish a Continuous Soft-Skills Support Mechanism (Formation Continue)
Develop a structured system to identify emerging soft-skills needs during reintegration follow-up. Produce short modular refresher sessions (micro-trainings) addressing: Communication Time management Financial discipline Workplace behaviour Conflict management Professional ethics Design referral tools enabling caseworkers to direct beneficiaries to appropriate modules. Integrate the mechanism into the case management workflow (post-centre follow-up, home visits, coaching, business monitoring, etc.).G. Reporting & Coordination
Submit detailed monthly progress reports and a final consolidated report. Coordinate with governmental bodies (MINEFOP, MINJEC, MINAS), private sector partners, NGOs, and IOM internal units.EDUCATION
High school diploma with seven years of relevant experience; or, Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Sciences, Human Resources, Development Studies, Migration Studies, or related field from an accredited institution with five years of relevant professional experienceEXPERIENCE
Minimum 5 years of professional experience in: Training design and delivery, Adult-learning facilitation, Employability coaching, or Vocational training coordination. Proven experience in developing training tools, curricula, guidance notes, or capacity-building materials. Experience working with vulnerable populations, youth, or reintegration programmes is an advantage. Strong familiarity with Cameroon’s labour market and TVET ecosystem is highly desirable.SKILLS
Excellent training design, facilitation, and curriculum development skills. Strong ability to create structured guidance documents and operational tools. Excellent communication, coordination, and stakeholder engagement capacity. Ability to manage short deadlines and produce high-quality outputs. Sensitivity to gender, protection, psychosocial, and cultural considerations. Strong analytical and report-writing skills.LANGUAGE
For this position, fluency in English, French is required (oral and written).