French Research and Editing Support - Migration Governance

SRD Center is seeking a French-Language Research and Editing Support Consultant for an anticipated international assignment focused on migration governance, Africa–Europe cooperation and preparation of a strategic policy publication.

The consultant will provide specialised French-language research, editorial and quality-assurance support to the Lead Migration Governance Expert and the wider research team.

The role will involve reviewing French-language policy and institutional sources, supporting research concerning Francophone African partner countries, ensuring consistency between English- and French-language evidence, and reviewing or editing French-language content where required.

This is a supporting position. The assignment's evaluated Lead Expert is expected to independently meet the required English and French language qualifications; therefore, this position complements rather than substitutes for the Lead Expert's bilingual capacity.

The assignment will be implemented fully remotely.

Tasks

The French-Language Research / Editing Support Consultant will:

• Identify and review relevant French-language policy, governmental, institutional and research documents.
• Support research on migration governance and Africa–Europe cooperation, particularly relating to Francophone African countries.
• Review French-language ministerial declarations, action plans, policy frameworks, meeting documents, institutional publications and other relevant sources.
• Prepare concise English-language or bilingual summaries of important French-language documentation.
• Support the Lead Expert in identifying evidence relating to institutional milestones, thematic developments, achievements and emerging migration-policy issues.
• Assist with research on:
- migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings; - return and reintegration; - legal migration and mobility; - international protection; - diaspora engagement and migration-development linkages.
• Support preparation and linguistic review of questions for stakeholder consultations where French is required.
• Review notes or written inputs received from French-speaking stakeholders.
• Assist in interpreting the meaning and policy context of French-language institutional terminology.
• Develop and maintain a French-English terminology glossary for key migration-governance concepts.
• Review French-language sections, summaries or other deliverables where required.
• Edit French-language text for grammar, clarity, accuracy, consistency and professional policy style.
• Check consistency of terminology and meaning between English and French versions of key content.
• Support factual and linguistic verification of quotations, titles, institutional names and policy terminology.
• Review translations to ensure that technical migration-governance concepts are conveyed accurately.
• Support the final editorial and quality-assurance process.
• Coordinate closely with the Lead Author, Research Support Expert and other members of the assignment team.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure careful handling of project documentation and stakeholder information.

Qualifications

Candidates should have:

• A university degree in migration studies, international relations, political science, public policy, translation, languages, international development, social sciences or another relevant field.
• Demonstrated experience in professional research, policy analysis, editing or technical writing.
• Excellent command of French, preferably at native or near-native professional level, including advanced writing and editing ability.
• Very good command of English, including the ability to work effectively with English-language research and policy documents.
• Demonstrated experience editing or quality-assuring policy, analytical, research or international-development documents in French.
• Knowledge of migration governance and migration policy is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with migration issues and institutional contexts in Francophone Africa is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with Africa–Europe migration cooperation or regional migration-policy processes is desirable.
• Experience reviewing governmental, intergovernmental or international-organisation documents.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Excellent attention to terminology, nuance, factual accuracy and consistency.
• Ability to translate or summarise complex policy concepts accurately between French and English.
• Familiarity with migration terminology relating to return and reintegration, legal migration, protection, trafficking/smuggling, diaspora and development is an advantage.
• Experience working with international organisations, government institutions, research organisations or international development projects is desirable.
• Ability to work independently and remotely while coordinating effectively with an international team.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to work within short review and publication deadlines.