Social and Environmental Risk Management Specialist

Background Information - Job-specific
UNOPS East & Southern Africa:
UNOPS East & Southern Africa Multi-Country Office (ESAMCO) has an established Operation Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and South Africa. These countries include Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Somalia, and Eritrea. ESAMCO focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services in those countries. Our goal is to support countries, help people in need and enable our partners through delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement and project management in the countries in East and South Africa.

Project Information:
Biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management and enhanced water security in Lake Tanganyika basin project is a project aimed at strengthening the collaborative partnerships between the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) and the contracting States (Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia). Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) was established by the contracting States on 12 June 2003 when the contracting States adopted what they call “Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika.”

The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through United Nations Environment (UNEP). UNOPS will be the Project Executing Agency, and is accountable to UNEP for the overall implementation of the project. UNOPS will establish a trans-boundary Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in Bujumbura, Burundi to coordinate the day-to-day administration and operations of the project across the four riparian countries (Burundi, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia).

The project has 4 components:
(i) Addressing identified transboundary threats to fish biodiversity
(ii) Protection of core conservation zones in protected areas
(iii) Sustainable natural resource use in protected areas and their buffer zones
(iv) Transboundary coordination, information management and M&E.

Job Specific Information:
Based in Bujumbura, Burundi, the Social and Environmental Risk Management Specialist reports to the Senior Project Manager who provides broad supervision and guidance. The role is responsible for supporting the Senior Project Manager with the social and environmental inputs and activities towards delivering the project on time and within budget. The successful candidate must be able to perform their roles with a high degree of autonomy, establish strong collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders and may be required to supervise, coordinate, or guide the work of other team members. Functional Responsibilities

The incumbent will be responsible for the following functions:

Plan and prepare any necessary social and environmental assessments and instruments (Project-level or site-specific or infrastructure-specific, as relevant).

Facilitate consultations with stakeholders, especially local community groups, in the process of preparing the ESMP(Environmental and Social Management Plan) for the project.

Monitor progress in the development and implementation of the project ESMP, ensuring that the GEF E&S(Environmental & Social) policies are complied with, and the reporting requirements are fulfilled.

Review the Social Risk Identification Form (SRIF) and update and revise the corresponding risk log and mitigation/ management plans, as necessary.

Ensure that all environmental and social risks are identified, avoided, mitigated, and managed throughout project implementation.

Prepare, adopt and implement all other E&S - related plans such as an Indigenous People’s Plan (IPP), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Contingency and Emergency Response Plan, etc.

Help organize and undertake due diligence for obtaining Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from all benefiting communities in the project target areas.

Ensure full disclosure with concerned stakeholders and ensure full engagement of local beneficiaries.

Work with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to ensure reporting, monitoring and evaluation fully address the E&S issues of the project.

Provide well-documented, evidence-based compliance reports to be incorporated into the project annual performance reports.

Ensure project-related grievances are managed effectively and transparently through the grievance redress mechanism and support the establishment of grievance redress mechanism groups at local levels.

Ensure ongoing training and awareness-raising of Project Coordination Unit (PCU) staff, the responsible partner institutions, contractors, workers and communities in environmental and social risk management.

Impact of Results:
The E&S Risk Management Specialist directly impacts on achievement of project results by ensuring that decision-makers are made aware of the potential environmental consequences of their actions, with the intention of improving the “quality” of development decisions, ensuring that environmental considerations are incorporated into every stage of the project. This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services. Competencies
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:

Proficiency in Swahili is highly desirable.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement, IICA2 (ICS-10)
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance. For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

This position is based in Bujumbura, Burundi which is a family duty station.

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.

For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.