Senior Environmental and Social Development Specialist

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org. 
IFC’s advisory activities include transaction advice in public-private partnerships (PPPs) to help national and municipal governments with the selection of private sector partners to improve basic infrastructure and services, mainly in the power, transportation, sanitation, education, and healthcare sectors and Corporate Finance Services (CFS) primarily geared toward private sector clients IFC typically plays the role of lead transaction advisor, working closely with public and private sector clients, managing external consultants, and applying the same standards it applies to its own portfolio.
IFC is seeking a dynamic, motivated Senior Environmental & Social (E&S) Specialist with strong communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills to support its transaction advisory business in Europe and the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan (MCT) region, in the same proportion. This professional will provide E&S guidance to clients and advisory teams on E&S matters vis-à-vis IFC Performance Standards (PS) and Sustainability Policy.
The position will report to the ESG Regional Manager for the Europe region.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Lead or contribute to identification and assessment of E&S issues and risks, including as Lead Environmental & Social Specialist (LESS) in some cases, of broad and complex PPP and CFS projects involving multidisciplinary teams.
• Define tailored measures to manage identified E&S issues and risks and value-add solutions and formulate E&S input to transaction process and tender documentation, including support in the definition of E&S obligations for PPP contracts in line with IFC Performance Standards.
• Coordinate E&S consultants and subject-matter experts to provide integrated and coherent E&S advice and explain such advice to internal and external stakeholders.
• Define scope of work for E&S Studies, support selection of consultants for development of such studies, and review interim and final deliverables for alignment with IFC Performance Standards, accurateness, and completeness.
• When leading E&S reviews, ensure effective and efficient use of staff, consultants, and resources, ensuring the timely completion of deliverables. Provide guidance and support to team members.
• Provide clear and responsive guidance to IFC transaction teams on E&S risk management in project decision-making and processing throughout the advisory cycle, including clear communication to teams.
• Provide clear guidance to transaction advisory clients to support them in addressing identified issues. This task includes workshops and trainings for public and private officers to present IFC Performance Standards and good international industry practice in E&S risk management and explain measures to align the project activities with such standards and practice.
• Screen national legislation and procedure and asses’ gaps with IFC Performance Standards, suggesting way to bridge them.
• Provide capacity building to clients and their consultants on conducting E&S Impact Assessment studies, including Scoping Study, Stakeholder Engagement Plans, Resettlement Action Plans, Livelihood Restoration Plans, related Frameworks and other E&S studies, as the case may be.
• Provide monthly updates on the E&S performance of transaction advisory projects in the region and contribute to sectoral and regional portfolio reviews.
• Support advisory teams and clients in response to Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) and Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) requests where needed, including discussion with CAO and IEG officers as needed.
• Prepare management briefs of relevant E&S matters.
• Provide guidance to other staff and Short-Term Consultants (STCs) working on E&S risk management and supervise the timeliness and quality of their work, in coordination with the Regional Manager.
• Upon request and based on business needs, provide E&S support to selected IFC Upstream and Direct Investment projects.