Director, Safeguards

Job Vacancy | Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Join Our Mission to Foster Prosperity in Asia

Are you ready to make a lasting impact on the future of Asia and be a catalyst for positive change? We are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to become an important part of the prestigious Asian Development Bank (ADB). At ADB, our mission is simple yet powerful: to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationship

The position of Director, Safeguards is assigned to the Office of Safeguards (OSFG). You will be based at our Headquarters in Manila, Philippines.

OSFG was established to implement and monitor ADB's safeguards policy and procedures. It supports ADB management, operational departments, and parties, including borrowers/clients in delivering development solutions in compliance with ADB's safeguards policy. The Office of Safeguards has four teams: (i) Policy and Technical Services, (ii) Regional Operations Services 1, (iii) Regional Operations Services 2, and (iv) Private Sector/Pacific Operations Services.

You will report to Head, OSFG and will oversee Assigned International and Local Staff.

Your Role

As Director, Safeguards, you will provide policy oversight and lead periodic updates of ADB's environmental and social safeguards policy, ensuring that the projects financed by ADB are of a high technical quality and meet best practice international standards. You will provide leadership and technical guidance to staff in relevant environmental and social standards including guidance on policy implementation, knowledge management, staff skills development, sovereign and nonsovereign safeguards integration, capacity-building for ADB developing member countries and private sector clients, and overall portfolio monitoring and reporting.

You will:

• Lead and provide strategic advice to ADB Management on environmental and social safeguard policy issues and periodically lead on policy reviews to ensure that ADB's safeguard policy continues to meet international good practices and the evolving needs of ADB and the region.
• Provide strategic guidance to ADB Management, Operational Departments and to developing member countries (DMCs) and private sector clients to implement ADB's safeguard policy, ensuring that ADB financed projects address environmental and social risk and impacts on people and the environment.
• Manage advisory support to ADB Management and Operational Departments in addressing complaints and grievances regarding ADB financed projects, including those submitted to the ADB Accountability Mechanism, and ensuring documentation and monitoring of outcomes.
• Manage advisory support to ADB Management and Operational Departments in the review and implementation of ADB policies, strategies, special programs that may have environmental and social risks or possible effects.
• Lead and coordinate a team of technical experts providing support to ADB Project Teams on high risk and complex and sensitive projects, participating in project review and operational support missions.
• Provide leadership on ADB's Knowledge Management Action Plan for Safeguards, including new approaches, which will strengthen ADB staff skills and borrower/client capacity to design and achieve compliance with environmental and social safeguard requirements in ADB operations.
• Oversee the design and processing of technical assistance (TA) and related country support programs to help strengthen DMC and private sector awareness and capacity to meet ADB safeguards requirements, international good practices.
• Oversee and promote cooperation on safeguards through knowledge partnerships and participation and contribution to critical regional and international events, activities and programs that have high strategic and operational relevance to ADB's operations.
• Lead and help implement ADB's Integrated Safeguard Management System, ensuring management of ADB's business processes, documentation, disclosure, grievance redress, monitoring and reporting on implementation.
• Manage support for relationship management and coordination on safeguard matters with company partners (Board, Senior Management, and other departments) and external partners (government, development partners, civil society, and private sector clients).
• Develop an inclusive, gender-sensitive and client oriented working environment that motivates and encourages diverse teams to achieve transformative results following ADB's Cultural Transformation Initiative.
• Manage the performance of teams and individuals and provide clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
• Support sovereign and nonsovereign skills integration, provide mentoring to the team members and ensure their ongoing learning and development. Manage the budget and resource allocation to deliver approved workplans.

Qualifications

You will need:

• Master's degree or equivalent in engineering, environmental sciences, environmental economics, social sciences or other related fields; or University degree and at least 10 years specialized experience relevant to the position can be considered
• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience including international work experience in environmental management and environment and social safeguards and capacity development, or related area.
• Liaise and deal with the Board, Management and senior staff, and with senior officials in client governments, collaborator agencies and civil society.
• Collaborate and manage teams, ensuring a smooth coordination of tasks, understanding of goals, and execution of projects.
• Experience communicating complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences
• Please refer to the link for ADB Competency Framework for Managerial Staff grade M1.

Benefits

ADB offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package. The salary will be based on ADB's standards and comparator markets, taking into account your qualifications and experience.

• Paid leave (including parental)
• Medical and health benefits
• Life and other insurance plans
• Staff development
• Retirement plan
• Housing and education allowance (if applicable)
• Expatriate benefits (for international staff)

Additional Information

This is a fixed-term appointment for a managerial position, initially for a period of three (3) years, in accordance with para. 3.1(a) of Administrative Order No. 2.01 (Recruitment and Appointment). After the initial fixed-term period, ADB may choose to renew the appointment for up to an additional 3 years, allow it to expire, or reengage staff to their most recent technical international grade, [1] to optimally utilize the Staff’s technical skills under either a Fixed-term Appointment with Option to Renew or a Fixed-term Appointment with Option to Regularize, with the salary range corresponding to that technical international grade. This decision will be made in the overall interest of ADB, based on factors including, but not limited to, ADB’s medium- to long-term plans for the organizational unit, the relevance of the staff’s skills to those plans, and the staff’s managerial and behavioral competencies. There is no limit on the number of renewals up to the Normal Retirement Date. However, this appointment is not convertible to a regular appointment.

[1] This does not apply to external candidates and to candidates who do not have a technical international grade.

About Us

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an international development finance institution headquartered in Manila, Philippines and is composed of 69 members, 49 of which are from the Asia and Pacific region. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. ADB combines finance, knowledge, and partnerships to fulfill its expanded vision under its Strategy 2030.

ADB only hires nationals of its 69 members.

To view ADB Organizational Chart, please click here.

ADB seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities to work in an inclusive environment. ADB encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities. Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Visit ADB Careers FAQ for more information.

Stay up to date Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest issues, news, events, jobs and data in your e-mail inbox.