Social Safeguards Specialist

The Social Safeguards Specialist will report directly to the Senior Project Manager to ensure full coordination of environment and social issues  at the Country Office level, and with the different project teams.
In general, the main duties of the Social Safeguards Specialist include ensuring compliance with local regulations and UNOPS rules as it relates to occupational health and safety, social, and environmental management, and to provide advice, training on measures needed to minimize hazards and environmental impacts in sub-project project sites and site offices. The Social Safeguards Specialist needs to establish a safe workplace according to legal standards and foster a culture of attention to health, safety, social and environment management in all work sites throughout the projects’ life cycle.

More specifically, the Social Safeguards Specialist  will be responsible for the following substantive tasks:

1. Analytical and Technical tasks: 

• Participate in the development of social safeguards tools, including Social Management Frameworks or Plans. 

• Roll out  the implementation of Social safeguards tools in consultation with governments, donors and implementing partners and as part of project management.

• Monitor and report on social screening processes of site-specific activities.

• Oversee, monitor and report on indicators in the social  safeguards instruments.

• Ensure that appropriate social safeguard instruments and tools are applied by all implementers of the  project. 

• Trigger and oversee the implementation of social correction measures by communities.

• Ensure that appropriate social mitigation measures are proposed and met.

• Undertake follow-up monitoring to ensure that proposed mitigation measures are implemented according to the social  safeguards instruments.

• Conduct supervision and monitor field visits to sites, where applicable. 

• Assist on developing and delivering a series of spot checks to ensure mitigation measures are properly implemented in line with the guideline.

• Compile reports on social  impacts, and mitigation measures, as per E&S (Environmental & Social) safeguards instruments.

• Handle additional assignments as directed by Senior Project Manager.

• Advice governments on social safeguards.

• Conduct risk assessment and enforce preventative measures on social safeguards.

• Support the recording and investigate incidents (including near misses) to determine the cause and to propose improvements to processes in the future.

2. Capacity Building:

• Provide technical support to projects as required.

• Identify challenges, opportunities, priorities and needs for the implementation of the ESMF(Environmental and Social Management Frameworks).

• Support the undertaking of monitoring and evaluation missions, as defined in the ESMF, to ensure capturing of all risks and impacts, as well as ensure that mitigation measures are implemented.

• Carry out training and capacity building on social safeguard tools and frameworks, especially for new staff in the UNOPS Offices, governments and other potential implementing partners.

Impact of Results:

• All project activities are successfully supervised and monitored against the respective social safeguard  frameworks, including understanding of the risks and impacts and implementation of mitigation measures.

• Successful correction measures are undertaken by UNOPS and all partners where mitigation measures have failed

• High quality reporting as defined in the project tools.

• Improved staff capacity.

a. Education: 

• Bachelor's degree in Social Science or equivalent field is required.

• Masters degree in Social Science or equivalent field is an added advantage.

b. Work Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in social development, gender equality and women’s empowerment is required.

• Within the required 7 years, at least 2 years of experience with the design or implementation of social safeguards tools is required.

• Candidates with experience working on community empowerment projects will be preferred.

• Candidates with experience working on World Bank funded projects will be preferred.

c. Language:

• Fluent written and spoken English is required.