Environmental and Social Safeguard Officer

CTG (Committed To Good)

Under the general guidance & supervision of the Project Manager & the international consultant, the Social and Environmental Safeguard Officer s responsibilities include the following:

• The purpose of the Social and Environmental Safeguard Officer position is to provide technical expertise & support in the development of the Environmental & Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the assigned project(s) in the four governorates of Iraq.
• The Social & Environmental Safeguard Officer will be responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant ESMP & donor standards, guidelines & regulations & for promoting a culture of safety & environmental sustainability within the project(s).
• The Social & Environmental Safeguard Officer will support the development of nine ESMPs (one per site) by conducting field assessments & applying relevant safeguard standards & mitigation measures.
• Working closely with the international consultant & under the guidance of the Project Manager, the Social & Environmental Safeguard Officer will ensure ESMPs meet & donor compliance requirements & address environmental, social & grievance redress aspects.

Under the overall guidance of the Amman Hub Director & direct supervision of the Project Manager, the selected candidate will:

• Conduct site specific field visits to collect environmental & social baseline data for each of the 9 sites.
• Conduct a gap analysis between Iraqi legislation, IFAD SECAP procedures & our clients ES safeguards.
• Develop site specific ESMPs, ensuring relevance to local environmental & social risks & opportunities.
• Identify potential environmental & social risks, including but not limited to UXO, PSEAH, labour issues, OSH & propose practical mitigation measures in line with our clients, national law & donor safeguard policies.
• Ensure that the technical assessment is conducted in line with IFAD SECAP & our clients SE safeguards.
• Establish & document a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) that is accessible to local communities & project workers.
• Follow up on grievances raised, track their resolution status & escalate unresolved cases to the Project Manager.
• Lead spot checks & compliance verification missions to assess implementation of ESMPs during project activities.
• Support the development of the SARP project ESMP as may be required including working closely with an international consultant to ensure baseline & other required data.
• Identify key gaps, challenges & opportunities environmental & social safeguard related issues that may arise during the project implementation, as part of the ESMP development process.
• Handle any additional ES safeguard related tasks as assigned by the Project Manager.

Key Competencies

Education

• University degree in environmental science, civil engineering, environmental / social engineering, social sciences or a related discipline.
• Additional training in environmental or social safeguard standards is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in environmental & / or social safeguard assessments, particularly in infrastructure or agricultural projects.
• Experience preparing ESMPs & conducting field based environmental / social evaluations.
• In depth understanding of international environmental & social stands, (e.g., UN, World Bank, IFAD etc.).
• Prior experience working with rural or vulnerable communities in Iraq is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in computers & Google Office Suite & other relevant software tools is desirable.

Professional certifications:

• PRINCE2 Foundation is an asset.
• PMP certification is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in both English & Arabic is required.