Environmental and Social Specialist at Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC)

Benin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) is one of the retail electricity distribution companies licensed by the federal government Benin Electricity Disco ("BEDC” or "Benin Disco”) is one of the successor distribution companies (Discos) created following the unbundling and privatization of the state-owned Power Utility, Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc. BEDC is responsible for retail distribution of electricity in Delta, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo States with geographical coverage of 55,770 square kilometers. The company operates from twenty five (25) business districts with approximately 350 offices located across the four (4) states with about 13 million people and about 4 million households.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Environmental and Social Specialist

Location: Benin, Edo
Job type: Full-time

Role Overview

• The role of the Environmental and Social Specialist is to ensure that all BEDC operations, projects, and network activities comply with environmental regulations, social safeguards, and international development standards.
• The role is central to maintaining safe, ethical, and sustainable operations, reducing environmental risks, addressing community concerns, and ensuring compliance with World Bank and regulatory frameworks in the DISREP Program.

Job Description

• Organize local-level capacity building and interaction programs on environmental and social screening, awareness as well as organize national-level consultations with major stakeholders.
• Provide leadership/ build the capacity Of staff to carry out environmental and social screening of program activities as provided by the DISREP using the exclusion list and in line with the relevant documents for project staff, government agencies, contractors, and other stakeholders on project-related World Bank requirements for environment safeguards.
• Coordinate and guide consultants engaged to prepare relevant specific program documents/Social safeguards instruments for program activities.
• Periodically review and assess the effectiveness of the activities implemented and their outcomes and impacts as well as compliance with national and international standards and the environmental safeguards instruments; ESMF and Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMPs).

Job Requirements

• A Master's Degree in Natural Science, Environmental Science, Sociology or other related fields.
• Additional qualifications in environmental management, social safeguards, or HSE are an advantage.
• Minimum of 6 years' relevant experience in Environment and Social Safeguards, land acquisition, and resettlement related to Energy and infrastructure sectors with five (5) years on a donor-funded project in a similar position.
• Must possess specialized knowledge and expertise built preferably in World Bank Funded Projects or International Development Partners. Excellent familiarity with the
• World Bank ESMF, Nigerian Government ElA policy and the Bank's Disclosure Policy will be an added advantage.
• Literacy in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is recommended, and the candidate must be computer literate and should have excellent spoken and written
• English language skills.
• Conversant with environmental laws and covenants in Nigeria.
• Familiar with environmental institutions and their roles in environmental governance at the National, State, LG and Community levels in Nigeria.
• Strong report writing, analytical and documentation skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Excellent communication skills

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and a brief Cover Letter to: careers@beninelectric.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.