African Development Bank Group (AfDB) - Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Senior Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer
Reference: ADB/19/050
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50078326
The Complex
- The Senior Vice-Presidency (SNVP) is responsible for supporting the President in the day-to-day management of the Bank Group to achieve its strategic objective and drive performance culture that will align all processes and systems to deliver high impact results.
- The SNVP will provide effective leadership and exceptional coordination to ensure implementation and monitoring of key corporate decisions as well as the identification of necessary corrective measures and actions.
- The SNVP will lead senior management discussions, decision-making processes and the implementation of key Board and Management decisions.
The Hiring Department
- Located within the SVNP Complex, the Safeguards and Compliance Department (SNSC) is responsible for mainstreaming environmental and social development considerations into Bank-financed operations in the public and private sectors through the implementation of the Integrated Safeguard System (ISS).
- The Department’s main tasks is to improve the quality-at-entry (QAE) of Bank operations, including Country Strategy Papers and project-specific interventions (projects, ESW, etc.) as well as during implementation, with a particular emphasis on enhancing developmental effectiveness through application of environmental and social safeguards procedures and tools at various stages of the project cycle.
- The Safeguards and Compliance Department’s mission is to ensure proper application of the Integrated Safeguards System (ISS) and its associated procedures, guidelines and tools, in order to enhance environmental and social sustainability into the Bank’s operations.
The Position
- The Senior Environmental and Social Officer will work under the general supervision and guidance of the Director Safeguards and Compliance Department, and in close collaboration with the Safeguards and Compliance Officers in the Department.
- The main objective of the job position is to assist the Department in: assessing the environmental and social risks during identification phase, ensure that the required environment and social reports are prepared in compliance with the ISS during the preparation and appraisal phases, prior to Board approval, performing environmental and social quality control as per the Environment and Social Assessment Procedures (ESAP) for all documents, Identifying gaps in compliance, and proposing actions to enhance compliance ensuring effective and efficient engagement of the Bank in key social policy frameworks and convention, ensure loan conditions include social consideration as needed, Supervising the application of environmental and social mitigation measures and ensure compliance of projects with the ISS thereby minimizing reputation risks during implementation phases of the project and ensures that projects effectively recognize and address environmental and social risks.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior Environment Officer’s’ core duties/responsibilities will include the following:
Mainstreaming of environmental concerns:
- Prepare quarterly reports on progress of departmental work and due diligence statistics from the ISTS and coordinate preparation of the annual safeguards and sustainability performance report to Management and Boards;
- Provide E&S support to the Bank’s projects and programmes for both private and public sectors
- Address environmental and social issues in various Bank operations during the identification, preparation, appraisal, supervision and project completion stages;
- Design and/or improve the design of features/ components within Bank operations in order to ensure the effective implementation of environmental and social measures throughout the duration of the operations;
- Assign E&S Categorization for projects (public and private).
- Mainstream environmental and social safeguards mitigation measures into Bank’s operations as required;
- Review TORs for feasibility studies (ESIA, SESA and RAP) to ensure adequate coverage of all pertinent issues required by the Bank’s environmental and social assessment procedures (ESAP);
- Review Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments (SESAs), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMFs) and Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS) and prepare where applicable summaries for disclosure on the Bank’s website;
- Prepare the environmental and social technical sections required in the Project Concept Notes (PCNs) and the Project Appraisal Reports (PAR) and any other project related report as required.
- Develop recommendations to enhance environmental and social benefits and corrective action plans to mitigate environmental and social risks in Bank operations.
- Mainstream relevant and cross-cutting issues into Bank operations, particularly issues related to natural resource management,;
- Liaise with other lenders to ensure consistency in the mainstreaming of the E&S modalities, documentation, and other aspects of projects and programmes and the harmonization of E&S standards for all lenders.
Policy and Compliance with environmental and social requirements:
- Provide policy and operational guidance to Task Managers on environmental issues as a means of strengthening the environmental and social performance of Bank operations.
- Monitor compliance of operations with the Bank’s environmental and social safeguards, policies, and guidelines consistent with the Bank’s Integrated Safeguards System (ISS);
- Ensure the quality of safeguard documents, such as Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental and Social Management Plans, Resettlement Action Plans;
- Prepare, where applicable, action plans to bring projects and programmes to compliance with the Bank’s environmental and social requirements such as Resettlement Action Plans.
Capacity building and Knowledge Management:
- Identify, assess, and monitor overall training needs of clients and task managers;
- Develop and deliver training sessions for Bank staff and their counterparts in RMCs,
- Participate in, and contribute to internal and external training and conferences on environment and social safeguards as well as to other activities pertaining to advocacy, dissemination and knowledge development.
- Develop and/or contribute to the development of innovative knowledge products on environmental sustainability and/or E&S performance of Bank financed projects and programmes.
- Undertake any other task as assigned by the Director of the Environment and Social Safeguards Department.
Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
- Hold at least a Master's degree or its equivalent in Environment, Economics, Business Management, Information Technology or in a related discipline;
- Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience, and demonstrated ability to manage and perform multiple tasks efficiently;
- Have a good working knowledge of operations, especially information required for project cycle activities and portfolio management, planning, work programs, budget preparation and financial management;
- Knowledge and experience in operationalizing and coordinating the implementation of environmental and social policies through the review and supervision of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments
- Extensive experience conducting environmental assessments and development of effective tools; ability to coach others in the application of the tools
- Proven skills in integrating environmental and social measures into loan and non-loan operations
- Innovation and creativity.
- Communication.
- Client orientation.
- Problem solving.
- Team working and relationships.
- Operational effectiveness.
- Be able to communicate effectively (written and oral) in French or English, preferably with a good working knowledge of the other language.
- Competence in the use of standard MS office applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) and preferably SAP.
Application Closing Date
1st May, 2019.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note: This position is classified international status and attracts international terms and conditions of employment.