Regional Environmental & Social Safeguards Advisor, SC10 at World Food Programme

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

• WFP strives to be a leader in environmental sustainability within the UN system. In pursuit of this goal, WFP adopted a new Environmental policy in February 2017, and an Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF). The Policy commits the organization to avoiding unintended harm to the environment, its beneficiaries, or any other affected populations as a result of our operations and programmes, and to maximize environmental benefits. The ESSF contains 3 tools: a set of environmental and social standards, risk screening of activity design and mitigation/ management plans (safeguards), and an environmental management system (EMS) consistent with the international standard ISO 14001. Collectively, these three elements are known as WFP's Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF).
• The Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction Service is supporting all programme regions to identify Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Advisors for short-, medium or long-term contracts to help roll out and mainstream the application of environmental & social safeguards across country strategies and programmes.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
    Technical support to Country Offices (CO) and Regional Bureau (RB):

• Support the application of the WFP, donor and government standards (as applicable) on environmental & social safeguards tools (including risk screening) to programmatic activities at CO level;
• Support the application of the safeguards’ requirements in new proposals to donors (including proposals to the Adaptation Fund, Green Climate Fund, IFIs);
• Check the extent to which alternative screening tools used by country offices are aligned with WFP’s standards/tools;
• Provide advice to COs during an emergency response, to promote adherence to WFP’s environmental and social standards;
• Support the elaboration and review of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) when required;
• Revise Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) of high-risk projects when required;
• Support the formulation of environmental and social safeguards assessments in the Country Strategic Plans (CSPs).
   

   Capacity Building and Training

• Promote awareness of WFP's potential environmental and social impacts and of the safeguards framework as a tool for systematically managing those impacts;
• Train country office staff on the application of, and compliance with the Environmental and Social Safeguards requirements by delivering online webinars and/or in-country training sessions and ensuring these are embedded in or linked with other relevant RBJ programmatic trainings;
• Collect and share best practices from within the region to promote ongoing engagement and improvement;
• In collaboration with HQ and other Environment and Social Safeguard advisors in other regions, develop  training modules and awareness raising material specific to the region on environmental and social safeguards standards, including case studies and good practices from the region.
   

   Strategic Direction and Guidance to CO'S  & RB

• Seek opportunities to link WFP safeguards to national safeguard regulations and capacities;
• Support country offices to comply with national environmental regulations;
• Seek opportunities to access regional and country-specific funding sources to increase the involvement of local stakeholders.
   

  Monitoring

• Monitor country office engagement in the implementation of environmental &social safeguards;
• Ensure that country offices identify and record risks in a corporate digital platform and relevant performance dashboards and scorecards;
• Support country offices in reporting on the application of the WFP Safeguards in the Annual Country Reports.

Other as required.

DELIVERABLES

•     Improve the capacity-building at Regional Bureau and Country Office’s level by providing training, guidance and technical support;
•     Provide ESS support to Country Offices developing new country strategic plans, programmes and proposals and ensure that donor requirements in relation to ESS are adequately addressed and budgeted for;
•     Develop region-specific training modules and guidelines on environmental and social safeguards and awareness raising material;
•     Document case studies and good practices from the region in integrating environmental and social safeguard standards in WFP programmes;
•     Ensure that the formulation of new Country Strategic Plans includes a strategic assessment of environmental and social risks and provide technical support as required;
•     Elaborate and revise Environmental & Social Management Plans (ESMPs) where required, and support Environmental & Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for high-risk projects when/if required;
•     Support COs in reporting on the application of WFP’s safeguards for both specific projects and for CSP activity implementation;
•     Support country offices in the region adequately to report on the application of WFP safeguards in relation to their programmes being implemented.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:     

• Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) in one of the following areas: Environmental Studies, Environmental Management, Engineering, Agriculture, Social Science, International Studies, Human Rights, or a related field;  Additional education in a complementary field (e.g., additional education in social science when the first degree was in environmental science - or vice versa) would be an advantage;

Experience:  

•  At least six (6) years of post-graduate experience in areas related to: environmental and social sustainability, environmental and social safeguards, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), or corporate sustainability for national and/or international environmental and social safeguards frameworks and regulations;
• Experience in developing and delivering training;
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, would be an advantage; Work experience with the UN, particularly with WFP or WFP’s donors, would be an advantage;

Language:    

•  Excellent written and spoken English (level C) is a requirement; working knowledge of a second official UN language is an advantage.