Senior Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

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 Banks 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/18/049
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50067042

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, social and climate 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, social and climate 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 risk 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 and screen for climate change and GHG emissions for projects (public and private).
• Mainstream climate adaptation measures and mitigation measures into the 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 Assessment (ESIA), Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and Environmental and Social Management System (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 and climate change;
• 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 Assessment, 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;
• Knowledge of Bank IT Systems
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience, and demonstrated ability to manage and perform multiple tasks efficiently;
• Good working knowledge of operations, particularly the information required for project cycle activities and portfolio management, planning, work programmes, budget preparation and financial management.

Application Closing Date
9th May, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online