Environmental Compliance Specialist

Project Background:

The USAID Uganda Feed the Future Water and Food Systems for Resilient Communities Activity (FTF WFSRCA) is a five year activity (2023-2028) that aims to inclusively and equitably improve food and water security in the Kyoga Basin in northeastern Uganda, specifically three watersheds – Lokok, Awoja, and Lokere, by empowering individuals and communities to mitigate and adapt to shocks and stressors in order to improve livelihoods, maintain nutrition and health wellbeing, address drivers of conflict, and reduce reliance on humanitarian assistance. This area is home to nomadic pastoralists whose livelihoods are at risk due to violent cattle raiding and the effects of climate change (drought and flooding). This part of Uganda also suffers from fragmented markets, chronic underinvestment in public services, and a lack of private sector investment. This Activity is aligned with the Water and Development II (WADI II) scope to access critical technical services in support of the U.S. Government’s Global Water Strategy, Global Food Security and Strategy Refresh, Agency Climate Strategy, and the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience; and is a cornerstone of the USAID Uganda (2022) Country Development Cooperation Strategy Development Objective (DO) 2, Resilient Growth Enhanced. The activity aims therefore aims to achieve results under the following development objectives:

1. Improve water supply and integrated water resource management.
2. Increase equitable access to sanitation and hygiene services for households and schools.
3. Improved agriculture-based livelihoods.
4. Increased consumption of nutritious foods among women and children.
5. Expanded access to financial resources for women, men, youth, indigenous people, and marginalized groups.
6. Improve local capacity to manage shocks and stressors.

FtF WFSRCA will enhance market systems, strengthen relevant institutions, expand access to climate-resilient services, and—in two of the most vulnerable of the 20 districts covered by the activity—employ “graduation” approaches to assist the ultra-poor. These initiatives will incorporate conflict sensitivity, local leadership, climate change adaptation, and approaches inclusive of women, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and indigenous groups.

Role’s Purpose:

The Environmental Compliance Specialist will oversee the design and implementation of FtF WFSRCA’s environmental management system. USAID policy requires implementing organizations to ensure their program activities do not have a negative impact on the environment. This is done primarily through detailed analyses of program activities to identify potential impacts, and the development and implementation of mitigation and monitoring measures to minimize and monitor these risks. FtF WFSRCA is required to follow environmental determinations specified in the USAID approved IEE, which outlines the activities with the potential for negative environmental impacts and specifies actions to minimize the risk of these activities. The Environmental Compliance Specialist will be responsible to ensure that the IEE requirements are implemented by the project team, including sub-contractors and grantees, and that all environmental impact analyses are completed as required by the IEE.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure that all program activities, including grants, in-kind procurements, and subcontracts, consider potential environmental impact, incorporate required environmental mitigation measures, and address any environmental concerns during project implementation.
• Assist FtF WFSRCA technical team with any activity that may involve environmental components or implications.
• Support the Grants program, ensuring environmental compliance of submitted grants proposals.
• Ensure submission of required internal environmental documentation related to grants projects to the DAI’s experts based in head quarter and coordinate with them further documentation preparation process.
• Coordinate with MEL team on environmental compliance data collection and its progress.
• Conduct evaluation of potential impacts and ensure detailed studies are completed to address environmental concerns.
• Establish the review, assessment, mitigation, and reporting responsibilities and timelines, and provide procedures and reporting formats.
• Monitor the implementation of environmental compliance through regular visits to project activities, review of reports, correspondence, working with third party/independent assessment, etc.
• Coordinate as necessary with the Government of Uganda to process all documents required to obtain required environmental clearances and ensure compliance with local environmental protection regulations.
• Establish training requirements and responsibilities to build the capacity of local implementing partners (grantees and subcontractors) to comply with mitigation measures, when required.
• Maintain and track all compliance documentation for technical audits.
• Prepare accurate and timely progress program reports on a quarterly basis, contribute to preparation of annual reports, and include updates to the annual implementation plan on the status of the project’s environmental management systems.
• Ensure timely completion of environmental deliverables and periodic reporting project implementation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and/or Management of Environmental Engineering or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience or working as environmental specialist, with a focus on regulatory compliance, environmental monitoring methods, impact analysis and assessment.
• Knowledge of USAID and Government of Uganda environmental regulations and guideline required.
• Prior work experience in Uganda.
• Professional proficiency in English is required, and proficiency in local languages is preferred.

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Attention to detail, able to manage one’s work, take initiative, set schedules and meet deadlines without close supervision.
• Team player, who can coordinate across several teams within FtF WFSRCA.
• Ability to train and coach project staff on environmental compliance principles and compliance.

Reporting

The Environmental Compliance Specialist will report to the MEL Director.

To apply, please use the following link - https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/wjsm4vyrye/index