Social and Environment Safeguards Associate
Asia and the Pacific: India
- Organization: UNV - United Nations Volunteers
- Location: Asia and the Pacific: India
- Grade: Volunteer - National Specialist - Locally recruited Volunteer
-
Occupational Groups:
- Social Affairs
- Environment
- Nuclear Technology
- Closing Date: Closed
Details
Mission and objectives
As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
Context
UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES) underpin UNDP’s commitment to mainstream social and environmental sustainability in our programmes and projects to support sustainable development. The objectives of the SES are to:
• Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of Programmes and Projects
• Avoid adverse impacts on people and the environment
• Minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible
• Strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks; and
• Ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.
A key mechanism to ensure the SES is applied is the project-level Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP), which is a requirement for most proposed projects. The objectives of the SESP are to: (a) Integrate the SES Overarching Principles (leave no one behind, human rights, gender equality, sustainability and resilience, and accountability); (b) Identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance; (c) Determine the Project's risk category (Low, Moderate, Substantial, High); and (d) Determine the level of social and environmental assessment and management required to address potential risks and impacts.
Under UNDP programmes and projects. a systematic approach is ensured to 6 key areas: people, knowledge, risk management including Social and Environment Safeguards, funding, operational excellence, and impact measurement.
UNDP India seeks to engage the services of a Programme Associate (Social and Environment Safeguards) to support project-level compliance with the UNDP SES through project design and during project implementation, with a focus on high-priority projects. This will include development, implementation, quality assurance, spot-checking, and advising on measures to be taken to ensure effective implementation of and compliance with the SES. The Associate will also facilitate learning across the CO and beyond, tracking and sharing lessons learned.
• Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of Programmes and Projects
• Avoid adverse impacts on people and the environment
• Minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible
• Strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks; and
• Ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.
A key mechanism to ensure the SES is applied is the project-level Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP), which is a requirement for most proposed projects. The objectives of the SESP are to: (a) Integrate the SES Overarching Principles (leave no one behind, human rights, gender equality, sustainability and resilience, and accountability); (b) Identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance; (c) Determine the Project's risk category (Low, Moderate, Substantial, High); and (d) Determine the level of social and environmental assessment and management required to address potential risks and impacts.
Under UNDP programmes and projects. a systematic approach is ensured to 6 key areas: people, knowledge, risk management including Social and Environment Safeguards, funding, operational excellence, and impact measurement.
UNDP India seeks to engage the services of a Programme Associate (Social and Environment Safeguards) to support project-level compliance with the UNDP SES through project design and during project implementation, with a focus on high-priority projects. This will include development, implementation, quality assurance, spot-checking, and advising on measures to be taken to ensure effective implementation of and compliance with the SES. The Associate will also facilitate learning across the CO and beyond, tracking and sharing lessons learned.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of Programme Specialist & Head, Programme Management and Support Unit, and the Programme Associate, Action for Climate and Environment Unit, s/he will perform the following tasks:
1. SES screenings
• Ensure pre-screening (concept stage) and/or full screening (development stage) of projects in compliance with UNDP SES policy
• Identify any potential environmental and social risks that may require additional specialized expertise or other considerations.
• Support preparation of draft and final deliverables, including but not limited to the completed SESP template with all supporting documents/evidence, as appropriate.
2. SES Assessments
• Support in quality assurance of impact assessments (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA); Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA); targeted assessment; etc.) as identified through SESP screening.
• Support in analysis of country level safeguards legal frameworks and provisions, also in comparison with UNDP’s SES to identify gaps.
• Engage stakeholders as relevant in the assessment processes and ensure submission of all SES documents in accordance with the annual SES workplan of the CO
3. SES Management Plans and Management Frameworks
• Ensure submission of quality reviewed management frameworks/plans (ESMF, ESMP, Indigenous Peoples Plan, Land Acquisition Plans, Resettlement Plan, Livelihoods Plan, etc.) as identified through SESP screening and as informed by SES assessments.
• Ensure submission of Stakeholder Engagement Plans, including design of project Grievance Redress Mechanisms.
• Flag any potential issues that may require additional specialized expertise or other considerations.
• Identify procedures and methods for risk avoidance, reduction, mitigation throughout project cycle.
4. Capacity Building
• Provide technical support to select active projects on the implementation and monitoring of the management plan(s).
• Ensure capacity building and training of the project team and partners on the safeguard requirements of the project as well as on FPIC, disclosure, etc.
• Review and provide support to ensure establishment of project level Grievance Redress Mechanism that is appropriate to the scale of the project’s potential adverse risks and impacts.
• Document lessons learned, including from cases where things went wrong as well as good models of SES implementation.
1. SES screenings
• Ensure pre-screening (concept stage) and/or full screening (development stage) of projects in compliance with UNDP SES policy
• Identify any potential environmental and social risks that may require additional specialized expertise or other considerations.
• Support preparation of draft and final deliverables, including but not limited to the completed SESP template with all supporting documents/evidence, as appropriate.
2. SES Assessments
• Support in quality assurance of impact assessments (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA); Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA); targeted assessment; etc.) as identified through SESP screening.
• Support in analysis of country level safeguards legal frameworks and provisions, also in comparison with UNDP’s SES to identify gaps.
• Engage stakeholders as relevant in the assessment processes and ensure submission of all SES documents in accordance with the annual SES workplan of the CO
3. SES Management Plans and Management Frameworks
• Ensure submission of quality reviewed management frameworks/plans (ESMF, ESMP, Indigenous Peoples Plan, Land Acquisition Plans, Resettlement Plan, Livelihoods Plan, etc.) as identified through SESP screening and as informed by SES assessments.
• Ensure submission of Stakeholder Engagement Plans, including design of project Grievance Redress Mechanisms.
• Flag any potential issues that may require additional specialized expertise or other considerations.
• Identify procedures and methods for risk avoidance, reduction, mitigation throughout project cycle.
4. Capacity Building
• Provide technical support to select active projects on the implementation and monitoring of the management plan(s).
• Ensure capacity building and training of the project team and partners on the safeguard requirements of the project as well as on FPIC, disclosure, etc.
• Review and provide support to ensure establishment of project level Grievance Redress Mechanism that is appropriate to the scale of the project’s potential adverse risks and impacts.
• Document lessons learned, including from cases where things went wrong as well as good models of SES implementation.
This vacancy is now closed.