Social Safeguards Senior Associate

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager, the Social Safeguards Senior Associate ensures that the project activities are prepared and implemented bin compliance with  addressing the the project’s Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), and subproject-specific E&S instruments. The Social Safeguards Senior Associate will be required to travel across all project sites for monitoring and supervision purposes.

Summary of Key Functions  

• Support compliance with all  project Environmental and Social instruments, including the E&S Management Framework (ESMF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and any activity-specific E&S instruments  

• Conduct training  on Environmental and Social compliance aspects/issues for the UNOPS Team, Facilitating Partners or contractors.

• Conduct Social Assessments where applicable and integrate findings into the E&S compliance and project components. 

• Assist with the preparation of subproject specific E&S mitigation measures, ensure measures are included in partner Request for Proposals, Bills of Quantities and contractual agreements.

• Ensure that the Facilitating Partners and contractors maintain all proper documentation of E&S safeguards measures to confirm all due processes have been followed

• Receive E&S reporting from Facilitating Partners and contractors and prepare E&S reports for submission to the World Bank.

• Conduct monitoring and supervision field trips to subproject sites

• Monitor ESS-related data in the project’s MIS database and make sure that related data is accurate.

• Respond to Third Party Monitoring Agents’ reports on ESS related issues.

• Set up and implement the Project Grievance Redress Mechanism. 

Impact of Results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Social Safeguards Senior Associate ensures the project’s compliance with Environmental and Social safeguards requirements It confirms UNOPS’ role as a key and trusted partner to the World Bank, and UNOPS’ position as a critical service provider, in all challenging work environments. Given the current political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, this project would support the urgent repositioning of AFCO and strengthen UNOPS presence and visibility in Afghanistan, raising the profile of UNOPS  in the global humanitarian context. 

Monitoring and progress controls will be in accordance with work plans that the Supervisor and incumbent will prepare at the beginning of the assignment.   

 Education

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in Social Science, Development Studies, Community Development or other relevant discipline is required. An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) is preferred.

b. Work Experience 

• A minimum of 3 years of experience in social safeguards or other related fields is required.

• Experience working with the World Bank, UN agencies or other donor agencies, government ministries, and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is valued.

• Knowledge of environmental safeguards compliance is desirable.

• Knowledge of UN systems/policies/norms for social safeguards is an asset.

c.  Languages

• Fluency in English is required.

• Fluency in Pashto and/or Dari is desirable.

This VA is open only for Afghan nationals under CTG contract modality not UNOPS ICA.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.