Environmental and Social Risk Management Specialist - Home Based Retainer

I. UNOPS Background

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peace-building, 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.

Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the East and Southern Africa Multi Country Office (ESAMCO) manages a growing portfolio of engagements. The ESAMCO sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and Southern Africa. This includes transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies, UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple ‘operational’ projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.

Background Information - Job-specific

The Technical Services Unit (TSU) engages in multidisciplinary design and design review, assessments and advisory work for infrastructure related UNOPS projects.  The team currently comprises 20 permanent and 60+ retainer (consultant) personnel including architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, GIS and specialist infrastructure practitioners (for dams, ICT, safeguards, biomedical works inter alia) and CAD technicians in addition to support personnel.  

Current / recent projects are based in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, CAR and Madagascar.  These projects comprise design, assessment and advisory for a range of types of horizontal and vertical infrastructure.

The Unit is based in Nairobi, but works extensively in other locations, via travel and by using the network of retainer (consultant) personnel based elsewhere in Africa and beyond. 

The TSU is a business unit for the Multi-Country office and comes under the direction of the Director for East and Southern Africa Multi Country Office (ESAMCO). In order to expand its services on Environmental and Social Risk Management, the TSU is planning to recruit an Environmental and Social Risk Management Retainer fluent in French and English.

III. Purpose and Scope of Assignment 

UNOPS seeks an experienced Environmental and Social Risk Management Specialist to support the TSU on a consulting basis in all tasks related to environmental risk management and in building the TSU’s capacity to integrate and deliver environmental and social risk management, particularly in Francophone Africa.

The consultant will be home based, but will be prepared to travel as required. The consultant will report to the Advisory stream lead and to the Social Development Adviser. 

Analytical and technical tasks: 

• Participate with the TSU in rolling out environmental and social (E&S) risk management as a service to UNOPS Projects, including the design of E&S risk management instruments and systems for projects and the implementation on a project basis - based on donor requirements. 
• Preparation of site-specific E&S instruments to support project teams.
• Support partnerships specialists and project preparation and implementation teams in the design and implementation of E&S risk management aspects.
• Work with Project teams in monitoring and reporting  on the implementation of environmental and social risk mitigation measures.
• Work with Project teams to review screening results of site-specific activities and assist with risk categorization of activities.
• Work with Project teams in monitoring and reporting on indicators in the Project E&S risk management instruments.
• Work with the Project teams in ensuring that appropriate E&S instruments and tools are applied by all implementers of the project.
• Support the Project teams in triggering and overseeing the implementation of environmental correction measures by implementing partners where necessary.
• Support the Project teams in ensuring that appropriate environmental and social mitigation measures are proposed and met.
• Develop and deliver a series of spot checks for Project Teams to ensure mitigation measures are properly implemented in line with the guideline.
• Input into reports being compiled by Project teams on E&S impacts, and mitigation measures, as per Project E&S instruments.
• Support the TSU in communicating its services to the UNOPS Africa region and beyond.
• Work with Project preparation teams in the design and implementation of stakeholder consultations and the preparation of other E&S risk management instruments, such as Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMF), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP), Resettlement Action Plans (RAP), Biodiversity Assessments.
• Support the management of specialist retainers to prepare required Project E&S instruments.

• Carry out training and capacity building on E&S tools and frameworks, especially for project teams, new personnel in the TSU and UNOPS where required.

Impact of Results: 

• All relevant project activities are successfully achieved in implementing E&S risk management tasks.

• Improved UNOPS personnel capacity in regard to E&S risk management.

• UNOPS compliance with E&S risk management obligations.

• Masters Degree in Environmental Science or Social Science or similar field is required.

b. Work Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in environmental and/or social risk management analysis / implementation is required.

• Within these 5 years, a minimum of 2 years experience with World Bank Environmental and Social Framework is required.

• Candidates with experience working on rural infrastructure projects will be preferred.

• Candidates with experience in the region will be preferred.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) Retainer - A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contract is awarded and issued. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work. 

Contract level: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA 10) / ICSC-10.

Contract duration: 12 months renewable, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds and necessity of services.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• 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 ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.