Social Safeguards Specialist

Background Information – UNOPS

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’’ peace building, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner. 

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. 

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners’ needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.

Background Information – South Sudan

The UNOPS South Sudan Office helps a wide range of local and international partners improve the lives of the South Sudanese people by implementing infrastructure and procurement projects. All UNOPS operations have an increasing emphasis on developing national capacities and considering gender, environmental and community concerns. UNOPS is working in a range of sectors in South Sudan including: transport, education, health, post-conflict stabilisation and emergency response.

Background Information to the Project

The Productive Safety Net for Socioeconomic Opportunities Project (SNSOP) is a  US$129 million grant from The World Bank International Development Association (IDA), to  be implemented over a four-year period in South Sudan to be implemented by the  Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security which  will serve as the lead implementing agency, while the Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare will implement activities under Component 3 and will participate in project monitoring and supervision. The project will engage UNOPS through a Standard Output Agreement to support the implementation of cash transfers - Component 1: Cash Transfer and Complementary Social Measures (US$98 million equivalent) (sub-components 1.1 and 1.2).

The SNSOP will respond to the dire food security situation and advance the Social Protection agenda by supporting efforts to link safety nets more explicitly to human capital accumulation in South Sudan, and gradually establish a national government-led safety net system. The SNSOP will build on the experiences and lessons learned of the previous World Bank-funded safety net operations and relevant interventions in the country to move beyond meeting immediate consumption gaps and more strongly support productive inclusion and human capital development of poor and most vulnerable HHs, with a strong emphasis on gender and climate change adaptations. As such, greater in-depth and targeted attention will be given to enhancing social and economic opportunities of poor and vulnerable HHs for longer term development outcomes and resilience against climate and other shocks, with particular focus on women and youth as potential drivers of economic growth, stability, and national transformation. Efforts will also be made to continue strengthening institutional capacity and the safety net delivery system to enable an eventual Government-led national safety net program in a phased approach.

The Project Development Objectives (PDO) are to provide cash transfers and access to income generating opportunities and strengthen the National Safety Net Delivery System. Provision of access to income generating opportunities will focus on investments in income generating activities (IGAs) to strengthen livelihoods opportunities for improved economic welfare.

The project will support four components: 

(i) Cash Transfers.

(ii) Provision of Economic Opportunities.

(iii) Strengthened Institutional Capacity and Social Protection System.

(iv) Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Knowledge Generation. 

The Social Safeguards Specialist will report directly to the Senior Project Manager to ensure full coordination of environment and social issues  at the Country Office level, and with the different project teams.

In general, the main duties of the Social Safeguards Specialist include ensuring compliance with local regulations and UNOPS rules as it relates to occupational health and safety, social, and environmental management, and to provide advice, training on measures needed to minimize hazards and environmental impacts in sub-project project sites and site offices. The Social Safeguards Specialist needs to establish a safe workplace according to legal standards and foster a culture of attention to health, safety, social and environment management in all work sites throughout the projects’ life cycle.

More specifically, the Social Safeguards Specialist  will be responsible for the following substantive tasks:

1. Analytical and Technical tasks: 

• Participate in the development of social safeguards tools, including Social Management Frameworks or Plans. 

• Roll out  the implementation of Social safeguards tools in consultation with governments, donors and implementing partners and as part of project management.

• Monitor and report on social screening processes of site-specific activities.

• Oversee, monitor and report on indicators in the social  safeguards instruments.

• Ensure that appropriate social safeguard instruments and tools are applied by all implementers of the  project. 

• Trigger and oversee the implementation of social correction measures by communities.

• Ensure that appropriate social mitigation measures are proposed and met.

• Undertake follow-up monitoring to ensure that proposed mitigation measures are implemented according to the social  safeguards instruments.

• Conduct supervision and monitor field visits to sites, where applicable. 

• Assist on developing and delivering a series of spot checks to ensure mitigation measures are properly implemented in line with the guideline.

• Compile reports on social  impacts, and mitigation measures, as per E&S (Environmental & Social) safeguards instruments.

• Handle additional assignments as directed by Senior Project Manager.

• Advice governments on social safeguards.

• Conduct risk assessment and enforce preventative measures on social safeguards.

• Support the recording and investigate incidents (including near misses) to determine the cause and to propose improvements to processes in the future.

2. Capacity Building:

• Provide technical support to projects as required.

• Identify challenges, opportunities, priorities and needs for the implementation of the ESMF(Environmental and Social Management Frameworks).

• Support the undertaking of monitoring and evaluation missions, as defined in the ESMF, to ensure capturing of all risks and impacts, as well as ensure that mitigation measures are implemented.

• Carry out training and capacity building on social safeguard tools and frameworks, especially for new staff in the UNOPS Offices, governments and other potential implementing partners.

Impact of Results:

• All project activities are successfully supervised and monitored against the respective social safeguard  frameworks, including understanding of the risks and impacts and implementation of mitigation measures.

• Successful correction measures are undertaken by UNOPS and all partners where mitigation measures have failed

• High quality reporting as defined in the project tools.

• Improved staff capacity.

a. Education: 

• Bachelor's degree in Social Science or equivalent field is required.

• Masters degree in Social Science or equivalent field is an added advantage.

b. Work Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in social development, gender equality and women’s empowerment is required.

• Within the required 7 years, at least 2 years of experience with the design or implementation of social safeguards tools is required.

• Candidates with experience working on community empowerment projects will be preferred.

• Candidates with experience working on World Bank funded projects will be preferred.

c. Language:

• Fluent written and spoken English is required.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: ICS 10/ Local ICA Specialist-10
Contract duration: 20 months (subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance)

• 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

• This position is based in Juba, South Sudan which is a non family duty station.

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.