Summary
Date Posted: Saturday, December 21 2024, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Objective/Purpose of the Assignment:
Under the leadership and supervision of the Team Leader NCER, the Safeguards Officer will serve as the main focal person for all safeguards related activities for the GCF project and the NCER portfolio. The safeguards officer’s responsibility is to coordinate and support implementation of all safeguards related issues ensuring that activities are implemented in accordance with the UNDP social and environmental standards.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the leadership and supervision of the Team Leader NCER, the Safeguards Officer will serve as the main focal person for all safeguards related activities for the GCF project and the NCER portfolio. The safeguards officer’s responsibility is to coordinate and support implementation of all safeguards related issues ensuring that activities are implemented in accordance with the UNDP social and environmental standards.
The Social and Environmental Safeguards Officer will work as part of the PMU (Project Management Unit) of the GCF project under the joint direct supervision and guidance of the National Project Coordinator and UNDP NCER Team Leader.

Functions / Key results expected
• Support the development and review of instruments, checklists, guidelines, and tools relevant to the implementation of environmental and social safeguards in compliance to donor (GCF, UNDP) and Government of Uganda requirements;
• Participate in project implementation in relation to all social and environmental issues including safeguards; facilitate the preparation of safeguard monitoring plans and review implementation of social and environmental issues, preparation of all documentation and reports required by the project Implementing Partner and Responsible Parties and UNDP to ensure that social and environmental issues have been adequately addressed and that the project is in compliance with the UNDP and Government of Uganda Safeguards;
• Review the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) of the project, identify gaps, and recommend remedial actions, including updating of the ESMF of the project;
• Support the PMU to conduct the necessary assessments to identify potential environmental and social risks of project investments and interventions, ways to avoid negative environmental and social impacts where possible, and where risk avoidance is not possible, to identify appropriate mitigation and management measures, in line with UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards;
• Update the Social and Environmental Screening Procedures (SESP) for the project in line with the UNDP Social and Environmental Standards, ensuring that all risks related to non-compliance on SES are adequately and timely flagged and addressed;
• Prepare and share technical briefs, reports on the compliance of SES in the implementation of the project;
• Support the quality control of M&E products including monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, ensuring that SES issues are adequately addressed;
• Update the project risk log monthly;
• Provide support to the NCER portfolio and UNDP Uganda Country Office on social and environmental safeguards compliance related issues according to UNDP Corporate requirements.
Accomplish other tasks related to social and environmental safeguards as per the needs of the project assigned by National Project Coordinator and NCER assigned by the Team Leader (NCER)
Individual outputs and results
The Social and Environmental Safeguards officer will report to the National Project Coordinator on GCF related tasks and the Team leader (NCER) on NCER portfolio and UNDP related tasks. In addition to the regular tasks, the officer shall be responsible for providing/preparing the following documents and reports:
• Updated Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF);
• Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) for all project investment sites;
• ESMP Monitoring Reports;
• Grievance Redress Mechanism Register and related reports for all project sites (at all levels);
• Incident Register and related reports for the project;
• Analytical and trend reports on compliance with social and environmental standards for the project, NCER portfolio and UNDP Country Office including implications and recommendations for corrective actions.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
As the focal person for the social and environmental standards compliance, the Social & Environmental safeguards officer will work closely with all other members of the PMU.

Competencies
CORE
• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Management: Risk Management
• Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks
Business Management: Monitoring and Evaluation
• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.
• Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.
Business Management: Results-Based Management
• Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness
• Effectiveness Social and Environmental Standards
2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness
• Effectiveness Systems and tools for managing risk
2030 Agenda: Planet: Nature
• Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme: Protected and Conservation Areas and Systems
Business Direction & Strategy: System Thinking
• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Advanced University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Sciences or Natural Resources Management or other relevant disciplines. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:
• Minimum 2 years (With a master’s degree) or 4 years(with Bachelor’s degree) of experience related to social and environmental safeguards and/or impact assessment in an international development context;
• Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office);
• Prior experience with UNDP projects would be an asset;
• Ability and experience to work within a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
• Experience in working with a range of stakeholders including government, private sector, Civil Society organizations on sustainable energy and climate change related issues;
• Practical experience in implementing Social and Environmental safeguard policies for UNDP or other international development agencies
• Experience of carrying out social and environmental screening in line with SES guidelines;
• Experience in gender analysis, mainstreaming and gender reporting;
• Excellent technical skills/experience in socio-economic and environmental research and project performance assessment;
• Experience in creating and managing SES performance monitoring plans and leveraging performance monitoring data for improving social and environmental compliance for ongoing projects;
• Broad knowledge and understanding of environmental science, climate change adaptation; climate resilience, energy and its policy implications would be an added advantage.

Language Requirements
• Fluency in English (spoken and written) is required
• Knowledge of local language is desired

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

Job application procedure
• Interested and qualified? Click here to apply
 
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