Vacancy title:
Senior Sociologist

Jobs at:
Ministry of Works and Transport

Deadline of this Job:
not later than 2 weeks (January 17, 2017)

Duty Station:
Uganda

Job details:
The Govemment of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport and support from the World Bank and European Union is implementing the Lake Victoria Transport Program (LVTP) under the integrated Corridor Development initiative in the East African Community countries.

The objective of the LVTP is to contribute to the efficient and safe movement of goods and people through the ports of Port Bell and Jinja on Lake Victoria, and the strengthening of the institutional framework for inland Water Transport. The LVTP will be implemented by the Ministry of Works and Transport through a Project implementation Team.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified Ugandan Nationals for the post of Senior Socioiogist under the LVTP implementation Team. The details of the post are as detailed below:

S/No Duties and Responsibilities

• in accordance to Safeguard policies triggered for the project; and related national laws and regulations, support the preparation of high quality social safeguards and non safeguard social documents/plans for the project including social assessments, RAPs, RPFs and others as identified.
• Strengthen the capacity of the Ministry and project team to appreciate and implement social safeguards Policy and guidelines including project related non safeguard social policies as well as compliance to existing legislation including labor laws among others.
  
• Review project planning and procurement procedures to ensure that (i) social requirements are properly reflected and costed at planning stage, and later incorporated in the bidding documents,, (ii) social safeguards milestones are identified, agreed, closely monitored during contract implementation, and are a condition for approving the contractor's certificates for payment, and (m) conditions of approval on the NEMA certificate and other statutory approvals are well considered and advise MoWT accordingly on incorporating these into actions plans during contract implementation.
  
• Work closely with the Environmental Safeguards Specialist to strengthen and supervise the social impact assessments as well as preparation, and implementation of the Contractor's Social Management Plan to manage social risks, including the STDIHIV/AIDS prevention and all mitigation plans, risks related to labour influx, child protection, and gender related risks. This will include support to the development of Terms of Reference, ensure input to TOR from government and other counterparts like the Uganda AIDS Commission, Ministry of gender, labour and social Development and support the establishment of necessary linkages to relevant Local Government units.
  
• Supervise Proper implementation of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) especially involuntary resettlement and land acquisition activities. Ensure that the right people get their compensation entitlements; including support to livelihood restoration with particular attention to vulnerable groups. Review progress reports for service providers (e.g. livelihood restoration, HIV and AIDS, Gender, child protection, safety and OSH), to ensure that they are in compliance with the relevant legal and policy framework. This will include ensuring collaboration/partnership with MGLSD, ministry of Agriculture and relevant District actors, and other stakeholders in the delivery of the above and provision of compliance support for relevant policies on social issues; in addition to the development, implementation and monitoring of a community/citizen engagement plan.
  
• Supervise the preparation and implementation of the Grievance Management Plan. This will include the establishment of a functional Grievance Redress Mechanism that supports reporting and handling of all grievances related to the project including those resulting from involuntary resettlement and injurious affection due to the project and related sub projects.
  
• Act as a link between the project staff, the bank, the Contractor, Consultants and the respective local government structures.
  
• Review social impact aspects of all Resident Engineer’s reports to ensure that all social safeguards including other social issues are well identified and related recommendations and actions to address them are clearly reflected.
  - Ensure the clarity, robustness and completeness of necessary Mitigation Plans, for Social impacts and involuntary Resettlements
  
• Sensitize staff and other Stakeholders including contractors and communities on the social Safeguards requirements for Transport Projects; including the rights and obligations of all the parties involved. This will include sensitization on the importance of identifying and addressing all other social issues that may negatively result out of project implementation. Examples include increased socio economic including gender inequalities, exploitation and marginalization of vulnerable/minority groups, sexual abuse of young gins and harassment of women, increased sexual networks that could contribute to spread of STIs/HIV in the project area.
  
• Participate in supervision of works, to ensure compliance with social safeguards, laws and policies as required by partners and government, as well as planned mitigation measures. This will include collaboration with key government actors to promote compliance by all contractors to all pertaining labor laws including establishment of a zero tolerance policy for all forms of harassment including sexual harassment. The latter will include education of workers on their rights and obligations, display of key policy provisions and messages, ensuring that the contractors comply with the requirement to establish a program to prevent and mitigate sexual harassment as provided for in the Uganda Employment Act among others. Work closely with other actors to improve the work environment for both men and women.
  
• Assist in dissemination of information regarding the social. impact of the projects to users and residents/communities prior to, during and after the execution of works. Ensure continuous engagement with communities (before, during and after works). Such processes and others should be very well documented and shared.
  
• Participate in site meetings and provide technical guidance on the above mentioned areas among other social related concerns.
  
• Prepare for and participate in technical supervision and day to day project implementation support activities/missions including preparation of regular and ad hoc reports for the project team and Ministry for action.
  
• Review the performance of the Supervising Engineer with regard to enforcing social contractual requirements. Work closely with the project managers, to ensure that the agreed social safeguards requirements are met before payments are approved.
  
• Contribute to the development of new tools and methodologies for addressing social risks in water transport projects
  
• Disseminate good practices in social risk management in water and other transport projects _
  
• Perform any other related duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Ministry of Works and Transport, Programme Director and Project management.
  
• Report to the Programme Director

Qualifications/Selection Criteria
The candidate must possess the following minimum qualifications:

• An Honours Bachelors degree in Social Work and Social Administration or Sociology or Anthropology obtained from a recognized institution of higher learning.
  
• Master’s degree in Anthropology or Sociology. Additional qualifications in relevant areas; including social safeguards, will be an added advantage.
  
• Ten (10) years’ experience working on social safeguards for government and/or donor funded infrastructure development projects, preferably transport infrastructure with demonstrated understanding of Social Safeguards policy and application is a requirement.
  
• Experience in working with government, handling similar assignments in Uganda or in the African region; Excellent communication and report writing skills. Ability to effectively communicate with team members, , contractors, stakeholders, communities is essential.
  
• Ability to engage in high level dialogue with government and non-government partners including development partners.
  
• Ability to provide training and mentorship to others in identifying and managing social risks/issues including community engagement. .
  
• Demonstrated capacity including training in social aspects including gender within infrastructure development and land acquisition will be an added advantage.
  
• Proficiency and fluency in English language is a requirement, knowledge of other local languages will be an advantage.
  
• Knowledge of World Bank Safeguard Policies systems is essential.

Job application procedure
Interested candidates should attach copies of their certificates, academic transcripts and testimonials; Curriculum Vitae (please, include mobile telephone number/numbers and email address! addresses); 2 recent passport size colour photographs and letters of recommendation from two (2) professional referees who can easily be contacted (please, include mobile telephone number/numbers and email address/addresses).

Applications should be submitted to the address below not later than 2 weeks (January 17, 2017) from the date of this advert.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport