Environmental and Social Safeguards Advisor RBP

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

WFP strives to be a leader in environmental sustainability within the UN system. In pursuit of this goal, WFP adopted a new Environmental policy in February 2017, and an Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF). The Policy commits the organization to avoiding unintended harm to the environment, its beneficiaries, or any other affected populations as a result of our operations and programmes, and to maximize environmental benefits. The ESSF contains 3 tools: a set of environmental and social standards, risk screening of activity design and mitigation/ management plans (safeguards), and an environmental management system (EMS) consistent with the international standard ISO 14001. Collectively, these three elements are known as WFP's Safeguards Framework (ESSF).

The Climate and Disaster Risks Reduction Programmes Unit (PRO-C) is recruiting an Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Advisor to help roll out and mainstream the WFP safeguards in the programmatic activities of all country offices. In particular, the ESS Advisor will: (i) provide technical support to country offices and partners in applying safeguards measures and tools to their programmes (both during formulation and implementation phases); (ii) train country offices’ staff and partners on the compliance and application of the WFP’s and donors’ related safeguards; (iii) support the development of technical and training material for the implementation of the ESSF, including technical guidance on mitigation measures by also liaising with other WFP’s units; (iv) ensure compliance with corporate reporting requirements on the ESSF; and (v) support the integration of safeguards assessments within country strategic plans.

The Advisor will be based in Panama, Panama City and will directly report to an assigned regional bureaux supervisor and aEnvironmental and Social Safeguards Advisor based at HQ, who keeps the functional oversight of all safeguards’ advisors. The Advisor will coordinate her/his work with other ESS advisors and relevant colleagues in HQ. In addition, she/he is expected to support the different COs requiring support on E&S safeguards in a coordinated manner with the regional bureaux, with the regional Senior Programme Advisors, the regional Environmental Management Advisors, the regional Protection Advisors, the regional Gender Advisors, and the regional Risk Compliance Advisors.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the advisor may work from her/his place of residence. It is expected that, where and when travels will be possible, she/he will be travelling to the assigned country office to support the implementation of the ESS where required.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Capacity building and training of country offices: Promote awareness of WFP's environmental and social impacts and of the safeguards framework as a tool for systematically managing those impacts; Train country office staff on the application of, and compliance with the WFP Environmental and Social Safeguards (including risk screening), by delivering online webinars or where/if possible) in-country training sessions; Collect and share best practices from within the region to promote ongoing engagement and improvement.
2. Technical support to country offices: Support the application of the WFP’s/donors’ safeguards (including risk screening) in programmatic activities at CO level; Support the application of the safeguards’ requirements in proposals to donors (e.g. the Adaptation Fund, Green Climate Fund, country offices are aligned with WFP’s standards/tools; Provide advice to COs during an emergency response, including the COVID-19 response, to promote adherence to WFP’s environmental and social standards; Review Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) of high-risk projects; Support the formulation of environmental and social safeguards assessments in the Country Strategic Plans.
3. Strategic direction and guidance to country offices: Seek opportunities to link WFP safeguards to national safeguard regulations and capacities; Support country offices to comply with national environmental regulations; Seek opportunities to access regional and country-specific funding sources to increase the involvement of local stakeholders.
4. Monitoring: Monitor country offices' adherence to the safeguards; Ensure that country offices identify and record risks in the corporate digital platform; Support country offices in reporting on the application of the WFP Safeguards in the Annual Country Reports.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. Improve the capacity-building at CO’s level by providing trainings to country offices that have not yet benefitted from trainings/webinars on ESS (through webinars as long as travel is impossible; in-country as soon as travel is possible);
2. Provide technical support on ESS to COs developing proposals to donors, and ensure support for the implementation of mitigation/management measures as required;
3. Ensure newly formulated Country Strategic Plans include a strategic assessment of environmental and social risks and provide support as required;
4. Revise ESMPs and ESIAs of high-risk projects when/if required;
5. Support the COs in adequately reporting on the application of WFP’s safeguards for both specific projects and for the CSP’s activities implementation.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

RE: VA (828760), deadline for application 22 August 2023.

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