Environmental & Social Safeguards Specialist Consultant

Location : Harare

Application Deadline : 25-Mar-21

(Midnight New York, USA)

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : National Consultant

Languages Required : English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

05-Apr-2021

Duration of Initial Contract : 180 working days over a period of 21 months

Expected Duration of Assignment : 80 working days over a period of 21 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Project Description

Zimbabwe received funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the project entitled "Building climate resilience of vulnerable agricultural livelihoods in southern Zimbabwe" The objective of the proposed project is to strengthen resilience of agricultural livelihoods of vulnerable communities, particularly women, in southern Zimbabwe in the face of increasing climate risks and impacts. The project will contribute to the following GCF Fund-level impacts for adaptation: 1.0 "Increased resilience and enhanced livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, communities and regions" and 2.0 "Increased resilience of health and well-being, and food and water security" for vulnerable smallholder communities in southern Zimbabwe. The project outcome will strengthen the adaptive capacities of vulnerable smallholder farmers, especially women, to climate change induced impacts on their agroecosystems and livelihoods through revitalization of irrigation schemes, upgraded water and soil moisture management and water use efficiency, climate-resilient agriculture, improved access to climate information and markets, and partnerships with public and private sector actors.

To achieve these outcomes the project proposes to overcome the identified barriers through implementation of the following three interlinked Outputs, using GCF and co-financing resources: (i) Increased access to water for climate-resilient agriculture through climate-resilient irrigation systems and efficient water resource management; (ii) Scaled up climate-resilient agricultural production and diversification through increased access to climate-resilient inputs, practices, and markets; and (iii) Improved access to weather, climate and hydrological information for climate resilient agriculture. The project is being implemented by the Government of Zimbabwe in partnership with UNDP for 7 years from June 2020 to May 2027 with Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement (MLAWRR) as the Implementing Partner (IP).

One of the projects' key component focusses on climate proofing irrigation infrastructure for enhanced water security through revitalisation of 15 existing irrigation schemes and establishment of six new schemes in the project`s 15 priority districts of Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South Provinces. A firm will be contracted to conduct irrigation site specific Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and Environmental and Social Management Plans. Against this background, the project seeks to engage an Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist Consultant to review and update) the existing Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), including the collection of all required data, information and materials, review the current SESP and develop an Environmental and Social Management Plan ( ESMP) , establish the project Grievance Redress Mechanism/feedback mechanism; and provide technical oversight of the ESIAs and ESMPs for each irrigation site This shall provide clear, comprehensive and practical guidance to the Client (UNDP) in integrating an environmental/social due diligence process into the project implementation process.

Social and Environmental Safeguards

UNDP's Social and Environmental Standards (SES) underpin our commitment to mainstream social and environmental sustainability in our Programmes and Projects to support sustainable development. The objectives of the standards are to:

  • Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of Programmes and Projects;
  • Avoid adverse impacts to people and the environment;
  • Minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible;
  • Strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks;
  • Ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.

A key mechanism to ensure these standards are applied is through UNDP's project-level Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) which is a requirement for all proposed projects. The objectives of the SESP are to: (a) Integrate the SES Overarching Principles (human rights, gender equality and environmental sustainability); (b) Identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance; (c) Determine the Project's risk category (Low, Moderate, High); and (d) Determine the level of social and environmental assessment and management required to address potential risks and impacts.

UNDP's SES and SESP came into effect January 1, 2015 and were revised in January 2021. All guidance on UNDPs Social and Environmental Safeguards can be found in the SES Toolkit.

Objectives of the Assignment

The Environmental & Social Safeguards Specialist Consultant will be tasked to co-ordinate and manage the implementation of the project safeguards in line with UNDP procedures, develop and monitor the implementation of the project Grievance Redress Mechanism and complaints register, Project Management Unit ( PMU) and stakeholder safeguards capacity development and training as well as the safeguards monitoring and reporting systems roll out. He or she will be expected to provide quality control of the irrigation site specific SEIAs and ESMPs that will be developed by the SEIA consultancy firms.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities and duties will cover four main areas of activity

Area (1): Support, manage and co-ordinate the project's safeguards to ensure the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), evaluate needed updates as necessary to ensure that the project ESMF is up to date, manage procedures including the establishment of an appropriate field structure to ensure the appropriate level of support to technical personnel;

Area (2): Establish a Grievance Redress Mechanism/ feedback mechanism and advising the PMU and key stakeholders in the best practice of monitoring and reporting on the social and environmental impact of the project.

Area (3): Support in the co-ordination of capacity building and training activities to ensure the principles and procedures for Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) are well understood and complied with by stakeholders.

Area (4): Advise/guide the consultancy firm recruited to conduct the EIAs on appropriate standards in line with UNDP SES policies. Detailed responsibilities under each area are listed below:

Area (1):

Project

Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)

Implementation support

  • Review and update the existing project Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) in line with the revised UNDP guidelines;
  • Support the PMU in the co-ordination, management and implementation of the project safeguards in compliance with the Social and Environmental Standards (SES) to ensure full compliance with UNDP guidelines;
  • Support the PMU in the development and rolling out of a safeguards monitoring and reporting system against the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) provisions;
  • Advise in the co-ordination of the implementation of social audits for all completed project contracts;
  • Support the project line ministries, responsible parties (Zimbabwe National Water Authority- ZINWA, Department of Irrigation- DOI, Agriculture and Extension services- AGRITEX; Meteorological Service Department- MSD and Irrigation Management Committees on site) to achieve the maximum safeguards efficiency in their assigned tasks;
  • Support the project to ensure that safety and health concerns of the workers and the general public are addressed during pre- construction, construction and implementation phases of the project civil works;
  • Support to ensure the timely and accurate consolidation of ESMF related information of each sub-project prior to submission for bid documentation preparation;
  • Establish the budget required to implement the ESMF requirements.

Area (2): Develop the ESMP and Establish a Grievance Redress Mechanism

  • Develop the project grievance redress/feedback mechanism and design the complaints register using an established methodology in consultation with the PMU;
  • Co-ordinate the formation of Grievance Redress Committees before the commencement of construction or any identified potentially impactful activities to resolve issues;
  • Act as the focal point on Grievance Redress and facilitate the resolution of issues while supporting the establishment and training of a selected focal person within the PMU to handle Grievance Redress issues and facilitate the resolution of issues;
  • Technically support the PMU in creating awareness of the Grievance Redress Mechanism amongst all the stakeholders through public awareness campaigns; and support dissemination of information to the concerned local communities as proposed in the framework;
  • Develop a system to document information on grievances and redress and progress for monthly/quarterly reporting.

Area (3): Support in the co-ordination of training and awareness raising activities

  • Support in the efficient co-ordination with the implementing partner; Ministry of Agriculture Lands, Water and Rural Resettlement , Responsible parties , Project Management Unit (PMU) staff regarding Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and social targeting considerations to be taken into account in the sub-project preparatory activities;
  • Support the identification of the capacity and training needs of the IP, PMU, Responsible Parties regarding social targeting principles, undertaking periodic audits of all sub-project files and ensure that the required training is provided;
  • Advise on the co-ordination of the delivery of training on Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) related issues including environmental health & public safety and requirements for programme staff and other relevant stakeholders in the field.

Area (4): Advise/guide the consultant firm recruited to conduct the ESIAs on appropriate standards in line with UNDP SES policies

  • Technical review and quality controlled on irrigation site specific ESIAs and ESMPs to be developed by the contracted firms in 21 Irrigation sites (15 existing and 6 new) to meet the requirements of UNDP's safeguards procedures;
  • Provide guidance to the firm to ensure that the irrigation ESIAs: identify and assess social and environmental impacts of the project and its area of influence; evaluate alternatives; consider appropriate avoidance, mitigation, management, and monitoring measures; address all relevant issues related to the SES Principles and Standards, with particular focus on Standard 5 on Displacement and Resettlement, and Standard 6 on Indigenous Peoples if arising from ESIA etc;
  • In the event that Standard 6 on indigenous peoples is triggered (as the ESIAs might reveal), the safeguard expert will lead and co-ordinate the preparation of an IPP and all other requirements under SES Standard 6 (including FPIC) as applicable. Similarly, if Standard 5 on Displacement and Resettlement is triggered, the safeguard expert will co-ordinate and manage the preparation of all other requirements including a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) as applicable under SES Standard 5.
  • Support to the contracted firm to access previous EIAs and/or SESPs/safeguards screenings procedures

Expected Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

  • Project Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), SESP Reviewed, Updated and Rolled out in line with UNDP Guidelines by July 2021;
  • Project Grievance Redress/feedback Mechanism established by August 2021;
  • All stakeholders' including the PMU focal point awareness and training programme on the Project Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), SESP and Grievance Redress Mechanism developed and implemented by Dec 2021;
  • Project overarching Environmental and Social Management Plan developed by November 2021;
  • Reviewed and quality controlled site specific ESMPs for all 21 Irrigation Schemes developed by the ESIA Consultancy Firm in place and signed off in consultation with the project irrigation and gender expert by June 2022;
  • ESMF, ESMP, SESP and Grievance redress/feedback mechanism monitoring and reporting system rolled out and on-going support to the PMU by December 2022.

Payment Schedule

Payments will be made based on the agreed financial proposal and released upon submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating deliverables achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.

The Individual Consultant shall receive his/her lump sum service fees upon certification of the completed tasks satisfactorily, as per the following payment schedule:

  • 10% upon submission and approval of inception report with detailed methodology and action plan;
  • 15% after Project Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and SESP is reviewed and updated;
  • 15% Upon completion of development and roll out of Project Grievance Redress Mechanism;
  • 20% upon submission of report on all stakeholders training and awareness for the project ESMF, ESMP and Grievance Redress Mechanism;
  • 30% upon completion of review, quality control and finalisation of Site specific SEIA and ESMPs for 21 irrigation schemes;
  • 10% after ESMF, ESMP, SESP and Grievance redress/feedback mechanism monitoring and reporting system rolled out and on-going support to the PMU.

Institutional arrangements for management of this consultancy

The principal responsibility for managing this assignment lies with the UNDP Country Office, Zimbabwe. UNDP will contract the consultant and ensure the timely provision of reimbursable costs and remuneration. UNDP will mobilise internal technical expertise to support the consultant's work. UNDP will support the consultant's engagement with stakeholders, arrange for meetings, field visits and coordinate with stakeholders and Government officials.

The Consultant is accountable to UNDP under the overall guidance of the UNDP Head of PRECC and direct supervision from the Project Manager. The consultant will submit bi-weekly progress updates, detailing work progress, constraints and solutions whilst carrying out the assessment. The Consultant should be available for subsequent discussions about the consultancy work with UNDP.

The consultancy is expected to run between 1 April 2021 and December 2022 during which the consultant is expected to provide 180 days of service.

Client Obligations

Besides paying the Consultant for the work, the Client will assist the Consultant with the following:

  • Background information in the form of existing ESMF, ESSP, gender action plan and technical specifications where required and in liaison with the irrigation expert engineer, gender expert and the EIA expert;
  • Make payments to any stakeholders that may require such payments;
  • Assist to convene stakeholder meetings where required.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Excellent drafting, documentation and communication skills in English;
  • Knowledge of Climate Change and project management skills;
  • Proven record on similar documentation work at the National level.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Promote the highest standards of ethics and integrity;
  • Support creativity and innovation;
  • Help create an enabling environment for open communication;
  • Share knowledge and support a culture of learning;
  • Demonstrate fairness and transparency.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

  • Master's degree or above in environment, sociology, economics, development, or a closely related field.

Experience

  • At least seven years of experience related to social and environmental standards and impact assessment in an international development context;
  • Technical background and experience in developing safeguards in for agriculture, land use and management projects;
  • Knowledge of Human rights (including human rights-based approach and human rights impact assessment); gender equality and women's empowerment (including gender mainstreaming and gender analysis);
  • Demonstrated knowledge of cultural heritage (including chance find procedures, physical and intangible cultural resources).

Language

  • An excellent command of English and Local Language is a requirement.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified individuals shoould submit the following to demonstrate their interest and qualifications;

  • Personal CV or P11 Form, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in the link below;
  • Technical Proposal demonstrating full understanding of the TORs, approach and methodology to the task and workplan including approach for risk/impact identification, analysis and evaluation, stakeholder consultation, program and timelines, manpower deployment.

Please note that all the documents below must be submitted as one PDF file.

Applicants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative Analysis methodology [weighted scoring method], where the award of the contract will be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight; [70%];

Financial Criteria weight; [30%].

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the obtainable 100 points in technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria: Adequacy of Profile and Technical Proposal (Max 100 points)

General Conditions of Contract for the consultancy firms: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_ form.doc

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20%20General%20Conditions.pdf

ccDHFR7-owT1v

This vacancy is archived.

Recommended for you