Vacancy #: 7075 Unit: Asia - Regional Programme Directorate (IUCN) Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Asia Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand Reporting to: Regional Multilaterals Portfolio Manager Work percentage: 100% Grade: P2 Expected start date: 06 January 2025 Type of contract: Fixed-term Closing date: 25 November 2024 BACKGROUND IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,300 Member organisations and the input of more than 16,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. The IUCN Secretariat has offices located all around the world and is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland.
Every four years, the IUCN membership adopts a quadrennial Programme that guides the work of the Union, especially that of the IUCN Secretariat. The Secretariat implements the IUCN Programme through a growing portfolio of over 400 projects across the world that are designed to respond to country, donor, and IUCN priorities. IUCN has put in place an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) in order to provide a systematic procedure to check IUCN projects for potential adverse environmental and social impacts and to assure that negative impacts are avoided or minimised to the extent possible while promoting positive impacts. The ESMS procedures and policies are explained in the ESMS Manual and in the ESMS standards available at www.iucn.org/esms.
In order to enhance ESMS performance, support timely delivery of ESMS instruments and operational efficiency, as well as to ensure ESMS review is geographically close to the projects and their stakeholders, IUCN is hiring an ESMS Specialist for the Asia Regional Office for (ARO). He/she will be responsible for providing guidance on the application of the IUCN ESMS policy to the Asia and Oceania regional project portfolio and reviewing and clearing projects for compliance with that policy. This position will contribute to the region’s leadership in safeguard quality assurance and will play a key role in improving IUCN’s ESMS practices and culture. It will require safeguard subject-matter expertise and experience as well as aptitude in advising and training on the need and benefits of safeguard application. JOB DESCRIPTION 1. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
As the regional specialist for the application of the ESMS, this position is responsible for providing quality assurance and guiding project teams on ESMS requirements ensuring that ESMS procedures, standards and principles are applied on the regional project portfolio. This includes preparing ESMS screening reports for projects in Asia and Oceania including country specific and multi-country/regional projects, advising project teams on safeguard-related improvements of project design, provide guidance on the preparation of ESIAs and safeguard instruments and preparing ESMS clearance. It further involves providing support and supervision during project implementation to guarantee that ESMS requirements are complied with and assure quality. Where a safeguard related grievance is raised, he/she will be instrumental in solving the matter proactively.
He/she will also build ESMS capacity in the region to enhance ESMS compliant project design and ensure effective implementation of the risk management strategies. This involves coaching and training of regional and country office staff and project teams (including external to IUCN) as well as supporting recruitment, onboarding and training of project ESMS officers.
This position provides safeguards expertise to support learning from ESMS application in support of further refining the IUCN system and increasing the system’s efficiency. She/he will monitor the application of safeguard instruments in the region, distil lessons learned and support the global ESMS Coordinator in system development, refinements and learning.
This position will report to the Portfolio Manager Asia and Oceania – Multilateral Finance (GEF, GCF) but will be guided technically by the global ESMS Coordinator.
This position requires frequent travel in the Asia and Pacific regions.
2. SPECIFIC DUTIES:
2.1 Regional portfolio ESMS application
Application of ESMS procedures to the regional project portfolio, specifically:
2.1.1 Environmental and social due diligence at project design/formulation stage
• Screen projects for environmental and social impacts, define risk category, identify necessary
impact studies and safeguards instruments;
• Advise project teams on stakeholder engagement during project design and implementation
phase;
• Support project teams/ in contracting experts for environmental and social assessments ; or
where issues are less complex, carry out targeted assessments and stakeholder consultation;
• Appraise the quality of final ESIA reports and environmental and social management plans
(ESMP) and other safeguard tools;
• Advise on appropriate budgeting for ESMS activities;
• Conduct final compliance check and provide ESMS clearance of projects.
2.1.2 ESMS support during project implementation
• Provide ESMS training for executing agency (EA) and relevant partners at project inception;
• Appraise any ESMS deliverables that are due in the inception phase;
• Support the EA in monitoring safeguard tools and reporting progress on implementation and
compliance with all ESMS requirements;
• Contribute to annual project implementation reviews/ supervision missions and to the
development of the ESMS specific aspects of the mid-term review and terminal review;
• Manage ESMS project data including entries to the IUCN Project Portal to assure maintenance
of ESMS records.
2.1.3 Grievance management and incident reporting
• Provide guidance to the EA in setting-up a project-level grievance mechanism in adherence to
IUCN’s Grievance Mechanism Guidance Note;
• Work with EA to solve grievances in line with IUCN’s three-staged grievance process;
• Maintain a register of grievances received at the regional level, and report on progress solving grievances;
• Ensure timely reporting of incidents and implementation of corrective actions.
2.2 Build ESMS capacity in the region
To enhance ESMS compliant project design and ensure effective implementation of the risk
management strategies, it is essential to strengthen regional ESMS capacity. This involves:
2.2.1 Train and coach regional and country office staff and project teams on ESMS procedures,
principles and standards to ensure not only consistent application but also pro-active
integration of ESMS principles into project design;
2.2.2 Support the global ESMS Coordinator in the development of ESMS training materials and
delivery of training sessions;
2.2.3 Contribute to the recruitment, hiring and on-boarding of new project-level ESMS officers in
the region an provide technical supervision.
2.3 ESMS development, refinement and learning
Supporting the global ESMS Coordinator in system development, refinements and learning. This
involves:
2.3.1 Monitor ESMS implementation in the region to capture lessons learned and feed-back from
the EA and project stakeholders and suggest refinement and improvements of the system;
2.3.2 Contribute to enhancement of institutional processes to increase effectiveness of ESMS
application;
2.3.3 Generate lessons on the ESMS application identifying good practices and synthesising
these practices for dissemination;
2.3.4 Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time. REQUIREMENTS • 1. Education
Master’s degree in natural or social sciences, in environmental management, policies or law, in sociology, anthropology, indigenous people’s studies or comparable qualification
• 2. Work Experience
Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience, desirably in the region, promoting
rights-based approaches, improving socio-economic benefits and addressing and managing
environmental and in particular social risks in the context of conservation or natural resource
management projects.
• 3. Technical Knowledge
Minimum requirements:
• Expert knowledge and practical experience in carrying out or reviewing environmental and
social assessments and the application of safeguards/performance standards (e.g. World Bank,
IFC etc), in designing and implementing safeguard instruments;
• Familiarity with GEF and GCF safeguards requirements;
• Practical experience in engaging with indigenous peoples and local communities, marginalized,
vulnerable or minority groups and in addressing gender/GBV/SEAH risks;
• Experience with capacity building including coaching colleagues, designing and implement
training courses, writing guidance notes and other materials;
Desirable qualification:
• Experience in conducting free, prior and informed consent (FPIC);
• Familiarity with the human rights context in the region and with national safeguards
requirements;
• Experience with addressing risks related to environmental law enforcement (human rights risks
and safety and security risks faced by rangers).
• 4. Language requirements
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal is a requirement
• Good knowledge (speaking and writing) of a at least one Asian language is desirable.
• 5. Core Competencies
• Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making
by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure
that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team.
• Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive, and
supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in
a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people
of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
• Professionalism: Promote the organization’s interests, objectives, and values in a diligent and
professional manner.
Docusign Envelope ID: 37E2371C-AADB-4D01-B6F2-346D2BCC80DC
• Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN
One Programme approach.
• 6. Function Competencies
• Adheres to IUCN ARO core values of Transparency, Inclusiveness, Professionalism and
Accountability.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to support building networks and partnerships.
• Must be a strong team player with proven diplomacy skills and ability to work effectively with
multicultural and multidisciplinary teams displaying sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with limited supervision to prioritize tasking and manage workflow
in a high-pressure environment.
• Hands-on, highly motivated, results driven and resourceful individual.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure managing competing demands and complex
situations and deliver satisfactory and timely results.
• Must be a proactive individual who is able to energize and motivate teams.
• Committed to continuous learning and proactive and mature attitude towards self-development.
• Willing to travel frequently within the region. APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the \"Apply\" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
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