Social and Environmental Safeguards Specialist [Open to internal and external applicants]

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations.” The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDF’s vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.

As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the UN, UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031. 

As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector.  By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.  UNCDF’s work is focused on three priority areas, including: 
•                    SME Finance 
•                    Sub-National Finance 
•                    Digital Finance

UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board comprised of UN Member States.

UNCDF’s Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) support UNDCF’s commitment to integrate social and environmental sustainability into our programs, projects, and investment transactions that promote sustainable development.

The objectives of the SES are to:
•    Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of programs and projects. 
•    Avoid adverse effects on people and the environment. When avoidance is not feasible, minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts. 
•    Enhance the capacities of UNCDF and partners to manage social and environmental risks. 
•    Ensure comprehensive stakeholder engagement, including a mechanism to address complaints from individuals affected by UNCDF initiatives.

A key mechanism for ensuring the application of the SES is the project-level / transaction-level Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP), which is mandatory for most proposed projects/transactions. The objectives of the SESP are to: (a) integrate the SES Overarching Principles (leave no one behind, human rights, gender equality, sustainability and resilience, and accountability); (b) identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance, along with mitigation strategies and options; (c) determine the project/transaction's SES risk category (Low, Moderate, Substantial, High); and (d) outline the level of social and environmental assessment and management needed to address potential risks and impacts during the implementation phase of UNCDF-supported programs, projects, and investment transactions.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Risk Manager, the SES Specialist will assist with compliance at the program, project, and investment transaction levels with the UNCDF SES (which fully aligns with UNDP’s SES standards) throughout project design and implementation (from cradle to grave). This support is essential to ensure that selected programs, projects, and investment transactions in development avoid potential social and environmental risks and, when avoidance is not feasible, guarantee that proper assessments are conducted. Management measures are established to effectively manage risks during the implementation phase. It is critical that all UNCDF-supported initiatives adhere to their Environmental and Social Management Plan/Framework (ESMP/ESMF) and fully comply with UNCDF’s SES standards (which align with UNDP’s SES standards) throughout the entire project cycle.

The SES Specialist will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and may be required to travel. UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage connections across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNCDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multi-disciplinary settings to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

1)    Conduct and coordinate SES screenings and SES assessments:

• As part of UNCDF's project/investment transaction cycle process, prepare pre-screening (concept stage) and/or full screening (development stage) documentation related to UNCDF projects/investment transactions. 
• Oversee the quality of consultants' work to support the preparation of these documents. 
• Identify potential environmental and social risks that require specialized expertise or other considerations.
• Review and maintain quality standards for draft and final deliverables, including, but not limited to, the completed SESP template with all supporting documents/evidence, as appropriate. 
• Provide quality assurance for baseline data collection and oversee the quality of impact assessments, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments (SESA), targeted assessments, etc., as identified through the SESP screening, in coordination with the IID. 
• Analyze safeguards, legal frameworks, and provisions in UNCDF initiatives to identify gaps and recommend remedial measures. 
• Establish and maintain standards for remote and/or on-the-ground data collection for SES standards as needed. 
• Set standards for stakeholder engagement in the assessment process to ensure the quality of UNCDF’s necessary stakeholder engagements. 
• Prepare and/or provide quality assurance for draft and final deliverables, including, but not limited to, ESIA, SESA, PEAR, etc., with all supporting documents, technical chapters, and evidence, as appropriate. 
• Regularly prepare analysis reports, summary reports, and presentations of key issues and conclusions from the technical assessments for UNCDF’s Senior Management. 
   

2)    Advise and coordinate the development of SES management plans and management frameworks:

• Advise on or coordinate the preparation of management frameworks/plans (including ESMF, ESMP, Indigenous Peoples Plan, Land Acquisition Plans, Resettlement Plan, Livelihoods Plan, etc.) identified through SESP screening and informed by SES assessments. 
• Advise on or coordinate the preparation of Stakeholder Engagement Plans, which incorporate the design of project Grievance Redress Mechanisms. 
• Identify any potential issues that may necessitate additional specialized expertise or other considerations. 
• Determine procedures and methods for risk avoidance, reduction, and mitigation throughout the project cycle. 
• Prepare draft and final deliverables, such as ESMP, ESMF, and/or other technical management plans, along with all necessary supporting documents, technical chapters, and evidence. 
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of plans and frameworks prepared by the UNCDF IID, integrating input from stakeholders, affected communities, project boards, and the project teams
  
   

3)    Provide implementation support and advice to UNCDF teams:

• Provide technical support to UNCDF’s IID on SES standards to ensure effective implementation and monitor the implementation of SES management plan(s).
• Advise on and conduct spot checks on stakeholder engagement plans and processes, strategies, and consultations to identify and/or verify risks and advise on FPIC, disclosure, etc.
• Establish and maintain a project-level Grievance Redress Mechanism that is appropriate to the scale of the project’s potential adverse risks and impacts.
• Quality-assure and revise screenings, conduct assessments, and develop or update management plans of active projects when necessary.
• Quality-assure draft and final SES documentation for projects (e.g., ESIA, ESMP, ESMF, IPP, RAP, SEP, relevant ToRs, etc.) to ensure they meet technical standards and requirements.
• Commission and conduct, with senior management approval, environmental and social audits of projects to identify potential compliance issues and prepare environmental and social management action plans when problems are identified, through audits or otherwise. 
   

4)  Facilitate capacity development and knowledge sharing.

• Develop capacity by training project teams and partners on SES requirements to which all UNCDF initiatives must adhere. 
• Document lessons learned, including instances where things did not proceed as planned, along with exemplary models of SES implementation. 
• In close collaboration with relevant teams at the Regional Hubs and HQ, contribute to creating and delivering modular training packages that enhance capacity in SES areas. 
• Provide on-the-job, demand-driven capacity development support to staff and personnel in your area of expertise. Analyze data and case evidence to extract relevant lessons on policy implementation and advocate for necessary policy changes with HQ teams. 
• Integrate regional perspectives into executing policy and strategic initiatives at the regional level within their areas of responsibility, supporting the key results, outcomes, and outputs of the UNCDF Strategic Framework. 
• Offer surge capacity for program/project management at the regional level when necessary or as the Supervisor advises. 
• Contribute to the execution of corporate and regional initiatives as required. 
   

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

• Located in the Corporate Risk Unit, the Specialist will report to, and be directly supervised by the Chief Risk Manager;
• The Specialist will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• Given the global scope of the work to be undertaken during this assignment, the IPSA holder is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability taking into consideration different time zones.
• Where the need for official travel arises, UNCDF will make arrangements and cover the associated costs.
   

Competencies

Core Competencies - UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.

• Achieve Results - LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact  
• Think Innovatively - LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  
• Learn Continuously - LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 3: Proactively init