Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist at The West African Power Pool (WAPP)

Location: IMU Head Office, Abuja, Nigeria
Project Name: Nigeria - Niger - Benin/Togo - Burkina (North Core) Interconnection Project
Employing Institution: Implementation Management Unit (IMU) of the North Core Project
Reports to: Director of IMU
Appointment: Full time, approximately 36 months
 
Project Background

• Within the framework of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), the Governments of Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo and Burkina are collaborating to develop a sub-regional interconnection project referred to as the 330 kV WAPP North Core Project. The project involves the construction of approximately 875 km of 330 kV transmission lines from Nigeria to Burkina Faso, through Niger, and Benin
• The project will also involve the electrification of rural communities located within a 5 km radius on both sides of the line, and the implementation of a number of environmental and social mitigation measures. These include, among others, the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Health and Safety Plans (H&S Plans) and Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) to provide for persons and communities affected by project implementation activities
• The project is being financed by The Agence Française de Développement (AFD), African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU) and the World Bank (WB)
• Given the regional dimension of the project, and in order to enhance its coordination, the Ministers in charge of Energy of the North Core countries agreed to put in place an institutional framework which includes the set up of an Implementation Management Unit (IMU) to, among others, assist in the preparation and physical implementation of the North Core project.

Job Purpose

• The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist provides policy and technical guidance on environmental, social, and health and safety issues for the North Core project
• This includes leading environmental, social, health and safety compliance activities, reviewing, in collaboration with regulatory institutions, and implementing environmental, social, health and safety policies and guidelines, monitoring the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Health and Safety Plans (H&S Plans) and the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and reporting on all environmental, social, health and safety issues relating to the project.
• The job holder will also oversee compensation processing for project affected persons, and collaborate with the Senior Social Safeguards Specialist to undertake crop and property enumeration, as well as facilitate prompt payment of compensations.

Specific Responsibilities
The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will be responsible for a minimum of the following key tasks:

• Facilitate processes for the acquisition of environmental permits and Rights of Way (RoW);
• Review and update environmental and social safeguards and health and safety procedures where required;
• Ensure the preparation and review of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Construction ESMPs (CESMPs), Health and Safety Plans (H&S Plans) and the Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) and coordinate their implementation;
• Coordinate with regulatory agencies and bodies within the project area to ensure environmental and health and safety compliance and enforcement of relevant standards, rules and regulations;
• Perform work assignments related to environmental and health and safety inspections, compliance, monitoring, regulation, and research;
• Ensure adherence to environmental safeguards and health and safety procedures;
• Conduct  regular field inspections with environmental and health and safety officers and maintain accurate reporting mechanisms;
• Establish and generate accurate data related to environmental and health and safety complaints within the project area;
• Provide guidance and direction to management for ensuring environmental and health and safety compliance;
• Generate environmental and health and safety reports on a regular basis.

Qualification and Experience
The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist must have a minimum of the following:

• Master's Degree and above in a relevant field of study such as Environmental Science or Natural Resource Management with at least eight (8) years post-qualification experience as Environmental Specialist for a similar project, as well as Health and Safety experience in similar projects;
• Bachelor's Degree/HND in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or other related field combined with specialized experience of a minimum of fifteen (15) years as Environmental Specialist on a similar project, may be considered in lieu of a Postgraduate Degree
• The candidate should have a certification in Health and Safety and have at least 5 years experience in Health and Safety in similar projects.
• Proven track record in working on projects covering a range of environmental and health and safety issues;
• Regional experience in coordinating and working with multi-disciplinary teams and project stakeholders is desirable.

Required Knowledge:
An excellent knowledge of the following relevant areas is required:

• Relevant procedures, regulations and legal framework in environmental management;
• Structure of Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) and other regulatory agencies or bodies within the project area;
• Creative and innovative techniques for planning and implementing environmental and health and safety policies and guidelines;
• Demonstrated capacity to lead operational and analytical tasks;
• Ability to supervise and motivate a project team i.e. well developed team building skills;
• Field experience is essential;
• Experience in regional projects will be an added advantage.

Skills and Competencies:
The following skills are required for effective performance:

• Ability to cultivate supportive relationships with work related institutions, partners, members of project affected communities;
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work in a multicultural environment and under pressure;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited supervision on a wide range of environmental and health and safety activities, and achieving results with agreed upon objectives and deadlines;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and familiarity with relevant computer software (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, AutoCad);
• Decision making and problem solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Job Relationships
Reporting Relationships:

• The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will report to the Director of the IMU and will supervise all field environmental and health and safety officers.

Working Relationships:

• The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will establish and maintain good working relationships with all Environmental Regulatory Agencies and Bodies within the Project Area (Agencies, City Councils, Village Development Committees (VDC’s) and all other Project Stakeholders.

Job Location:

• The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will be resident at the Head Office of the IMU in Abuja (Nigeria) but will be required to undertake frequent visits to the field offices of the IMU and the project sites.

Language:

• A key requirement for the position is having proficiency in English and French.

Duration

• The position of Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist is for a term of approximately thirty six (36) months
• This is a full time position and the jobholder must demonstrate the required dedication and commitment to achieving results.

Job Context

• The responsibilities and tasks of the Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will be executed both within the office context and on the field
• The job holder will therefore, be expected to travel periodically to various locations within the project countries and/or beyond to carry out field work
• S/he will be required to put in a minimum of forty (40) hours per week but may also have to perform duties outside of normal working hours, as necessary.

Reporting Requirements:

• The Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will prepare and submit activity reports at the end of each month, to the Director of the IMU for approval as well as prepare various environmental and health and safety reports on a regular basis.

Performance Criteria
The following will be part of performance assessment criteria for the position:

• Timely acquisition of project environmental permits and Rights of Way (RoW);
• High level environmental  and health and safety compliance on the project and enforcement of relevant standards, rules and regulations;
• Agreed/acceptable number of environmental and health and safety inspections and monitoring activities undertaken within a given time frame (to be established in consultation with IMU Director);
• Establishment of accurate environmental and health and safety reporting mechanisms;
• Acquisition of accurate data relating to environmental and health and safety complaints within the project area.
• Other criteria may be developed by the Director of the IMU based on deliverables agreed with the jobholder.
• Performance Evaluation
• The performance of the Senior Environmental and Health and Safety Specialist will be evaluated annually by the Director of the IMU, based on the above performance criteria, an annual work plan and deliverables agreed upon at the beginning of the appraisal period. Quarterly performance reviews will however, be conducted by the Director to facilitate the identification and prompt management of performance related issues.

Additional Information

• The job holder is required to be fluent in French and English. Ability to use relevant computer software (MS Word, Excel, Power Point) as well as the internet is also a key requirement for all positions.
• This is a full time position, envisaged for a term of approximately 36 months. Successful candidates will be stationed at the IMU Head Office in Abuja, Nigeria but will be required to make frequent visits to the field offices of the IMU and/or project sites located in any of the following countries: Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso.
• Shortlisted candidates must be ready to travel for interviews within two (2) weeks from the date of notification.