Senior Social Safeguards 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
Language required: Proficiency in English and French
 
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 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 Social Safeguards Specialist will lead and coordinate the planning, development and implementation of safeguards policies for the North Core project.
• This includes the review of social safeguards instruments such as resettlement policy frameworks and resettlement action plans in collaboration with relevant government agencies and local beneficiary groups, compensation processing, monitoring of ESMP and RAP implementation and monitoring of safeguards policy compliance of the project throughout its duration.
• The Senior Specialist will oversee and report on the implementation of the Resettlement Action Plans as well as the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Environmental and Social Management Plans, in collaboration with the Environmental Specialist,.
• The jobholder will also pursue and maintain effective relations with affected communities, regulatory institutions and all project stakeholders.
• The Senior Specialist will also oversee the functioning of the grievance redress mechanisms and a continuous communication program with the affected communities.

Job Context

• The responsibilities and tasks of the Senior Specialist will include extensive field work although s/he will also work within an office context.
• The jobholder will thus be required to make regular field visits to communities affected by the project as well as travel periodically to various locations within the project countries and/or beyond.
• 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.

Specific Responsibilities
The Senior Social Safeguards Specialist will be responsible for a minimum of the following key tasks:

• Lead and coordinate the project’s safeguards team effort in providing advice and advancing the implementation of safeguards instruments within member countries of the North Core Project;
• Enforce social safeguards measures of the project as stipulated in the RAP and ESMP. This includes ensuring the appropriate implementation of safeguards measures relating to physical or economic displacement, gender based violence, inclusive public consultation, grievance redress for affected communities and mitigation and management of other potential social impacts of the project;
• Supervise the implementation of all recommendations of the Social Impact Assessment Report;
• Monitor the enumeration and valuation of land, crops and property and all other assets and facilitate prompt processing and timely payment of compensation by relevant institutions, in collaboration with competent experts within the national power utilities of the North Core countries;
• Coordinate community interactions and activities with the Project Affected Persons (PAPs);
• Establish and oversee functioning grievance redress mechanisms and report on the performance regularly;
• Conduct and encourage outreach programs to educate affected persons on the social benefits of the project;
• Develop and disseminate sensitization materials on the social benefits of the project and be in charge of dissemination of all public information or disclosure initiatives;
• Undertake periodic monitoring of progress reports on the implementation of social safeguards instruments, including lessons learned;
• Conduct regular field inspections;
• Establish and generate accurate data;
• Play the role of team leader and supervise the performance of reporting staff, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.

Qualification and Experience
The Senior Social Safeguards Specialist must have a minimum of the following qualifications:

• Masters Degree and above in a relevant field of Study such as Anthropology, Sociology, Applied Social Science, Environmental Science or other related fields with at least eight (8) years of professional experience as a Social Safeguard Specialist on a similar Development project;
• Bachelor/HND degree in Anthropology, Sociology, Applied Social Science, Environmental Science or other related fields combined with specialized experience of a minimum of fifteen (15) years as Social Safeguards Specialist on a similar project, may be considered in lieu of a post graduate degree.
• International or regional experience in coordinating and working with multi-disciplinary teams and project stakeholders is essential for this position.

Required Knowledge
Excellent knowledge of the following relevant areas is required:

• Best practices and/or World Bank guidelines and procedures on social safeguards, social assessment, social analysis, effective stakeholder engagement and grievance redress systems as well as regulations and legal framework in environmental and social management;
• Structure and organization of Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) and other Environmental Regulatory Bodies within the Project Area; Municipalities, Village Development Committees (VDCs)
• Creative and innovative techniques for planning and implementing environmental and social management policies.
• Practices and cultures of communities affected by the project.

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

• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in French and English.
• Ability to proactively apply relevant international best practices to work and solve social issues.
• Excellent decision making skills, maturity of judgement and ability to take initiative and work independently
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Good negotiation and conflict management skills
• Ability to work in a team, supervise and motivate a project team.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead operational and analytical tasks
• Field experience is essential.

Job Relationships
Reporting relationship:

• The Senior Social Safeguards Specialist will report to the IMU Director and supervise all field social safeguards officers.

Working relationship:

• The jobholder will maintain collaborative relationships with all Project stakeholders including affected communities, regulatory institutions and key experts in the power utility companies of the North Core countries.

Location:

• The jobholder will be resident at the IMU head office in Abuja, Nigeria but will be required to make regular and frequent field visits to communities affected by the project as well as undertake frequent assignments at the IMU’s local offices and project sites in the North Core countries.

Language:

• The Senior Social Safeguards Specialist must be fluent in English and French.

Duration:

• The position of Senior Social Safeguards Specialist is for a term of approximately thirty six (36) months. This is a full time position and the jobholder will be expected to demonstrate strong commitment to achieving results.

Reporting Requirements

• The Senior Social Safeguards Specialist will be expected to provide regular reports to the Director of the IMU on the implementation of the project’s social safeguards instruments.

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

• Evidence of a clear mechanism for project information disclosure, stakeholder consultation and participation and accountability;
• Development of coherent grievance management procedure to address stakeholder issues;
• Development of sensitization materials for raising awareness of the social benefits of the project;
• Timely and comprehensive implementation in all North Core countries, of safeguards measures outlined in the RAP and ESMP;
• Prompt processing and payment of compensation to affected persons by relevant institutions;
• Timely and effective implementation of the project Resettlement Action Plans (RAP);
• 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 Social Safeguards 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 jobholder 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 this position.
• 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.