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Terms of Reference

Project: Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa project (AICCRA)

BACKGROUND

The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa project (AICCRA) is administered by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the lead center for the CGIAR Program on Climate Change Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS). AICCRA is funded by the International Development Association (IDA). CCAFS brings together some of the world’s best researchers in agricultural, climate and earth science to deliver innovative research-based solutions that catalyze positive change towards low-carbon and climate resilient food systems.

AICCRA will help make the products of cutting-edge CGIAR-led science available throughout Africa. AICCRA can play a vital catalytic role in strengthening the agriculture research architecture in Africa. Activities financed under AICCRA will be implemented by a broad coalition of CCAFS partners working at regional, sub-regional, and national level. AICCRA investments will be concentrated in six anchor countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia, but spill-over benefits are expected in other countries as AICCRA will also work with Africa’s regional economic communities (RECs) and their associated regional agricultural research and climate change networks. The project runs from 2021 to 2023.

The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to strengthen the capacity of targeted CCAFS partners and stakeholders, and to enhance access to climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in IDA-eligible countries in Africa. The project has four components: (a) knowledge generation and sharing; (b) strengthening partnerships for delivery; (c) validating climate-smart agriculture innovations through piloting; and (d) project management

A critical part of the project work is ensuring compliance with the environmental and social risk management requirements of the financing institutions and national legislation. In order to strengthen capacity under the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), one environmental specialist and one social specialist will be hired by the Project Management Unit (PMU) is to work on project activities in the PMU under this project. One specialist will be based in West Africa and the other in East Africa, but both with project-wide mandates.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Social Specialist’s overall responsibility will be ensuring alignment of project implementation activities with commitments under the ESF and the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and national legislation.

Activities to be performed by the Social Specialist include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide overall technical social safeguards oversight for the project preparation, implementation and monitoring under the general management of the PMU head (CCAFS Director).  Focus will be on social risk management and monitoring, including measures for addressing inclusive stakeholder engagement and the grievance mechanism (GM), social accountability, social inclusion, conflict reduction, addressing disadvantage and vulnerability and strengthening social inclusion, restoration of livelihoods and land acquisition if applicable, addressing requirements related to Indigenous peoples under the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) , labor risks and management, gender inclusive methodologies and mainstreaming, and familiarity with social methodologies (qualitative and quantitative), and other social issues that may arise in the project.  Familiarity and experience with addressing SEA/SH risks in projects is also preferred.
• Provide necessary coordination and relevant input into and monitoring of the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) and the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP).
• Undertake regular field visits to project sites to assess social impacts and verify social monitoring information provided in the reports of contractors and implementing partners, including photo documentation as applicable (upon community consent).
• Undertake stakeholder consultation in accordance with the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) ;
• Keep accurate records of social supervision of project activities in a systemic manner that allows easy search-and-find of all documents upon request of the PMU, the World Bank, and national authorities.
• Screening of sub-projects identified under the projects, ensuring the screening process complies with the ESCP; and advise on the site-specific safeguards instruments required (e.g. Environmental and Social Management Plan – ESMP).  Ensure that screening of sub-projects is completed accurately and mitigation measures and plans are implemented as it relates to social risks and issues. Follow up with field visits as necessary.
• Coordinating recruitment of social safeguards consultants, including drafting TORs, estimating budgets, providing assistance in shortlisting and evaluation firms/individuals consultants proposals/qualifications, negotiating and preparing contracts.
• Ensuring that bidding documents and contracts include necessary social provisions, including sexual exploitation and abuse/sexual harassment (SEA/SH) risks, security risk, and requirements related to Indigenous Peoples Plans (IPPs) (if applicable) in management provisions.
• Analyzing project implementation reports to ensure that all work is completed in alignment with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework and as agreed to under the ESCP; supervising contractors’ performance in handling specific social issues, such as SEA/SH (and monitoring measures related to the Codes of Conduct), IPPs, security measures, the Labor Management Procedures, and the Grievance Mechanism; providing corrective instruments as needed.
• Preparing relevant parts of required social monitoring reports, including reports on Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) implementation status. Preparation of regular safeguards monitoring reports for the PMU, including preparation of the social safeguards, gender sensitivity and stakeholder engagement content of project progress reports submitted to the World Bank. This includes being responsible for drafting sections of the project implementation documentation as well as guiding partners in the updating of the project implementation manual related to social development, gender, livelihoods, and social risk management.
• Ensuring the Grievance Mechanism (GM) is functioning properly (and ensure the GM action plan agreed to with the World Bank is being implemented within the stipulated deadlines), and report back to the PMU in quarterly reports on GM outcomes and issues.
• Review for quality social risk management instruments (e.g. ESMP) as per the ESCP that are prepared by consultants prior to being sent to the World Bank for clearance and provide inputs and edits as needed.

REPORTING LINE/COMMUNICATION

The Social Safeguard Specialist shall report to the PMU head, but work closely with the thematic, regional and country leaders of AICCRA as well as pertinent national agencies and development partners. The Social Safeguard Specialist will work as a team with the Environmental Safeguards Specialist.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• A social science degree, preferably at Masters level, in one of the following disciplines: political science or policy, sociology, anthropology, gender studies, social assessment studies, development studies, international relations, or related fields.
• At least 8 years of experience in areas relevant to social risk management such as vulnerable groups and individuals, gender and social inclusion, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, livelihoods, stakeholder engagement, social impact analysis, assessment of social risks, etc.).
• Experience in Africa in compliance with social safeguards policies, especially with working with safeguards of international financial institutions.
• Good knowledge of the relevant regulations/directives and operations of multilateral development organizations and executing agencies. Minimum 2 years working experience at international organizations.
• Proven experience and skills in managing projects.
• Proven capacity to work across multiple stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), local communities, and the private sector.
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office, with advanced Power Point/presentation skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. 
• Multiple safeguards specialists are required, and for the specialist operating in West Africa, proficiency in written and oral communication in French is essential.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Knowledge and experience in international development - understands policy making process; distils operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills - Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Client Orientation - Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Drive for Results - Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.
• Teamwork (collaboration) and inclusion - Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Analyse facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

This is an international recruited position, the initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for gender, diversity and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter (in English) illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources Office, at (t.solis@cgiar.org) and should clearly indicate “Application: Safeguards Experts”.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 29 August. We reserve the right to recruit a suitable candidate before this deadline. 

Please note that applications that do not include all the information described above will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.