Overview
The Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS) Analyst will ensure project activities comply with environmental and social safeguard standards, oversee the preparation and implementation of management plans, and monitor compliance.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee the preparation and integration of site-specific ESMPs and IPP into contractor agreements and project implementation.
- Track implementation of ESMP and IPP commitments and conduct field visits for monitoring.
- Prepare compliance reports and recommend corrective actions.
- Conduct environmental and social screening of activities to identify risks and advise on adaptive management strategies.
- Provide technical support to government partners and build community awareness on safeguards.
- Operationalize the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and monitor stakeholder engagement.
- Integrate safeguards commitments into project workplans, budgets, and MEL framework.
- Provide regular updates on safeguards performance to the PMU, Project Board, UNDP, and GCF.
- Support evaluations by ensuring environmental and social performance is assessed.
- Capture good practices, lessons learned, and contribute to knowledge products.
- Ensure reporting aligns with international standards and integrate GESI perspectives into safeguard assessments.
Required Experience
- A minimum of 2 years (with a master’s degree) or 4 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at strategic level in environmental and social safeguards or related fields.
- Experience in coordinating with diverse stakeholders (government, contractors, communities, development partners) to facilitate safeguards compliance and risk management.
- Proven knowledge of environmental and social safeguards frameworks, including Social and Environmental Standards (SES) and GCF requirements.
- Experience preparing Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and implementing Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMFs) is highly desirable.
- Practical experience with occupational health and safety (OHS) standards, labor management, and community health and safety safeguards.
- Knowledge of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and environmental protection relevant to mountain and high-altitude ecosystems.
- Experience operationalizing and monitoring grievance redress mechanisms (GRMs) and facilitating stakeholder engagement processes.
- Knowledge of climate change adaptation projects, including Eco-DRR measures, early warning systems, and water-related infrastructure.
- Experience working with government agencies at national and local levels, ideally in Nepal or similar federal contexts.
- Experience with donor compliance requirements, safeguards audit processes, and project governance frameworks.
- Prior experience with UNDP or GCF-financed projects.
- Experience in demonstrating ability to document lessons learned and contributing to knowledge products on safeguards implementation.
Qualifications
- Advanced University Degree (Master´s degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, Social Science, Political Science, Environmental Science or other relevant discipline is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields in combination with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree.
