Environmental and Social Inclusion Officer x3 at Ministry of National Development Planning

Zambia has been implementing the World Bank supported Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) aimed at strengthening Zambia ‘s institutional framework for climate resilience (while) improving the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities in selected Sub-basins. This phase strengthens capacity at both national and local levels, whilst piloting the mainstreaming of climate risk management into spatial planning. Investments supported by the Zambia PPCR on the ground include participatory adaptaton, climate-resilient infrastructure and strategic program support in agriculture, water, livestock, fisheries and natural resources and climate information scrvices. The investments were targeted at helping the country to manage the challenge of land degradation, unsustainable land use and climate variability and change.

Building on the programmatic approach for the implementation of the PPCR in Western Province of Zambia and scaling up lessons from it, the Government of the Republic of Zambia with the support of the World Bank
will be implementing the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) project in the Northern region of Zambia, in three provinces, namely; Luapula. Northern and Muchinga. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve natural resource management in the northern regon of Zambia to support sustainable livelihoods, and in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency, to provide immediate and effective response to the eligible crisis or emergency. TRALARD project will cover a number of thematic areas including sustainable landscape management, restoration and resilience: intrastructure tor resilience  and market access; and contingency emergency response, to support one of the poorest regions in the country by integrating livelihood improvement with natural resource sustainability. The interventions will operationalize landscape approaches to contribute to the national forest landscapes restoration requirements as well as enhance resilience and development in the Northern region and deepen the work in southern region of the country.

The impacts of climate change, subtle or gradual as they are, remain persistent. They are taking their toll on the natural resource base of the region. exacerbating the already vulnerable context of the people.

The government of Zambia has embraced an integrated approach to development investments at landscape level. To respond to the challenges of sustainable livelihoods by restoring degraded forest lands and through  multi-dimension renewable natural resource sustainable use and restoration, will require a demand for a large scale, landscape approach that could impact thousands of rural level communities.

The Ministry of National Development Planning now invites applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the following vacancies as part of the TRALARD Project Implementation Units (PIUS) in the three (3) target  provinces of Luapula, Muchinga and Northern provinces;

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INCLUSION OFFICER- 3 Positions (01 -Luapula, 01-Muchinga, 01- Northern)

OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

To support Environmental and Social Inclusion activities as well as Monitoring and Evaluation activities on the TRALARD project. To implement the environmental and sodal safeguards of the programme in  accordance With World Bank (Wd) sateguard policies and standards including Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines as well as national laws and policies and give guidance and advice to the implementing  agencies and local communities on environmental and social project related matters.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

• To implement the Environmental and Social Management Framework and the Process Framework and Resettlement Policy Framework in accordance with WB safeguard policies and guidelines including
• To undertake due diligence on sub-grant proposals to ensure compliance with Environmental and Social Management Framework, Pest Management Plan Process Framework and the Resettlement Policy Framework guidelines including field vlsits as necessary;
• Liaise with other project officials including in the NPCU, to ensure that the project observes WB and Government’s safeguard policies and guidelines including health and safety standards;
• Support the Project Operations Officer, in the review of project (current or future) Environmental and Social Management Plans and Resettlement Action Plans, and livelihoods support plans;
• In liaison with the Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist at NPCU, support the community facilitators during the identification and appraisal of sub-projects and ensure the use of the environmental and social screening checklist of sub-projects for inclusion into overall  project design;
• Undertake periodic on-site monitoring and desk review of the sub projects under implementation and formulation respectively to monitor physical progress, ensure compliance with implementation, financial, procurement and environmental and social safeguards guidelines (EIA Act of 2011) and also to provide timely feedback for decision-making:
• Develop, in collaboration with the National project Coordinating unit, a field monitonng Plan and reporting framework for key project indicators and continuously update these indicators as maybe required in the Project Results Framework;
• Analyzing potential sub-projects for their environmental and social impacts in consultation with Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA);
• Support and guide the preparation of local land-use plans and community natural resource action plans;
• Working with the NPCU Environmental and Social Safeguards unit, oversee the effective implementation of the gender strategy and identify critical project areas for gender and social inclusion based interventions:
• Lead the development of tools to collect data on project activities and performance and collate information on project performance at all levels of implementation and regularly document lessons leamt on various interventions of the project;
• Ensure environmental and social grievances are managed effectively and transparently through the grievance redress mechanisms;
• Support communities in ensuring sustainable management of natural resources in collaboration with social and environmental staff at provincial and cfistrict levels and undertake or support relevant studies and Surveys;
• Liaise with relevant provincial government representatives including local authorities/chiefs during implementation of environmental and social safeguards of the project;
• Coordinate and initiate the timely preparation of annual work plans and budgets in collaboration with the Project Operations Officer and produce timely Monthly, Quarterly and Annual progress reports on the overall project.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A university degree in Environmental Planning and Management, Regional Planning, Development Plannng/Economics, Geography, Agriculture Economics, Forestry or other relevant social sciences, with an added certificate or proven experience in Statistics or Demography;
• Minimum of 4 years of experience working on Social and  Environmental matters, in addition also 3 years’ experience in community-based projects and knowledge of monitoring and evaluation of the projects/programmes;
• Experience in successfully applying environmental and social standards to both high and low risk projects, with minimal supervision, covering issues of nvoluntary resettlement, vulnerable  communities, labor, community health and stakeholder engagement etc.
• Extensive experience conducting social development consultative and participatory approaches with ability to coach others in the application of the interventions and proven experience of field data collection.
• Working knowledge in the Zambian context and demonstrated understanding of Zambian environmental and socially related laws and regulations. Preferably in the field of protected areas including parks and forests.
• Proof of either qualification or experience in the use of standard computer software applications for planning and statistical analysis such as MS Excel, STATA, SPSS or MS Project:
• Demonstrated experience working with donor/cooperating partners’ supported projects;
• Demonstrated understanding of World Bank safeguard policies and Government environmental and social frameworks is an added advantage;
• Good communication and writing skills;
• Computer literate with skills in Excel, Word, Power point. and
• Ability to be a gocd team player, self-starter, ability to work under minimum supervision and maintain good relationships in a multi cultural environment;

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The contract will be for a period of 24 months with possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance.

REPORTING

The Environmental ard Social Inclusion Officer shall report to the Project Operations Officer PIU; In addition, the Officer shall collaborate with the Environmental and Social Inclusion Specialist at the NPCU.

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