Environmental Safeguard Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. 

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources. 

Specifically, FAO Country Offices: 

(i)    advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate.
(ii)    provide technical assistance and deliver core services. 
(iii)    assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation. 
(iv)    position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation. 
(v)    ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

The project “Building a Resilient Churia Region in Nepal” (BRCRN) is Nepal’s first full-size Green Climate Fund (GCF) project. FAO, as the nominated Accredited Entity (AE) for the project, is responsible to the GCF for implementation of the project and is also co-Executing Entity (EE) with the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) of the Government of Nepal (GoN). The BRCRN project is implemented in 26 critical river systems in the southeast region of Nepal, covering parts of Koshi, Madhesh and Bagmati province, linking the Churia hills and upper Tarai, and aims to promote widespread adoption of climate- resilient land use practices, confront the challenges of deforestation and forest degradation, better maintain the forest ecosystem in the Churia hills, and build resilience to climate-induced hazards.

In its capacity as co-EE, FAO provides intensive technical support to develop the detailed plans for project investment, to develop capacity among relevant national, provincial and local institutions for project implementation, to ensure quality control of the technical services provided through project implementing partners, and to provide technical advice to the project management team. 

The Environmental Safeguard Specialist will be responsible for the capacity development of project stakeholders, implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), and for the development of strategies, guidelines, procedures and other tools for mainstreaming the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). National Environmental Safeguard Specialist provides support to Gender and Indigenous Peoples (GIP) Specialist for the implementation of Social Inclusion Management Plan and Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) and lead the monitoring and reporting of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of FAO Representative in Nepal, in close consultation with the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), with overall technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer, direct supervision of the TA Project Manager, in close cooperation with the BRCRN National Project Director (NPD) under MoFE; the National Consultant - Environmental Safeguard Specialist will undertake the following tasks.

Technical Focus

•    Implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP), developing communication materials, disseminating good practices and learning.
•    Capacity building of project personnel and partners on environmental safeguards: PMU, PPMUs and FAO TA staff and stakeholders involved in the project implementation.
•    Implementation of safeguard guidelines, procedures and tools for mainstreaming ESMF
•    Monitoring and reporting on safeguard

Tasks and responsibilities

The Environmental Safeguard Specialist will be responsible to carry out the following tasks:

Task 1: Implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP), developing communication materials, disseminating good practices and learning

•    Support in implementation ESMP developed for each river system in coordination with GIP Specialist
•    Prepare/update the required procedures/strategies and tools for ensuring the integration of the safeguards into activities implementation cycle. 
•    Develop communication materials related to environmental safeguards and disseminate mobilizing eco-clubs, Natural Resource Management (NRM) field schools and other channels as appropriate for awareness on environmental safeguards at community level
•    Facilitate similar projects, programs, development partners and stakeholders at national, provincial and local levels to promote good practices on safeguards.
•    Backstopping and technical advisory support to MoFE/PMU (Safeguard Focal Person), PPMU (Gender and Safeguard Officers)

Task 2: Capacity building of project personnel and partners on environmental safeguards: PMU, PPMUs, FAO TA staff and stakeholders involved in the project implementation
•    Develop and update the training material in line with the requirements of the ESMP in collaboration with GIP Specialist and orient to the PPMU and provincial government staff for its effective implementation
•    Provide training and onsite coaching on environmental safeguards to PMU, PPMUs, provincial government and FAO TA staff
•    Integrate safeguard requirement in the different training manuals developed by the project
•    Build awareness on safeguard policy/guidelines/tools to stakeholders at national, province and local level

Task 3: Implementation of safeguard guidelines, procedures and tools for mainstreaming ESMF 
•    Facilitate integration of safeguard guidelines, procedures and tools in Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB) and implementation of project activities in collaboration with GIP Specialist
•    With reference to project’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Guidelines, integrate the mitigation measures to the risks identified in ESMP in programme implementation procedures
•    Revise and update the guidelines and checklist as necessary and adopt and integrate it with the activity implementation cycle
•    Review and update safeguard policy periodically, as necessary in coordination with GIP Specialist

Task 4: Monitoring and reporting on safeguard
•    Integrate safeguard data with project database system
•    Monitor regularly the activities implemented focusing on compliance with ESMF, prepare report, including recommendations for remedial actions as necessary, for sharing with project management team and inclusion in regular reporting
•    Other tasks as assigned by the project manager

FAO Standards and guidelines:

Liaison with the OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes. 

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including: 
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en   
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia    
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en  
FAOSTYLE: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en   
FAO terminology: http://www.fao.org/faoterm  
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en    
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).  

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section. 

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Masters in environmental sciences /forestry/agriculture and other related subjects
•    Minimum 7 years of work experience in advisory and technical service delivery on environmental safeguards
•    Proficiency in both spoken and written English
•    National of Nepal or resident in the country with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills        
    
•    Knowledge of environmental and social issues relevance to Climate Change and Natural Resource Management projects
•    Experiences on designing and delivering training to stakeholders on environmental safeguards
•    Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams in a multicultural environment
•    Strong inter-personal skills and excellent oral communication skills
•    Proven ability to work with government of Nepal institutions 
•    Environmental and Social Management Framework/Plan development/Implementation
•    Gender Mainstreaming
•    Capacity Building and Training
•    Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
•    Policy Development
•    Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
•    Knowledge Management
•    Resource Mobilization
•    Effective Communication
•    Coordination and Cooperation for project management 

Selection Criteria

•    Knowledge of Computer skills in MS office package (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)  and knowledge and experience of report writing and technical document preparation.
•    An Environmental Safeguard (ES) Specialist should possess strong understanding of environmental and social management framework/plans and expertise in integrating it into program design, implementation and evaluation, conducting stakeholder analyses, building stakeholder capacity, engaging diverse stakeholders, and managing knowledge dissemination 
•    Demonstrated experience in the development and implementation of environmental and social management framework/plan/guidelines in a development context.
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills to develop reports, training materials, and advocate for environmental safeguards with stakeholders.
•    Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government, NGOs, and community organizations, to promote gender equality.