ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARD SPECIALIST

Job Description - ROLE OVERVIEW We are looking for a Senior HSEC / E&S Specialist to join ESS (Environmental and Social Sustainability), Africa's premier advisory services firm focused on sustainable development and management of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks in Africa and emerging economies. The ideal candidate is an experienced project manager with around 10 years of experience. We are prioritising bilingual / multilingual candidates, so we ask that candidates speak at least advanced professional English, as well as fluent French and/or Portuguese. Additional African languages capability will be favorably considered. A wide network of contacts in key industries will also be strongly regarded. The role includes working on international projects in a variety of sectors, including: - Financial services and lending institutions, including international financial institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), African Development Bank (AfDB) etc. - Mining - Energy and renewables - Agribusiness - Manufacturing - Transport (road, rail, ports, airports etc.). We are looking for people who are motivated to work remotely with our team situated across Africa, with occasional project visits. - ABOUT ESS Our mission is to help develop the next generation of ESG and sustainability specialists in Africa and emerging economies. Our teams are based in the countries where we work, and are driven by a desire to contribute to the protection of the environment and community well-being where we live. What sets us apart is that we are an African company run in Africa by Africans, working to an international standard and quality. We understand emerging markets because we contribute directly to their emergence, and see ESG and sustainability as a key component to just and sustainable growth. We believe in implementation, not just writing endless reports and assessments that rarely get actioned. As such, we assist financial institutions and private companies in understanding where gaps in their project lie in relation to international frameworks on ESG (i.e. IFC Performance Standards), sustainability (such as the Sustainable Development Goals / SDGs) and national legislation, as well as provide support on sustainability reporting in line with GRI and other standards. Once gaps are ascertained, we then provide on-going, site-based support to address gaps and develop capacity within the client organisation, via our unique HSEC Outsourcing approach. - KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Our Senior HSEC / E&S Specialists are responsible for undertaking E&S Due Diligence (ESDDs) and gap analysis studies, as well as ensuring that our site-based HSEC Managers are adequately supported The Position Has The Following Key Responsibilities - Project manage teams across Africa and emerging economies - Bid on and win work, including developing strong contacts with potential and existing clients - Manage and support teams undertaking ESDD / gap analysis studies in line with national and international compliance frameworks - Provide support to client organisations in developing teams and implementing measures to meet compliance standards, including supporting ESS and client teams to undertake the following activities: - Prepare scope of works and manage teams (including consultants) to undertake key studies (baseline, ESIA, critical habitat etc.) - Develop ESG / sustainability targets and implement measures to attain targets - Prepare ESG / sustainability strategies and other key reports in line with GRI and similar reporting standards - Develop and implement robust HSEC Management System (HSECMS) to ISO 14001 / 45001 standards, as well as provide inputs into other key systems (i.e. HR, security etc.), plans and reporting structures - Undertake any other related studies, planning, reporting and activities as required - Build and maintain strong relationships within ESS to maximise interdisciplinary problem-solving, maintain confidentiality and improve service quality - Provide guidance and develop capacity with colleagues across the organisation on sustainability issues, including mentoring of international staff members. - SKILLS Requirements The right candidate should possess and be able to demonstrate the following skills in order to adequately respond to the requirements of the role: - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Fluent English, as well as at least advanced French (additional African languages a bonus) - Strategic thinking, analytical and research skills - Strong interpersonal and communication skills - Experience in training and capacity building - Advanced IT skills Excel, Word, PowerPoint - Ability to produce high quality documents. - QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE The preferred candidate will possess some or all of the following qualifications / experience: Qualifications - Educated to Bachelor degree level, preferably with 2:1 degree and in an environmental, social or sustainability-related discipline - Masters, preferably in an environmental, social or sustainability-related discipline - Approximately 10 years or more of experience working in consulting and/or management role - Prior experience working on projects in Africa and emerging economies - Membership of a professional body e.g. IEMA, IES Experience - Leadership of teams (line management and/or project management) - Developing strategic documents for companies - Writing policies and procedures - Experience conducting audits and verification of ESG / sustainability data - Environmental management systems (e.g. ISO 14001) and/or other management systems (ESMS, HSMS etc.) - Development and implementation of ESG / sustainability considerations into core business processes and procedures - Experience in setting, measuring and analysing ESG / sustainability KPIs and targets - Reporting according to key standards i.e. GRI, TCFD etc. - Benchmarking of projects against standards and other similar projects - Thought leadership in driving improvement of company services - Engagement with stakeholders e.g. senior management, external bodies and standards, clients etc. - Provision of training and development.