Senior Specialist / Social Safeguards Specialist
Asuncion, Paraguay
The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile and passionate people, united to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Those who work with us find purpose and do what they love most in an inclusive, collaborative, agile and rewarding environment.
About this job
The IDB’s Environmental and Social Solutions Unit (ESG) aims to identify and manage environmental and social impacts and risks in the Bank’s operations to achieve its long-term environmental and social viability, and promote sustainable development in the region, having as its mission the implementation of the IDB’s environmental and social policies. In this context, the ESG team in Paraguay aims to provide dedicated and specific support to the Bank and the project executors in that country in the management of the environmental and social risks of the project portfolio.
We are looking for a local specialist in social safeguards to join the team of environmental and social specialists who promote the environmental and social strategy of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with the objective of guaranteeing the sustainability of the Bank’s project portfolio in Paraguay. The specialist will work in the IDB Representation in Asunción and will be part of a team from the Environmental and Social Solutions Unit, dedicated to providing support in the application of safeguards to project teams, to the IDB office in the country and to the executors of IDB operations in Paraguay. The social specialist will be responsible for the preparation of new operations and the supervision of projects in execution with high and substantial socio-environmental risk.
This is what you will do
- Review and pre-classify operations for compliance with operational safeguard policies and the Environmental and Social Policy Framework (MPAS).
- Advise internal and external clients on sustainability in the design, preparation and execution of Bank operations with a focus on environmental and/or social risks, including: o Develop and maintain communication and relationships with clients.
o Manage and perform environmental and social due diligence.
o Monitor projects to ensure implementation of mitigation measures.
o Support technical cooperation aimed at helping clients in the analysis or implementation of environmental and/or social mitigation measures.
- Review technical documents prepared by the executing agencies or by the project operational teams related to socio-environmental issues of the operation;
- Conduct control meetings, missions and technical evaluations of the socio-environmental work carried out within the framework of the projects mentioned in this document, using these inputs to guide clients in the continuous improvement of the work carried out and to update the socio-environmental risk assessments (ESRR) throughout the project execution cycle;
- Participate in synchronous activities (meetings, training, among other remote and/or in-person activities) with the HUB coordinator, the ESG team of other HUBs and/or HQ, the IDB operational team or with other public spaces that require your participation ;
- Provide guidance on safeguarding issues to external consultants engaged by project teams or implementing agencies;
- Carry out missions as part of the preparation of operations and the implementation of the supervision plan for specific operations in execution financed by the IDB.
- Prepare internal reports (e.g. Environmental and Social Review Summary, Supervisory Reports with their Action Plans) to mitigate environmental and/or social risks identified during the preparation and execution of operations.
- Support the implementation of the action plans mentioned above;
- Support the HUB coordinator in the participation of the ESG in Portfolio Reviews, preparation of Supervision Plans and other activities requested in the Bank’s Representation in Paraguay, when necessary;
- At the request of the ESG, provide support and monitoring to projects involved in an MICI process (IDB Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism).
- Receive training on the new IDB Environmental and Social Policy Framework (MPAS) and provide similar training to IDB sector specialists, consultants and executing agencies.
This is what you need
- Education : Master’s degree in social sciences, anthropology, sociology or related fields;
- Experience : minimum seven (7) or more years of experience as an environmental specialist in the management of social aspects in investment projects in multiple sectors, especially housing and urban planning, water and sanitation, natural resource management, energy, transportation and rural development. Knowledge and work experience in Paraguay are essential; Previous experience with multilateral banks and/or financial institutions is desirable. Skill in managing complex social issues. Experience in initiatives to strengthen environmental and social institutional capacities, in planning and reporting on multilateral development operations and experience in negotiation with teams and clients on complex projects.
- Languages : You will need to be fluent (spoken and written) in Spanish. Knowledge of an additional official Bank language (English or Portuguese) is an advantage.
- Travel : availability to travel within and outside of Paraguay.
The selected specialist must have some of the following technical skills:
- Involuntary resettlement: identify the impacts and risks associated with involuntary resettlement processes, both physical and economic, and develop resettlement plans for these cases;
- Social impact assessment: identify direct, indirect and cumulative social impacts in investment projects and define mitigation measures for them;
- Public consultations: support clients in the design and implementation of public consultation processes and in the design and implementation of complaints and claims response mechanisms;
- Sociocultural analysis: develop terms of reference for the development of a social baseline of the project, including the evaluation of potential social and cultural impacts and their mitigation measures in groups with cultural specificities;
- Indigenous peoples: identify the impacts and risks for indigenous peoples, their rights or their heritage, individually or collectively.
- Gender: Identify proactive and preventive actions to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts of projects on women or men due to gender issues.
Key skills
- Continuous learning.
- Collaborate and share knowledge.
- Focus on customers.
- Communicate and influence.
- Innovate and try new things.
Requirements:
Citizenship: You are a citizen of Paraguay or have residence or legal permit to work in Paraguay.
Consanguinity: You do not have family members (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including your spouse) who work at the IDB, IDB Invest or IDB Lab.
Contract type and duration
Contract for national officials, initially 36 months, renewable by mutual agreement.
What we offer
The IDB Group offers benefits that respond to the different needs and moments in an employee’s life. These benefits include: A competitive compensation package
Leaves and vacations: 24 days of paid vacation + 8 personal days + sick leave + parental leave without distinction of gender.
Health Insurance: The IDB Group provides employees and eligible dependents with a robust health benefits program that covers medical, dental, vision, preventive care and prescription medications.
Pension Plan: A defined benefit plan that provides financial security and helps employees plan for their future.
Flexible and hybrid work schedules
Health and Wellness: Access to our Health Services Center that offers employees preventive care and health education.
Development support: We offer tools to improve your professional profile, such as mentoring, individualized career advice, training and learning opportunities, language courses, mobility options, among others.
Our culture
At the IDB Group, we work for everyone to give their best and bring their true self to work, be willing to try new approaches without fear, be accountable for their actions and be rewarded for them.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are the pillars of our organization. We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and encourage women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, Black and Indigenous people to apply.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job interview process. If you are a qualified candidate who has a disability, please email us at diversity@iadb.org to request a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.
Our Human Resources Team thoroughly reviews each request.
About the IDB Group
The IDB Group, composed of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest and IDB Lab, offers flexible financing solutions to its member countries to finance economic and social development through loans and subsidies to public and private entities in the Americas. Latin and the Caribbean.
About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank’s mission is to improve lives. Founded in 1959, the IDB is one of the main sources of long-term financing for the economic, social and institutional development of Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research projects and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private clients throughout the region.
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Additional Information
- External Opening Date: Aug 28, 2023
- External Closing Date: Sep 11, 2023
- Job Field: Sector