Social Safeguard Specialist

National Local Government Finance Committee

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UNITY AND CULTURE
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)
COUNTRY: MALAWI
NAME OF PROJECT: REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROGRAM FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA 2 (RCRP)
PROJECT ID #: P181308
Assignment Title: SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS SPECIALIST
Reference No.: MW-NLGFC-405643-CS-INDV
Date of Issue : 3rd April, 2025

1. INTRODUCTION
The Government of Malawi through Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has applied for financing toward the cost of the Regional Climate Resilient Programme (RCRP). The Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture and National Local Government Finance Committee as implementing agencies for sub-component 2.2 of the programme intends to apply part of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under the contract for hiring a Social Safeguard Specialist.

The Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture (MoLGUC) and National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates to fill the position of Social Safeguard Specialist, recruited as individual consultant following World Bank Procurement Regulations dated September 2023.

Position Title: Social Safeguard Specialist (1 Position)
Time Commitment: 100%
Accountable: Deputy Project Coordinator
Duration of Assignment: 5 years

2. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The Social Safeguard Specialist will support the Project Implementation Unit (LG-NGFC) in ensuring ensure that the construction and supervision of district-lead projects comply with the World Bank ESF and ESH guidelines as outlined in the governing Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Labour Management Procedures and Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), the Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) including all the supporting management plans as appropriate.

3. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Social Safeguards Specialist will be responsible for day-to-day facilitation of RCRP activities in ensuring full compliance with the requirements of the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan. The Social Safeguard

Specialist duties will include but will not be limited to:

  1. Preparing quarterly reports on the implementation of environmental and social management plans, ESIA, RAPs, stakeholder engagement, grievance management and other social safeguards matters to the PIU and PCU;
  2. Providing professional input/ support to local authorities regarding social concerns into the planning, design and contracting of investments, including the preparation of tender documents and contracts.
  3. Supporting local authorities in conducting environmental and social screening in collaboration with the Occupation Health and Safety Specialist (OHS) and Environmental Safeguard Specialist.
  4. Supporting local authorities in developing and /or reviewing E&S Instruments including Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), Contractors ESMPs (CESMPs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPS) of all sub-project activities implemented under district resilience sub-component in local authorities;
  5. In collaboration with other specialists, designing and delivering, or arrange for the delivery of social safeguards capacity building program to local authorities’ staff. This program will include formal training sessions as well as on the job coaching. The purpose is to strengthen the capacity of local authorities and other relevant stakeholders to implement social safeguard requirements effectively within the context of larger RCRP activities;
  6. Supervising local authorities to document all land acquisition and resettlement activities, maintaining consistent and regular contact with Project Affected Persons to make sure that the resettlement delivery adheres to national legislation, Project RPF and World Bank ESF.
  7. Facilitating and providing oversight to the local authorities on the formulation and implementation of RAP(s), including ensuring that resettlement compensation for replacement of lost assets and land access, as well as livelihood restoration activities, are successfully carried out and all grievances are resolved in line with the Project RPF.
  8. Supporting eligible local authorities in setting up and designing project level Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEP) including Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRM), and their implementation. This includes preparation of social safeguards information materials in line with the SEP, disseminating the information and engaging with relevant stakeholders especially affected communities and Project Affected People (PAPs) to ensure enhanced project awareness, transparency and social accountability). Ensure the GRM is operational including establishing and training of Grievance Redress Committees, management of GRM database and timely resolution of grievances.
  9. Supporting the local authorities in undertaking site visits and reviewing contractors’ compliance with site-specific CESMPs, Labour Management Procedures (LMPs), Codes of Conducts etc review of bid documents to ensure ESMP requirements are adequately included and costed as part of bid evaluation including determining and suggesting remedial actions in collaboration with the Environmental Expert and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Expert;
  10. Overseeing local authorities’ management of the day-to-day work of the Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)/Sexual Harassment (SH) Service Provider to ensure mechanisms are in place to prevent and respond to SEA/SH cases in line with national legislation, SEA/SH Action Plan (developed as part of the ESMF) and World Bank Good Practice Note.
  11. Following up on the implementation of ESMPs and social risk management in operations at district levels through Environmental District Officers (EDOs) and ensure that social issues are addressed through sub-project lifecycle;
  12. Preparing non-compliance reports and track respective responses/actions undertaken to ensure closure; preparation of periodic Social Compliance Monitoring Reports in relation to ESCP, ESMF, ESH Guidelines, and relevant Environment and Social instruments (ESIA, ESMP, etc.) requirements;
  13. Participating at the official meetings with the World Bank and other forums related to the project;
  14. Providing inputs and materials to Communication specialist for devising communication strategy,
    knowledge products and dissemination of results;
  15. Jointly create interface between the Environmental Specialist, OHS Specialist, Project Engineers, M&E Specialist, Communication Specialist, planning officers and enhance communication and interaction between the grassroots structures, the district and the Sectors ensuring sensitization of responsible groups at all levels;
  16. Ensuring that Labour Influx, Gender Based Violence (GBV), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), Child labour, HIV and AIDS including STI, Community Health and Safety, gender and social inclusion related impacts are addressed and mitigated during the project implementation;
  17. Ensuring that vulnerable people such as the ultra poor, women, people living with disabilities, People living with HIV and AIDS, Child headed households and people living with Albinism are not marginalized and affected negatively by the project;
  18. Providing any necessary project management support as may be assigned by the Deputy Project Coordinator; and
  19. Providing ad hoc support to other PlUs under the RCRP project regarding Social Safeguards
    activities as required.

4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The candidate should meet the following qualifications:

  1. Master’s Degree in Social Sciences; Gender and Development, Rural and Social Development Studies, or a related discipline
  2. A minimum of 10 years of experience in the field of Social Risk Management at a national level or international organization, handling social aspects of planning, assessing and implementing social risk management, stakeholder engagement and grievance management on civil works projects of various scale;
  3. Have a thorough working knowledge of the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework and have demonstrated experience in successfully preparing ESIAs, ESMPs and RAPs to national and World Bank standards;
  4. Have experience with designing and delivering capacity building programs;
  5. Familiar with issues related to GBV prevention and response in development.
  6. Be familiar with environmental, social and economic conditions prevailing in Malawi;
  7. Solid understanding of issues relating to local government systems in Malawi, construction management, reconstruction and conflict mitigation,
  8. Proven ability to coordinate stakeholder engagement activities including ability to speak persuasively and present ideas clearly and concisely;
  9. Have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and a fair understanding and speaking of Chichewa, as well as team participation and management skills;
  10. Strong organizational and communications skills and ability to interface with grassroots, district and sector players in the discipline; and
  11. Demonstrated Computer Skill (Proficiency in using computer desktop application MS Office (Word, Excel and Power Point).

5. DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The Contract is for an initial period of one-year and will thereafter be extended for the entire period of the project upon satisfactory completion of the assignment and satisfactory appraisal results.

6. LOCATION OF EMPLOYMENT

The Social Safeguards Specialist will be based at the PIU Office in Lilongwe, but would be required to travel regularly to local authorities where the RCRP sub component 2.2 is implementing its activities.

7. REPORTING

The Social Safeguard Specialist will report to the Deputy Project Coordinator on all administrative, operational and technical issues related to his/her functions and will collaborate with other specialist under the project.

8. MODE OF APPLICATION

Interested Individuals meeting the stated requirements should submit their Expressions of interest including updated detailed Curriculum Vitae (CVs) and copies of professional certificates must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by Monday, 16th April, 2025 on or before 16:00 hours, local time.

The Chairperson
Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee (IPDC)
National Local Government Finance Committee
P.O. Box 31162
Lilongwe 3
Malawi.
Email ed@nlgfc.gov.mw, procurment@nlgfc.gov.mw, aphiamalux1984@yahoo.com, recruitment@nlgfc.gov.com copy flemingsnyirenda@gmail.com