Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer

Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Environmental Affairs Department
ASSIGNMENTS UNDER CHAMPIONING LOCAL ADAPTATION FOR PRODUCTIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND ENHANCED RESILIENCE (CLAP FOR RESILIENCE) PROJECT

1.0 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The Malawi Government has received financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the Championing Local Adaptation for Productive Ecosystems and Enhanced Resilience (CLAP for Resilience) Project in the three districts of Kasungu, Nkhotakota and Mchinji for 72 months ( 6 years). Communities in the Bua River basin in Central Region of Malawi are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, increasingly unpredictable and erratic rainfall, and more frequent and intense climate hazards such as droughts and floods are exacerbating the existing effects of deforestation and land degradation. These factors weaken the delivery of ecosystem services (including erosion control, soil water infiltration, flood attenuation, and pest and disease control), thereby causing a decline in agricultural yields and leaving rain-fed subsistence farmers trapped in a cycle of intensifying food insecurity and deepening poverty – particularly for marginalised groups such as women and unemployed youth.

1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The objective of the CLAP for Resilience project is to increase adaptive capacities and reduce the vulnerabilities of communities to climate change impacts through integrated catchment-based approaches that enable local communities to partner with the private sector to rejuvenate agriculture and enhance investments in climate-resilient livelihoods. This integrated approach will address several remaining barriers to adaptation and resilience, ensuring that the communities living in the target districts are resilient and develop in a sustainable way under current and future climate conditions. Four project components will support the project objective, namely:

  1. Component 1: Strengthening capacities to support gender responsive grassroots interventions for climate change adaptation and governance of resources for long term resilience;
  2. Component 2: Supporting adoption of climate smart and nature-based solutions for climate-resilient agriculture and ecosystems;
  3. Component 3: Strengthening private sector engagement for investments in economic value chains and climate-resilient livelihoods;
  4. Component 4: Participatory planning and knowledge management for sustainability.

2.0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM

To effectively implement the Project for 6 years, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change through the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is therefore inviting applications for the following positions; (i)Project Manager(1), (ii) Monitoring and Evaluation Officer(1), (iii) Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer (Part time Consultant) (1), (iv) Finance and Administrative Officer (1), (v) District Project Coordinators (3), (vi) Finance and Administrative Assistants (3), to manage the day to day operations of the project.

The Project Manager, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer, the Finance and Administration Officer will operate from the Project Management Unit (PMU) based at the Environmental Affairs Department offices in Lilongwe and will be reporting to the Director of Environmental Affairs. The District Project Coordinators and Finance and Administration Assistants will operate from Mchinji, Nkhotakota and Kasungu District Councils and will report to the Director of Environmental Affairs through the Project Manager based at Environmental Affairs Department in Lilongwe.

Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer (Part time Consultant, 9 Months over a period of 72 Months)

Overall Description of the duties
The Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer will work directly with technical officers from the Environmental Affairs Department, Malawi Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and the PMU and will report to the Director of Environmental Affairs through the CLAP for Resilience Project Manager. This position demands highly qualified professionals having strong technical competence in providing strategic guidance to the Project Management Unit (PMU) and government line departments in ensuring that environmental and social safeguards policies and standards in implementing project activities. The Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer will be employed on part time as a consultant contract and will be required to work for 9 months over a period of 72 Months.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Monitor progress in the development/implementation of the Project’s ESMP/ESMF, ensuring that UNDPs SES policy is fully met and the reporting requirements are fulfilled.
  • Interface with national authorities in charge of environment and climate change management to ensure implementation of environmental and social safeguards, including preparation of ecosystem-based management plans (EBAs), ESIAs, ESMPs and GRM, are developed and conform to Government’s Environment Management Act of 2017 and other existing Environmental and Social regulations and policies
  • Oversee/develop/coordinate the implementation of all safeguard-related work; and facilitate full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people
  • Ensure social and environmental grievances are managed effectively and transparently.
  • Review the SESP annually, and update and revise the corresponding risk log; mitigation/management plans as necessary;
  • Ensure full disclosure with concerned stakeholders.
  • Review the project related documentation to better understand the implications of proposed environment and natural resources management and climate change adaptation investments under the Programme
  • Ensure environmental and social risks are identified, avoided, mitigated and managed throughout project implementation; and
  • Work with the M&E officer to ensure reporting, monitoring and evaluation fully address the safeguard issues of the Project.
  • Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of the Projects
  • Facilitate the Screening of microprojects for determination of further environmental work
  • Conduct a quality review of early drafts of SESPs (or “pre-SESPs”) to ensure proper identification and categorization of risk.
  • Undertake safeguards oversight missions, as needed and per projects’ M&E plans etc.
  • Quality assures safeguards sections of progress reports and evaluations (e.g. donor reports, annual progress reports, GEF PIR mid-term and final evaluations) and contribute substantively where in line with the oversight function (e.g. in support of relevant Team Lead)
  • Track progress of high/substantial risk and other priority projects’ implementation of required SES elements
    (ESIA, GRM, stakeholder engagement, disclosure, etc.)
  • Ensure project-level grievance mechanisms are established within the project governance structure and that relevant safeguard risks are monitored
  • Prepare an annual report on Environmental and Social Safeguards implementation in the office, capturing key lessons learned and recommendations for how to strengthen SES implementation moving forward.
    Support preparation of baseline surveys including climate vulnerability assessments and environmental impact analysis in the targeted community.
  • Provide technical guidance to ensure that natural resource management investments reduce environmental degradation and assist farmers in the scheme cluster areas adapt to impact climate change, and contributes to sustainable land and water management practices
  • Facilitate integration of relevant and cross-cutting environmental, natural resources and climate change management issues
  • Periodically, carry out the necessary coordination activities for environmental activities and perform related field work as required and submitting clear and concise written reports based on field inspections

Qualifications and Experience

  • A minimum of bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Management and Natural Resources Management or Gender and Development from an accredited University is a must.
  • 5 years work experience with relevant and proven track record in similar assignments related to implementation or supervision of environment and natural resources management projects / programmes.
  • Work experience in adaptation of climate change and integrated water resources management or experience in donor funded programmes will be an added advantage

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants that satisfy the requirements in the ToRs should submit their applications including a signed application letter indicating the position they are applying for with an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV); Names and Contacts of Three Traceable Referees; Copies of Certificates by 16:30PM on 17h September, 2025 to:

The Director of Environmental Affairs,
Lingadzi House,
P/Bag 394,
LILONGWE 3.

For the detailed job descriptions, please follow the link; https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nxMUtkdfalGehzfZtRm75fXLvbKOUySn/view?usp=sharing