Social and Environmental Specialist

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA/ HUMAN CAPITAL RESILIENCE PROJECT

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST

 

The World Bank’s Board has approved US$20 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to finance the Saint Lucia Human Capital Resilience Project (SLHCRP).The Project seeks to strengthen the resilience of Saint Lucia’s population by using a two-pronged approach to strengthen human capital.

The Project includes a component on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which focuses on the promotion of higher quality technical and socio-emotional skills and the transformation of the TVET sector from a supply-driven system to a demand-driven system that responds to a dynamic labour market.

The Social Protection (SP) component concentrates on strengthening SP Policy Frameworks and improving the implementation of flagship social programs with an emphasis on increasing the efficiency and coverage of the Public Assistance Program (PAP), Saint Lucia’s main cash transfer program.

The Project will be implemented through a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) that will carry out the activities in pursuit of accomplishing the objectives. The PIU will be headed by a Project Manager (PM) who reports to the Permanent Secretary (PS), Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations.

The Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations, the Project Executing Agency, now invites interested eligible individuals to submit Expressions of Interest for the position of Social and Environmental Specialist.

The Social and Environmental Specialist shall ensure that social/environmental issues and social management activities are mainstreamed into the various components of the Project to make it compliant with environmental regulations, social safeguards, and Social and Environmental Assessment provisions.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of sixty (60) months. Contracts will however be offered for one (1) year, and will be subject to renewal based on job performance.

Expressions of Interest will be evaluated based on the following: expertise, qualifications and experience in undertaking similar assignments. The Expressions of Interest should include the Consultant’s updated curriculum vitae including: (i) personal and technical skills, (ii) experience in working with similar projects in developing countries, and (iii) the names of at least three (3) references with contact information (e-mail address, telephone or fax numbers).

In the evaluation of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience – as delineated in the attached Terms of Reference for this position,- local and regional experience on similar assignments, and existing commitments.

Following the assessment of submissions, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicants will be invited to an interview. The Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. The Department will not be bound to assign any reason for not shortlisting any applicant, and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.

Applications must be submitted in English to the address below and reach the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations no later than 4:30 pm local time on Friday, July 03, 2020.

Permanent Secretary

Policy & Administration Unit

Department of Education, Innovation & Gender Relations

4^th Floor, Francis Compton Building

Waterfront, Castries

SAINT LUCIA

Please note that the sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant, and shall be clearly marked “Human Capital Resilience Project- Title of Position”.

Further information including details of the project may be obtained by contacting 468 5285/5259 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm local time, Monday to Friday, or by emailing cpusecretary@education.gov.lc

Saint Lucia Human Capital Resilience Project –P170445

 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

 

Terms of Reference for Social and Environmental Specialist

Background

The World Bank’s Board has approved USD$20 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to finance the Saint Lucia Human Capital Resilience Project (SLHCRP). The Project aims to strengthen the resilience of Saint Lucia’s population by using a two-pronged approach to strengthen human capital. The components of the Project are as follows:

1. Strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (“TVET”) through enhanced enabling environments and course offerings for TVET, which will focus on the promotion of more and higher quality technical and socio-emotional skills and the transformation of the TVET sector from a supply-driven system to a demand-driven system that responds to a dynamic labour market.
2. Strengthening the Social Protection (SP) System through the enhancement of SP Policy Frameworks and improving the implementation of flagship social programs with an emphasis on increasing the efficiency and coverage of the main cash transfer program – the Public Assistance Program (PAP).
3. Provision of technical assistance, capacity building, TVET equipment and furniture, and Project Management support.

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development (MoE) and the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment (MoEQ) will work closely with the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the implementation of Project activities. The services of a Social and Environmental Specialist are hereby being sought.   

 

 

 

Objective:

The Social and Environmental Specialist is expected to ensure that social/environmental issues and social management activities are mainstreamed into the various components of the Project so that it is compliant with environmental regulations, social safeguards, and Social and Environmental Assessment provisions.

Terms of Assignment

The Social and Environmental Specialist will report to the Project Manager. The salary assigned to this post will be consistent with the level of responsibility envisaged and within the scope of the Government of Saint Lucia’s salary scales. A travelling allowance will be allocated for this position. It must be noted that this post does not include relocation allowance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Environmental and Social Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that the Project’s ultimate social and environmental impacts are achieved, and that any adverse impacts are effectively avoided and/or mitigated in a timely manner. The duties/responsibilities of the Social and Environmental Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• The Implementation of the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) of the Project, and the Environmental and Social Standards instruments: Social Assessment (SA), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Labour Management Procedures (LMP), Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), workers GRMs;

• Prepare and/or update social and environmental management plans (SA, SEP with its Grievance Redress Mechanism, and LMP with its Grievance Redress Mechanism for Project workers), review them on a regular basis and keep regular updates;

• As part of the LMP, develop and implement a code of conduct detailing measures on environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS), sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and violence against children;
• Monitor the implementation of the ESCP and the environmental and social management plans;

• Contribute to the design and delivery of learning programs on social sustainability and environmental risk management;

• Advise and instruct Project staff, consultants and other stakeholders on various social and environmental issues associated with project implementation to ensure that these issues are addressed;

• Conduct risk assessments and enforce preventative or mitigation measures;

• Contribute to the design and delivery of social and environmental advice to support relevant stakeholders;

• Conduct consultations with the relevant project beneficiaries and any Project Affected People (PAP) on a regular basis to ensure that issues are addressed in a timely manner and that project beneficiaries are kept abreast of developments;

• In collaboration with the Technical Coordinator, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and other team members, develop and implement a Beneficiary Feedback System (BFS) to determine the level of Citizen Engagement (CE) in the projects and its sub projects;

• Systematically document all community consultations and meetings held with project beneficiaries, local communities, stakeholders and any PAPs in the form of minutes of the meetings;

• Assist with development and implementation of the grievance redress mechanisms of the SEP and of the LMP;

• Record and investigate incidents to determine the cause of grievances and propose improvements to processes in the future;

• Systematically document all community consultations and meetings held with project beneficiaries, local communities and other stakeholders;

• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Project Manager;

• Give technical assistance so that all terms of reference for studies, capacity building, training, and any technical assistance activities carried out under the Project duly incorporate and take into consideration, the requirements (as applicable) of the Environmental and Social Standards of the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) of the Bank; the provisions of the SA, SEP, LMP and of the ESCP;

• Review and ensure that relevant aspects of the ESCP and ESS documents are incorporated into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents with consultants. Support with monitoring, to ensure that the consultants comply with the ESHS specifications of their respective contracts; and

• Support with the organization and implementation of training to Project workers on Environmental and Social Standards, Citizen Engagement, Stakeholder Engagement, GRM, and how these relate to Monitoring and Evaluation.

Outputs/deliverables

• Monthly reports.
• Documentation of all consulting processes and instruments produced, including Grievances and GRM logs.
• Biannual reports that consolidate the Environmental and Social performance of the Project and as inputs to the project’s biannual report. It will cover the environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but not limited to, the implementation of the ESCP, status of preparation and implementation of E&S documents required under the ESCP, stakeholder engagement activities, functioning of the grievance mechanism(s), citizen engagement, gender and participation.

Skills and Qualifications (Minimum Requirements):

Bachelor’s Degree or higher in relevant discipline (e.g. Social Science, Sociology, Economics, Law, Environmental Management or other related discipline);

Professional experience, preferably in the assessment and management of social and/or environmental impacts in a consultancy, industrial or commercial role would be an asset;

Ability to synthesize and analyze diverse social and environmental related data and information;

Strong interpersonal, oral and writing skills;

Demonstrated resourcefulness and initiative;

Strong training and facilitation skills;

Ability to work in teams and communicate effectively;

Familiarity with World Bank operations and procedures would be an asset; and

Ability to speak St. Lucian Creole would also be an asset.

Selection Criteria:

1. Strong background knowledge in the procedures and operations of the World Bank;
2. Knowledge of Government’s project implementation process in Saint Lucia;
3. Experience in the implementation or coordination of World Bank projects in the Eastern Caribbean, including the application of safeguard policies and knowledge on the ESF of the World Bank;
4. Training and experience in Project Management and/or project’s social management;
5. Experience in the preparation and implementation of consultations and systemization of information;
6. Ability to analyze issues relevant to Education and Social Protection;
7. Suitable academic qualifications; and
8. Should be eligible to work in Saint Lucia.

 

Duration

The contract of the Social and Environmental Specialist will be for a period of one year initially, and will be subject to renewal based on measurable performance in satisfying the objective of this position.