The Position – Senior Social Development Specialist

SAES2 seeks to hire a Senior Social Development Specialist to lead social risk management in the Bank’s operations in Kenya and Somalia, and to provide technical and programmatic support towards enhancing country systems for social and environmental risks management, citizen engagement and social accountability, social inclusion, social resilience and empowerment in World Bank supported operations. The Senior Social Development Specialist will be based in Nairobi, kenya, work closely with the Regional Standards Coordinator (RSC) and SSI CMU Coordinator and report directly to the SAES2 Practice Manager. The Candidate is also expected to work closely with the CMU and task teams in the country.

The incumbent will be part of a team of six social development specialists across the Country Management Unit (CMU), overseeing one of the Africa region’s largest International Development Association (IDA) portfolios.

Duties and Accountabilities:

As a core member of World Bank Task Teams, the Senior Social Development Specialist will advise teams and clients in various sectors, and support project designs and implementation, making sure that Bank-assisted projects are inclusive and present clear and implementable measures for addressing social risks whilst enhancing the social development outcomes in East Africa. The specialist will lead and promote social inclusion agenda in the design and implementation of projects in East Africa.

The Specialist will have the following key responsibilities:

• Advice task teams and clients in the public and private sectors on the Bank’s Environment and Social Framework (ESF) and Operational Policies, especially OP 4.03, social risks management and social benefits optimization across sectors throughout the project cycle.
• Provide technical and operational support to clients in operationalizing the Bank’s social standards, focusing on land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, Stakeholder engagement and consultation, grievance redress mechanisms, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and cultural heritage.
• Undertake social due diligence and prepare Environmental and Social Risks Review Summaries (ESRS) for new projects and relevant social section of Project Appraisal Documents, Project Operational Manual and/or Environmental, Social, Health and Safety Risk Management Manual, and complete necessary administrative activities used by the Bank to track and monitor social and environmental performance of projects.
• Undertake policy dialogue with borrowers on social sustainability and standards issues and advise counterparts on technical options for social development, particularly in relation to land acquisition and involuntary resettlement; indigenous peoples and other vulnerable and disadvantaged groups; labor management; community health and safety; cultural heritage; stakeholder engagement; grievance redressal; gender mainstreaming; and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH).
• Lead or contribute to SSI-led analytical and operational engagements, carry out policy dialogue in Kenya and Somalia, and social risk management, including engagements with internal and external clients on SSI business opportunities.
• Provide technical support to government agencies in implementing Bank financed projects in due diligence, preparing and implementing social risks management plans in accordance with the Bank’s ESF/policy requirements. These include social risks management plans such as the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), social assessments, stakeholder engagement plans (SEP), labor management procedures (LMP), plans for inclusion of historically underserved traditional local communities, resettlement action plans (RAP), environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA), gender based violence risk assessment and action plan with a focus on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH), and environmental and social management plans (ESMPs) as determined by the needs and impacts of a project, and Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
• Provide timely, expert technical reviews of social assessment products and other E&S instruments prepared by clients for other Bank Global Practices, such as energy and infrastructure, Water, Health, Urban Development, private sector development, and others as needed. In this regard, provide timely feedback and suggestions to clients on measures for ensuring such instruments are in line with the Bank’s Environmental and Social Standards.
• Participate in project preparation, appraisal, and supervision activities of project implementation, including operational missions and providing inputs related to social performance of projects into the mission Aid Memoirs (Ams), and support the resolution of emerging issues to ensure results on the ground and project implementation progress.
• Supervise the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency and conformity to Bank standards and requirements.
• Ensure timely reporting on SSI activities, including ESF, proactive monitoring, management, and preparation of relevant social risks management briefs.
• Support, mentor, and coach other Social Specialists and Short-Term Consultants (STCs) in handling complex technical, institutional, and program implementation issues regarding social risk management and social development in Kenya.

Policy and analytical work:

• Participate and contribute in cross-practice teams responsible for preparation of Systematic Country Diagnosis (SCDs), Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs), Development Policy Operations (DPOs), policy notes, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social development and social sustainability topics.
• Contribute to dialogue on the implementation of the Environmental and Social Framework with government officials, development partners, civil society, and other stakeholders, and coordinate the Bank’s relations with clients on social development.
• Participate in portfolio reviews on social sustainability and social risk management as required.
• Make recommendations on strategies and policy options for counterparts in local and central government agencies.
• Conduct and contribute to formal and informal analytical advisory activities and research work on key social development issues, notably related to local governance and service delivery, gender mainstreaming, and land property and tenure rights.
• Maintain active engagement with a broad range of key stakeholders, identifying potential partnerships and new opportunities for engagement around social development aimed at advancing social development in general and social risk management in particular.
• Work as an active member of the Country Office and Country Team/Unit.

Capacity building:

Work closely with ENB colleagues to enhance the capacity of the client countries to implement the Bank’s environmental and social framework for handling project risks and enhancing the sustainability of World Bank financed projects, especially in FCV contexts.

Reporting:

• Reports to Practice Manager, SAES2.
• Works under the under the general direction of the CMU Coordinator, based in Nairobi.

Selection Criteria

This is a challenging position suited to constructive, highly motivated professionals with an eye for detail, strategic and dynamic context of operations, and creative problem-solving abilities. The successful candidate should have extensive demonstrated experience in complex project settings, addressing social risk management throughout the project life cycle – from design, through implementation, to closure. In addition, the specialist is expected to have operational and analytical experience, leading or co-leading work in other areas of the SSI business lines such as citizen engagement and social accountability, gender and social inclusion, community and local development, and social dimensions of climate change. This position requires strong written and oral communication skills in English.

• At least a master’s degree in social sciences (i.e., Development Studies, Social Anthropology, Sociology, Gender and Development, International Development, Business Sustainability Management, and related subjects).
• A minimum of 8 years of direct professional experience in managing social and environmental risks in infrastructure projects in energy and extractives sector, water sector, finance, competitiveness and innovation (FCI) sector, transport and roads, urban development, large scale agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa and/or elsewhere in Sub-Sahara Africa.
• Knowledge and demonstrated competence in operationalizing the global sustainability frameworks of International Finance Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework, IFC’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards, and standards of other Development Partners. This includes experience in managing the following thematic issues in projects settings: social impact assessment of projects on different populations, land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, stakeholder engagement, consultation and inclusion, community health and safety, social investment interventions, etc. Ability to innovate and strategically address these issues, balancing development imperatives against sustainability challenges, and remaining client focused.
• Experience in working in Fragile and Conflict and Violence (FCV) affected areas is an added advantage.
• Ability to develop innovative approaches to mitigate social risks or overcome difficult challenges across a range of investment projects. Demonstrated ability to work across practices, work in cross-thematic teams, and foster teamwork.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task, prioritize and be versatile enough to deal with frequent and unexpected changes and work within tight project schedules.
• Ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment, manage multiple tasks, identify and respond to evolving project contexts, and remain flexible and self-motivated in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment.
• Excellent oral and written skills in English in essential, and ability to present complex social risks and sustainability issues to diverse audiences. Knowledge of Kiswahili and other local languages in Kenya is a plus.
• Acting with integrity to build trust and to create an enabling environment as a team member or lead.
• Demonstrated ability to translate analytical work into policy advice and substantial, practical recommendations.

Professional traits and willingness.

• Demonstrated experience in managing teams, mentorship, interpersonal communication, problem solving, and change management.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, and ability to think innovatively and strategically to find solutions to complex development problems.
• Readiness for frequent travel within Country duty station and the AFE region.
• Proven ability to work in and actively contribute to teams and champion a positive team dynamic.
• Experience working in a multicultural setting