Job Responsibilities

• Conduct a quality review of early drafts of SESPs (or “pre-SESPs”) to ensure proper identification and categorization of risk; 
• Advise project design team and/or PMU on needed social and environmental assessments/management plans and safeguards expertise, including review of related ToRs. (e.g., ESIA, ESMP, ESMF, IPP, RAP, SEP, relevant ToRs, etc.); 
• Confirm validity of any SESP exemptions;
• Quality assure final SESPs prior to submission to PAC or Project Board (for Nature, Climate and Energy Vertical Fund projects, clearance will be prior to submission for Headquarters “Safeguards Clearance”);
• Support recruitment, onboarding and oversight of safeguards consultants to the project management units hired to support SES execution in projects;
• Quality assure draft and final SES documentation for projects (e.g. ESIA, ESMP, ESMF, IPP, RAP, SEP, relevant ToRs, etc) to ensure they meet technical standards and requirements (for Nature, Climate and Energy Vertical Fund projects, clearance will be prior to submission for Headquarters “Safeguards Clearance”);
• Support project teams in responding to HQ/RBx SES oversight reviews and relevant audit/investigation/evaluation findings;
• Identify risks for which additional technical support may be needed through the Global Policy Network, Regional Bureau, or external consultants (e.g. through ExpRess roster) and opportunities for projects to cost-share needed expertise;
• 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/GCF APR, 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, FPIC, etc.);
• Regularly scan available data on SES implementation across the portfolio to identify emerging risks or High/Substantial Risk projects that may require additional oversight and support; 
• Escalate issues to second layer oversight (RBx and BPPS Nature, Climate, Energy team, where relevant) and advise CO senior management on safeguarding risks where needed. 
• Conduct a CO capacity assessment to identify baseline quality of SES documentation, capacity needs, priority risks, and opportunities;
• Develop and coordinate the implementation of an action plan to strengthen SES implementation across the aforementioned portfolio, clarifying the oversight and quality assurance process, roles and responsibilities, and a learning plan;
• Ensure CO SES action plan is aligned with and contributes to global/regional SES implementation plans;
• Support regular SES capacity development, awareness-raising, training and other learning opportunities for the CO team and implementing partners;
• Ensure the Stakeholder Response Mechanism is established and operational at the CO level;
• Ensure project-level grievance mechanisms are established within the project governance structure and that relevant safeguard risks are monitored by Project Boards. 
• Establish a roster of national social and environmental safeguards consultants;
• Support and advise senior management in their engagement with partners and stakeholders (including affected people, implementing partners, donors) on issues related to the SES;
• Advise and support senior management on any SECU/SRM cases;
• Prepare communication materials and products that can be used to communicate the SES and UNDP’s Accountability Mechanism with partners and project-affected people;
• Present on the SES and Accountability Mechanism at inception workshops and support on-boarding of project-level safeguards experts;
• Conduct an assessment of national capacities/safeguards to identify key gaps between the SES with guidance on how these gaps should be approached across the portfolio, as well as entry points for capacity building and the use of national systems;
• Review national grievance redress mechanism (GRM) capacities/entry points related to the CO portfolio. 
• 3) SES Knowledge Management 
• Engage and coordinate with SES experts in Headquarters (including second layer oversight provided by RBx and BPPS Nature, Climate, Energy team and SES policy owner, BPPS Effectiveness Group) and other regions to ensure consistency in policy interpretation and oversight;
• Document lessons learned, including from cases where things went wrong as well as good models of SES implementation;
• Track and share precedents that have implications for the entire portfolio to ensure an aligned and consistent approach (e.g. identification of indigenous peoples);
• Share lessons learned across the portfolio and also with regional, and global teams to facilitate learning;
• Maintain a library of project safeguards documents and examples that can be used as reference points;
• Engage with CO Gender Specialist and/or Gender Focal Team to document and share lessons learned and good practices related to gender-related risks, including analysis of national gender and social inclusion issues and how these can be addressed across the portfolio; 
• Coordinate exchange between project-level safeguards experts to facilitate shared learning, consistency across the portfolio, and identification of opportunities to cost-share or combine efforts on risks faced by multiple projects; 
• Engage in safeguards networks and partnerships, including with UNCT, to ensure learning and exchange on safeguards with partners and UNDP’s leadership role in this area; 
• Prepare an annual report on SES implementation in the office, capturing key lessons learned and recommendations for how to strengthen SES implementation moving forward.  
• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
• Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools . 
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals. 
• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; 
• Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. 
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. 
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. 
• Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. 
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns. 
• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.