Job Purpose:

Lead and coordinate the planning and development of ADB's safeguards policies on the environment, involuntary resettlement and/or Indigenous Peoples. Lead and provide operational coordination and specific inputs to ADB projects to ensure compliance with safeguards policies during project preparation and implementation. Contribute to the evaluation, improvement and dissemination of ADB’s safeguards policies. Support ADB’s goal of poverty reduction and sustainable development and provide assistance as needed for applying safeguards knowledge to the development of tasks. Work within general policies, principles and goals, working directly with clients.

Expected Outcomes

Overall Coordination
• Lead and coordinate the department safeguards team’s efforts in providing advice, building capacity, and advancing the development of safeguards policies within developing member countries (DMCs) and on an ADB-wide context.
• Work with other Department’s safeguards team to ensure that appropriate resources and capacity are deployed to effectively cover the safeguards policies of projects in preparation and implementation within the Department.
• Lead and facilitate as needed liaison and contact with clients, non-government organizations (NGOs), development partners, and within ADB, including coordinating responses to NGO‘s complaints.
• Take charge of public information and disclosure initiatives.

Safeguard Policy and Compliance Monitoring
• Lead the monitoring of safeguards policy compliance of ADB projects during implementation.
• Lead, identify, and report on projects with high safeguards sensitivity.
• Participate in safeguard policy/Operation Manual (OM) formulation and review.

Capacity Building
• Lead, identify, assess, and monitor overall capacity building needs on environmental safeguards within the department, including divisions and resident missions, and among clients.
• Lead, develop and administer as needed technical assistance (TA) and other training programs for capacity building.

Project Development
• Lead and work with safeguards team to identify areas of work beyond safeguards where safeguards and environmental sustainability may be catalyzers for new lending products.
• Lead and work with safeguards team to develop projects or programs with a specific safeguards or environmental focus.

Knowledge Sharing
• Lead in providing safeguard training to ADB staff and executing agencies, and prepare and administer relevant capacity development programs for DMCs.
• Contribute significantly to activities for advocacy, dissemination and knowledge building relating to ADB’s safeguard policies.

Staff Supervision
• Take the role of team leader and supervise the work of team members.
• Supervise the performance of reporting staff, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
• Ensure the on-going learning and development of reporting staff.

Educational Requirements:

Master's Degree, or equivalent, in Anthropology, Sociology, Applied Social Science, Environmental Science or other related fields. University degree in Anthropology, Sociology, Applied Social Science, Environmental Science or other related fields combined with specialized experience in similar organization/s, may be considered in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Relevant Experience And Other Requirements:

• Suitability to undertake the responsibilities mentioned above at the required level
• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in safeguards work, or related area and in project administration.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• International experience working in development in several countries, coordinating and working in multi-disciplinary teams

Core Competencies:

Application of Technical Knowledge and Skills
• Provides supervision to others in completing their technical tasks
• Called upon for advice and guidance based on expertise gained by working in different countries and organizations
• Contributes advanced knowledge and expertise to different parts of the Department

Client Orientation
• Proposes effective services and solutions to staff beyond presenting issues and past challenges
• Assists colleagues adapt to the cultural and business norms of diverse clients and country situations
• Gains respect for the breadth and depth of expertise demonstrated in effectively managing diverse clients and country situations
• Called upon to resolve client situations that may impact their long-term ADB relationship

Achieving Results and Problem Solving
• Resolves situations where client needs are not being met
• Shares past experiences from different projects, organizations, and countries to help achieve quality results
• Ensures that thorough analysis includes current and relevant factors from different countries and contexts
• Sought out for guidance and experience in overcoming the most challenging situations
• Draws on long-term relationships with stakeholders to help plan for and achieve results

Working Together
• Addresses team members not contributing to required standards
• Commits to delivering timely and high quality work to assist in the team’s success
• Develops and maintains good internal and external peer and senior level relationships
• Helps teams understand common features to build rapport and overcome challenges

Communication and Knowledge Sharing
• Provides stakeholders with the level and quality of information required to achieve outcomes
• Encourages others to seek long-term solutions to address feedback opposed to focusing on immediate concerns or reactions
• Uses breath of multi-country and multi-client knowledge to equip clients and staff for more effective outcomes
• Designs and implements project and program knowledge and services

Innovation and Change
• Consistently seeks more effective and practical ways for the Departmental delivery of services, products, and processes
• Proposes new ways to improve the quality and relevance of products and services
• Includes the core benefits and reasons for change when developing comprehensive change roll out plans
• Influences and persuades decision makers by presenting business cases supporting the proposed changes

Immediate Reporting Relationships / Other Information:

• Supervisor: Director
• The following staff positions report to the Safeguards Specialist:
o Administrative Staff
o National Staff
• Women are encouraged to apply.