Social and Environmental Safeguards Specialist

Organizational SettingThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.The Global Environment Facility (GEF) supports innovative projects that demonstrate a holistic and systemic approach to addressing the “levers” for transformation, integrating cross-cutting priorities including livelihood and climate resilience with a focus on biodiversity, climate change, and land degradation. The GEF's Eighth Replenishment Cycle (GEF-8) has begun from 01 July 2022. This project is under the GEF8 cycle.This position will be based in New Delhi FAO India, office.About the ProjectGEF8 Supporting an integrated approach for ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and improved livelihoods in Central India (Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra)Central India’s forests have large biodiversity-rich forests and are home to several communities living in and around these forests with a rich cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. This forest landscape falling in the States of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra is a hotspot of global biodiversity. It has seven metapopulations of tigers that have a long-term future if they remain connected through wildlife corridors. The landscape has different types of forest lands: i) government-managed protected areas; ii) government-managed forests; iii) community managed forests under the Forest Rights Act (2006) (FRA); and iv) individual land rights holders under the FRA. The two States contain 22% and 23% of the country’s individual and community FRA titles, respectively. The allocation of individual forest rights in particular has led to fragmentation of the forest lands as they are dotted around the landscape. The Project Objective is to restore and conserve biodiversity-rich forest landscapes and improve livelihoods in Central India using an integrated and inclusive landscape-level approach.As per the endorsement received from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), FAO India has been entrusted with developing the full project proposal based on the Project Identification Form (PIF) for the technically cleared project. The project aims to promote integrated landscape management through sustainable forest management, ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and community-based land-use planning.The landscape experiences pressures including forest fragmentation, unsustainable harvesting, HWC, climate risks, and livelihood insecurity—especially among Indigenous Peoples, women, FRA title-holders, and socially backward groups (SC/ST/OBC). The project must comply with FAO Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) and GEF safeguard requirements, including a robust Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM).Reporting LinesUnder the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in India, Assistant FAO Representatives (Programme and Administration) and guidance of the International GEF Design Expert and Lead national consultant, and the consultant will collaborate and work with relevant PPG Team members and other key stakeholders.Technical FocusEnsure compliance with FAO ESS and GEF safeguards through risk assessments and mitigation measures. Develop key safeguard tools such as ESMP and GRM. Ensure inclusive stakeholder engagement and protection of vulnerable communities..Tasks and responsibilitiesA. Environmental Safeguards

• Conduct environmental risk screening aligned with ESS1, ESS2, ESS6, ESS11.
• Assess impacts on biodiversity, wildlife corridors, protected areas, forest fragmentation, climate vulnerability, and ecosystem services.
• Provide support in preparing mitigation measures for land degradation, HWC, invasive species, and unsustainable harvesting.B. Social Safeguards
• Conduct social risk assessments aligned with ESS7, ESS9, ESS10, ESS5.
• Assess impacts on tribal groups, SC/ST/OBC populations, FRA title-holders, and vulnerable households.
• Identify risks related to labour standards, exclusion, cultural heritage, access restrictions, and displacement (if any).
• Provide support in proposing mitigation strategies and social inclusion measures.C. Safeguard Instruments
• Compile a summary of key international agreements and domestic legislative, regulatory and administrative regimes related to social and environmental safeguards, that will apply in the planning, approval and implementation of activities and develop and provide guidance on environmental and social criteria to be used during the identification and selection of priority activities
• Develop the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).
• Review the responsibility and capability of institutions at different levels (e.g. local, province and national) to manage and monitor ESMP implementation. Establish a clear understanding of the institutional requirements, roles and responsibilities for adopting and implementing the ESMP. Based on a full understanding of the context and requirements, provide support in developing the ESMP, including activities implementation arrangements, budget and monitoring procedures, as well as associated capacity building requirements.
• Environmental and Social Risk Annexes
• Integrate safeguard mitigation measures into project components and Results Framework.
• Prepare Indigenous people planD. Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM)
• provide support in designing a multi-tiered project-level GRM consistent with FAO ESS and local institutional structures.
• provide support in finalizing the GRM that is accesible to women, tribal populations, persons with disabilities, and socially backward groups.
• Establish documentation, response timelines, escalation pathways, and monitoring systems.CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWINGMinimum Requirements
• Master’s in environmental science, ecology, sociology, environmental management, or related field
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in the formulation and review of environmental and social management frameworks, impact assessments, management plans and reporting frameworks.
• Working knowledge of English (C1); knowledge of Hindi or other Indian languages is an asset.
• National of India or resident of the country with valid work permit.FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous ImprovementTechnical/Functional Skills
• Strong knowledge of FAO Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) and GEF safeguard policies.
• Experience in conducting environmental and social risk assessments and impact analysis.
• Ability to develop Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) and safeguard frameworks.
• Experience in designing and implementing Grievance Redressal Mechanisms (GRM).
• Knowledge of relevant national laws and policies such as FRA, PESA, and environmental regulations.Selection Criteria
• Familiarity with the environmental and social safeguard requirements of the project's resource partners, is considered an asset.
• Strong knowledge of FAO ESS, GEF standards, FRA, PESA, and national environmental regulations
• Experience in preparing safeguard instruments for UN or donor-funded projects