Overview
The Safeguards Specialist will provide technical leadership on environmental and social safeguards, socio-economic and gender integration, and community engagement within FAO-supported projects in Papua New Guinea. The role focuses on ensuring the effective application of environmental and social safeguards across project interventions.
Key Responsibilities
- Develops capacity of Protected Area (PA)/Community Conservation Area (CCA) management boards in key skill areas.
- Conduct a Rapid Assessment of project PAs in regard to social and participation issues and management capabilities of management boards.
- Vet protected area management priorities established in Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools (METTs) and PA operational management plans.
- Identify and counter any potential areas of conflict between PA/CCA stakeholders and Management Boards.
- Responsible for the project’s socio-economic activities including socioeconomic assessments, social impact assessment, and socioeconomic changes analyses and potentials for PA collaborative management.
- Support the M&E Officer on socioeconomic data collection and stakeholder analysis.
- Support the Stakeholder Communication, Knowledge Management and Learning Officer in developing knowledge-based products and briefing papers.
- Develop a workplan with priority actions and required resources.
- Facilitation of FPIC in all target landscapes and communities.
- Consultative validation of the Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and Ethnic Minorities Plan (EMP).
- Develop the Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and Ethnic Minorities Plan (EMP) through the comprehensive consultation and validation process.
- Preparation and delivery of a safeguards-theme day suitable workshops.
- Develop an agreed capacity building focused plan for relevant staff and partner institutions.
- Develop a working list of tools, guidance, data, resources, contacts, and potential institutional counterparts at national level.
- Establishment and maintenance of a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and Grievance Log.
- Participation in and contribution to the Safeguards Community of Practice.
- Ensure the application of protocols of FAO within the Project regarding FAO policy on Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and advise on a monitoring protocol.
- Identify the most relevant tools and capacity building opportunities on the topic of land governance in forest ecosystem.
- Conduct desk reviews of relevant documents to support the development of an inception report and progress reports.
- Explore and recommend meaningful methods to include men, women, boys and girls and people with disabilities from diverse ethnic groups in the project activities.
- Support the M&E Officer in the integration of gender-responsiveness aspects into the M&E system and processes.
Required Experience
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in environmental and social safeguards, socio-economic assessments, gender and social inclusion, or community-based natural resource management
- Work experience in more than one location or area of work with diverse stakeholders, including government, communities, and development partners
- Extent and relevance of experience in environmental and social safeguards frameworks, including ESMP, EMP and ESMF development and implementation
- Demonstrated experience in facilitating FPIC processes and community consultations, particularly with indigenous communities and customary landowners
- Proven experience in socio-economic assessments, social impact analysis, and stakeholder engagement in development or conservation projects
- Knowledge of gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), including integration into project design, implementation and M&E systems
- Familiarity with grievance redress mechanisms (GRM), safeguards compliance, and FAO/GEF or similar international standards
- Experience in capacity building of local institutions, community groups, or protected area management boards
Qualifications
• University degree in social sciences, environmental management, natural resource management, development studies, gender studies or a related field
