Duties and Accountabilities:

As a core member of World Bank Task Teams, the Social Development Specialist will advise Task 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 finding opportunities to enhance the social development outcomes of Bank financed operations 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 sector on the Bank’s ESF and Operational Policies, social risk 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 which includes where applicable, livelihood restoration, stakeholder engagement consultation and inclusion, grievance redress mechanisms, 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.
• Contribute to SD-led analytical and operational engagements, policy dialogue in Malawi, and social risk management, including engagements with internal and external clients on SD business opportunities.
• Provide technical support to government agencies 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 legal documents such as the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), social assessments, stakeholder engagement plans (SEP), labor management procedures (LMP), resettlement action plans (RAP), voluntary land donation, livelihood restoration plans (LRP), environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA), 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, Transport, Water, Health, Disaster Response 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 Aide Memoirs, and support the resolution of emerging issues to ensure results on the ground and project implementation progress.
• Ensure timely reporting on SSI activities, including ESF, proactive monitoring, management, and preparation of relevant social risks management briefs.
• Provide technical support to Projects on gender based violence risk assessment, the development of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)/ Sexual Harassment (SH) action plans and the implementation of the same including case management when they occur.
• Advise task teams in integrating gender considerations in the project design and implementation and support implementation of the Gender Strategy of the Bank in Malawi.

Policy and analytical work:

• Contribute to dialogue on the implementation of the Environmental and Social Framework and Social Development priorities including Gender and GBV 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.
• Contribute and provide support to practice teams responsible for the preparation of policy notes, Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF), Country Policy and Institutional Assessments, Development Policy Lending (DPL), sector studies, and research and policy development activities.
• Conduct and contribute to formal and informal analytical advisory activities and research work on key social development issues, notably related to gender mainstreaming, GBV prevention and response, refugees 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 Environment 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 low capacity contexts.
• Supervise the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency and conformity to Bank standards.

Reporting:

• Reports to Practice Manager, SAES2.
• Works under the mentorship of Senior Social Development staff based in Lilongwe, Malawi and under the general direction of CMU country coordinator, based in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

Selection Criteria

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 5 years of direct professional experience in managing social risks including gender and GBV in infrastructure projects in energy, water 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, the Asian Development Bank’s Safeguards Policies and 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, resettlement planning and livelihood restoration, stakeholder engagement, consultation and inclusion, complaint and grievance redress mechanisms, 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 low capacity contexts is an added advantage.

Demonstrated ability to translate analytical work into policy advice and substantial, practical recommendations.

Ability to present complex social risks and sustainability issues in a simple way to people of different technical backgrounds.

Proven ability to engage effectively with Government, private sector, project beneficiaries and civil society.

Professional traits and willingness.

Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving skills, and ability to think innovatively and strategically to find solutions to complex development problems.

Very high level of energy and initiative, and proven ability to multi-task.

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.

Knowledge of the local language(s) in Malawi.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Chichewa