Social & Environment Safeguards Expert

About this role

The United Nations Environment Programme seeks a part-time international Social and Environment Safeguards expert to support the implementation of the GCF-funded project Building resilience in the landscapes of Kigoma region, Tanzania. This five-year initiative, approved by the Green Climate Fund Board in October 2023, has a total budget of $23.6 million, comprising a $19 million GCF grant and $4.6 million in in-kind co-financing. UNEP serves as the accredited entity, with the Government of Tanzania's Vice President's Office as lead executing entity and UNHCR as co-executing entity. The project aims to conserve and restore 42,000 hectares of land while delivering direct adaptation benefits to approximately 570,340 people in Kigoma region, including both host communities and refugee populations from Nduta, Nyarugusu, and the closed Mtendeli camp. The initiative integrates participatory, gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive, and socially inclusive approaches across four interconnected outputs covering climate-resilient land-use planning, community-based forest conservation, climate-resilient agriculture, and policy advocacy. The consultant will provide technical guidance and capacity building to the Project Management Unit and a national gender and safeguards officer to ensure compliance with environmental and social safeguards throughout the project lifecycle. Key functions include overseeing the implementation and management of the Environmental and Social Management System and Gender Action Plan, updating the ESMS based on conflict sensitivity assessments, developing ESS Monitoring Plans, coordinating site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans, and supporting the operationalization of the project's Grievance Redress Mechanism and SEAH Protocol. The consultant will conduct annual missions to Kigoma to monitor adherence to applicable safeguards, screen project activities for emerging risks, provide training on monitoring and GRM protocols, and track progress on safeguards, conflict risk mitigation, and gender commitments. Reporting to UNEP, the role is home-based with an expected duration of two years.