IUCN’s mission is “to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.” IUCN projects aim to achieve positive conservation and social outcomes, including benefits for communities that depend on natural resources. However, unwanted negative environmental and social impacts may occur when projects are implemented. Within the context of its mission, IUCN intends to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to avoid or minimise negative environmental and social impacts while stimulating positive impacts. To put this intention into practice, IUCN has established an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) as an intrinsic part of IUCN’s project cycle. It provides systematic steps and operational tools for managing the environmental and social performance of projects implemented or supported by IUCN. The system allows IUCN to screen potential projects for negative environmental or social impacts and develop suitable measures to avoid, minimise, or compensate for these impacts. It also ensures that the implementation and effectiveness of mitigation measures are monitored and that any impacts arising during execution of the project are addressed. The ESMS requirements are documented in form of a management manual (referred to as ESMS Manual) that together with the ESMS Standards establishes IUCN’s ESMS Policy Framework.

Compliance with the ESMS is required for all projects (i) implemented by the IUCN Secretariat directly, (ii) implemented by a partner organization where IUCN has an oversight and supervision role and is directly accountable to the donor and (iii) grant-making schemes where IUCN acts as a grantor, channelling funding from a donor to the implementing agencies (grantees) that propose and implement sub-projects under a specific programmatic theme.

The WALD Innovation Facility (IF), which was recently initiated and which is funded by German Cooperation via KfW (further referred to as “donor”), is an example of the latter. The IF aims at contributing to climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation by funding Applicants that are proposing innovative nature-based solutions (NbS) projects with high biodiversity, leveraging and expanding the voluntary carbon markets to mobilize private capital. This, to enable the development and implementation of innovative and ambitious project approaches in an economically sustainable manner. In the first phase the IF will have a regional focus on two regions where IUCN has established a regional program and office – East and South Africa (ESARO) and Asia (ARO). There are ten countries to be targeted within these two regions, namely in East Africa: Kenya; Madagascar; Mozambique; Rwanda; Tanzania; and Uganda; and, in Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR; and, Viet Nam. The Call for Concepts will be officially launched at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) on 7 October 2024.

Through the ESMS Officer position IUCN will ensure that ESMS procedures, standards and principles are applied to the project portfolio of the WALD Innovation Facility (IF). This involves providing support during project preparation, including preparing ESMS screening reports for projects, advising proponents on safeguard-related improvements of project design, supporting the preparation of ESIAs (Environmental and Social Impact Assessments) and safeguard documents and preparing ESMS clearance. It further involves providing support and supervision during project implementation to guarantee that ESMS requirements are complied with. Where a safeguard-related grievance is raised, she/he will be instrumental in solving the matter proactively.

She/he will also build ESMS capacity for IF staff and Grantees to enhance ESMS-compliant project design and ensure effective implementation of the risk management strategies. This involves coaching and training existing staff and project grantees.

The ESMS Officer will report to the Programme Manager – Technology and Innovation and will work in collaboration with ESMS Specialists based in IUCN Regional Offices and HQ. High-level guidance is provided by the IUCN Global ESMS Coordinator.

Specific duties include:

1. Environmental and social due diligence at the project design stage

• Screen projects on environmental and social impacts, define risk categories, identify necessary impact studies and safeguard tools/plans, and produce final ESMS Screening Reports.
• Contract local consultants for providing inputs and local knowledge to the Screening process.
• Support applicants in developing Safeguards Instruments for their projects.
• Advise project applicants on stakeholder engagement during the project design and implementation phase.
• Ensure appropriate budgeting for ESMS activities.
• Conduct final compliance checks and prepare ESMS clearance of projects.

2. ESMS support during project implementation

• Provide ESMS training for project grantees and relevant partners at project inception.
• Support the grantees in monitoring the implementation of safeguard tools and compliance with all ESMS requirements.
• Review ESMS reports submitted by grantees and contribute to the drafting of relevant sections of the technical progress reports for the donor.
• Contribute to annual project implementation reviews and participate in supervisory monitoring missions to support ESMS-specific aspects.
• Manage ESMS project data to assure maintenance of ESMS records and prepare an annual summary report of E&S performance and compliance of all projects.

3. Grievance management and Serious Incident reporting

• Support the grantees in setting up a project-level grievance mechanism in accordance with the IUCN ESMS Grievance Mechanism.
• Work with grantees to solve grievances in line with IUCN’s three-staged grievance process, maintain a register of grievances and report on progress in solving grievances.
• Establish a process of reporting serious incidents and ensure timely reporting of serious incidents and implementation of corrective actions.

4. Training and Learning

• Together with the Regional ESMS Specialist develop ESMS training materials and deliver training sessions for grantees.
• Coach grantees on ESMS procedures, principles, and standards to ensure the consistent application of ESMS principles and standards.
• Organise and participate in thematic webinars related to the programme.

5. System Development

• Monitor ESMS implementation in the project sites to capture lessons learned and feedback from the grantees and project stakeholders and suggest refinement and improvements of the fund-level ESMS and the overall IUCN ESMS.
• Generate lessons on the ESMS application for grant making identifying good practices and synthesising these practices for dissemination.

6. Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organization such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them, but which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of an employee’s responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the employee and the Human Resources Management Group.

SALARY
The gross annual salary for this position is in the range from EUR 47’000 to EUR 60’500 (depending on skills, experiences and IUCN equity analysis) subject to deductions for social security contributions and health insurance, and before tax.