The Safeguards Manager at Conservation International is responsible for overseeing the environmental and social safeguard management of the Seed Fund, ensuring compliance with CI’s Environmental & Social Management Framework (ESMF) through a dedicated Environmental & Social Management System (ESMS). This role involves providing technical guidance, capacity building, and monitoring compliance across the Fund and country-level initiatives, with a strong emphasis on social safeguards, gender mainstreaming, and effective engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Responsibilities
- Oversee Seed Fund safeguard management in accordance with CI’s Environmental & Social Management Framework (via a fit-for-purpose ESMS).
- Provide input, analysis, and support to developing and overseeing the Seed Fund ESMS, including risk identification, procedures for safeguard screening, guidance, tools, and approaches within the Fund and country-level initiatives.
- Ensure the coordination and integration of E&S risk management procedures within the Fund’s internal processes.
- Evaluate safeguard compliance (using due diligence criteria) by reviewing necessary E&S documentation of country packages and with potential site visits.
- Provide technical guidance to country package partners on safeguard risk identification, analysis of mitigation measures, implementation & monitoring of efficacy.
- Provide technical guidance and capacity building to country package partners that advance social commitments, including meaningful gender and social inclusion outcomes and full and effective engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- Review and provide guidance on country package grantee proposals, plans, and reporting.
- Monitor progress and report on safeguard compliance at the Fund level, periodically collect and analyze data related to safeguard performance indicators for the Fund and country packages.
- Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of safeguard and gender capacity building efforts, including the development of training materials and user support of online resources.
- Organize awareness-raising, capacity strengthening, and knowledge exchange activities related to safeguards and gender for Seed Fund staff, partners, and selected stakeholders.
- Provide support to the effective operation of accountability & grievance mechanisms, including design & operation of the Fund-level mechanism.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
Working Conditions
- Extended work hours may be required, including non-traditional work hours as needed in a global organization.
- Some international travel up to 30% time may be required.
- Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process.
Qualifications (Required)
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental science or a related field, such as international development or social sciences, plus 4 to 6 years of experience working with project and program design, monitoring, and compliance of public or private donor-funded projects in the area of environment, conservation, and/or development, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Knowledge and experience in designing, applying, and monitoring environment and social safeguards (with emphasis on social safeguards, including stakeholder engagement, gender mainstreaming, grievance mechanisms, labor & working conditions, community health & safety, etc.).
- Strong understanding of project-driven social and environmental risks and impacts, particularly the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized peoples, gender equality, Indigenous Peoples, benefit-sharing, conflict, and grievance redress.
- Relevant experience with gender-responsive programming, including the design and implementation of practical gender action plans.
- Strong capacity to communicate with government agencies, local communities, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders.
- Excellent cross-cultural and people skills, commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at both a programming and institutional level.
- Ability to work independently and/or remotely, to meet deadlines and commitments.
- Strong interpersonal skills and capacity to work in team environments, including building productive partnerships across a diversity of stakeholders.
- Attention to detail and discretion in the discussion of sensitive risk-related issues.
- Excellent English oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and designing engaging and informative training for various audiences.
- Fluency in an appropriate second language for the region (French or Spanish, both preferred).
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