Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer - HCI

About the role

WWF is hiring an Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer for the Heart of Conservation Initiative (HCI), a 5-year global project that strengthens Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' ability to access sustainable finance for territorial stewardship. The role leads implementation and monitoring of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), reports to the Project Manager in the Global Coordination Unit and works closely with Indigenous and local community partners.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure the WWF Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework is incorporated into all project aspects, including yearly ESS screening, budget and work plan reviews, stakeholder consultations and safeguard document review, approval and disclosure.
• Support Component 1 partners with annual ESS screening and mitigation planning, and help them streamline safeguard planning and reporting while meeting GEF requirements.
• Advise the GCU on environmental and social risk management, including mitigation measures and monitoring programs.
• Train project staff and partners on ESS (WWF and Project ESMF).
• Help design semi-annual ESS reporting and annual project implementation reports, and build a simple environmental and social risk monitoring checklist.
• Support the establishment and implementation of a grievance redress mechanism aligned with WWF-US's system, and help partners develop Livelihood Restoration Plans.
• Collaborate with the GESI officer and the MEL officer on stakeholder engagement and data collection.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Anthropology or a related social science, or natural resources management; advanced degree highly preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant field experience in social sciences, and 5 years directly on Indigenous Peoples or local community issues, including safeguard planning and monitoring tool design.
• Track record of culturally sensitive, community-centered collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
• Experience in conservation or development program and project implementation; previous donor-funded projects an advantage.
• Fluent English; Spanish, French and/or Portuguese strongly preferred.
• Willingness to travel regularly to partners; for Cambodia, nationals from South and Southeast Asia who can relocate may apply, with possible visa sponsorship and relocation support depending on budget.

Required skills

• MS Office (required)
• ArcGIS and/or other biodiversity, habitat and ecosystem analysis tools (nice to have)
• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis