Call for a Roster of Social Development Consultants (Social Standards and Safeguards)

Job Title: Social Development Consultant (Social Standards and Safeguards)
Potential Appointment Type: Short Term Consultant (STC) (Subject to Local Recruitment)
Leader Name: Martin Henry Lenihan, Social Sustainability and Inclusion Coordinator, Vietnam

Background

The World Bank’s mission is to help the Bank's clients in the East Asia and the Pacific Region (EAP) to reduce poverty and achieve environmentally and socially sustainable development. The work program for the Social Sustainability and Inclusion (SSI) Team includes managing social risk in Bank financed projects, by applying the relevant standards and safeguards policies on resettlement, indigenous people (ethnic minorities), stakeholder engagement, labor and working conditions, community health and safeguard and cultural heritage. The management of these risks is based on social assessment conducted by client counterparts in government, and a thorough screening and analysis conducted by social development specialists and consultants assigned to work on investment projects for infrastructure improvement in Vietnam (transport, water, energy etc.) as well sectors such as education, health, and natural resource management.

Duties and Responsibilities

The SSI team in Vietnam is currently seeking to expand its pool of consultants to support the implementation of a growing business demand on social sustainability and inclusion. The consultants (if selected) will have opportunities to work as short-term consultants (STCs), covering one (or more) of the following tasks:

• Participate as a team member in lending operations undertaken by sector units, advising on the management of social risks based on the World Bank’s social standards and safeguards policies.
• Proactively work with the task teams, the Social Sustainability and Inclusion Coordinator, Environmental colleagues, and clients to improve the performance of the portfolio regarding social risk management.
• Maintain effective communication with counterparts from PMUs and line ministries, and other local agencies and organizations on World Bank activities in the Vietnam portfolio.
• Represent the Bank in local meetings of relevant public authorities, organizations, and multilateral and bilateral donors.
• Advise clients and colleagues on the application of the World Bank’s social standards and safeguards policies.
• Contribute to analytical tasks, including, but not limited to, an analysis of the social performance of projects in particular sectors, as well as an analysis of the institutional and policy environment for social risk management.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in a relevant social sciences field such as, sociology, anthropology, public policy, urban planning, human geography.
• A minimum of 5 years relevant operational experience and proven track record in working on projects covering a broad range of social development issues.
• Good understanding of social impact assessment, processes and procedures (Government’s or donors’).
• Ability to think strategically and conduct dialogue on social risk management priorities, while maintaining a strong sense of realism with regard to in-country conditions and competing demands for resources.
• Strong analytical skills, and an ability to critically assess the social performance of client counterparts across a range of sectors, and to engage with the institutional and policy arrangements governing social risk management in those sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited supervision on social risk management activities and achieving results with agreed upon objectives and deadlines.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in teams and share knowledge. Track record of dealing effectively with external and internal clients. Strong client orientation with commitment to results on the ground.
• Full competence with professional office software and communications technology.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral in Vietnamese and English.
• Willingness to travel frequently within Vietnam. Field experience highly desirable.

Contract

The selected consultants will be part of the STCs pool. They will be mobilized depending on the Bank’s needs. The exact level of effort will be discussed directly with the selected consultants.

Office

The Consultant will not have access to a permanent workspace in the Bank office. When available, computer and office facilities in the Hanoi office will be accessible on a temporary basis. The successful consultant should be prepared to carry out the bulk of the required work from an office or home outside of the Bank. Any costs that are incurred by working out of a home or office other than the Bank’s are not covered under this contract.

Reporting

In general, the Consultant will report to Mr. Martin Lenihan, the Bank’s Social Sustainability and Inclusion Cluster Leader in Hanoi or another team member delegated by him. This would be the case for deciding the general allocation of time and effort to individual projects and needs for general guidance and training.

Deliverables will be managed as per schedule of the Task Team Leader for each output that the Consultant works on, with some quality control done by the Social team.

Application

Interested candidate should send their CV and Cover Letter to Ms. Vu Thuy Dung at [email protected] by COB Tuesday December 15, 2020. Please use “Roster of Social Development Consultants” as the e-mail subject.

Organization: WB
Location: Hanoi
Application deadline: 2020-12-15
Send application to: [email protected]