Associate, Environmental Social Advisor

Purpose of Job
The Associate Environmental and Social Advisor-Sustainability Proofing works under the general guidance of the relevant Head of Sector. They also support the Principal Environmental and Social Advisor-Sustainability Proofing working on the environment and social aspects of the project approvals processes, technical and policy assessments (Environmental and Social Proofing), monitoring and project-level negotiations required as part of the agreements the EBRD has signed with the European Commission and EU Member States under the InvestEU instrument and the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The Associate is expected to work on a range of projects and tasks, often being responsible for straightforward projects, tasks and initiatives. The Associate is also responsible for assessing these projects for their potential E&S risks and compliance with the EBRD’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), with subsequent monitoring of Project’s E&S performance. 

 

Background

The EBRD has entered into a number of co-financing agreements with the European Commission and EU member states to support projects and programmes within the EBRD’s EU countries of operation. An agreement was signed in 2021 with the government of Greece to co-finance projects with resources from Greece’s allocation from the RRF. The EBRD has also signed an agreement with the European Commission to become an Implementing Partner of its InvestEU programme, covering all 12 EU member states that are EBRD countries of operation. Other agreements are in development. 
 
Both the European Commission and the EBRD wish to ensure that all projects supported are aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and have appropriate climate, environmental and social safeguards. In addition, all co-financing agreements will include a target for significant proportions of the co-financing to contribute actively towards climate and environmental goals. 
 
The EBRD applies its own internal assessments and appraisals on additionally, policy and regulatory compliance, compliance with EBRD’s ESP and attribution of finance to climate and environmental objectives. EBRD also applies its own Paris Alignment assessments – all direct finance projects have been undergoing this assessment since June 2021, and regular assessment of intermediated finance projects will begin in 2022. From the end of 2022, all projects that EBRD approves will need to be Paris aligned. 
In addition to the EBRD’s own assessments, for projects under InvestEU and RRF, the European Commission will apply a series of approvals-related processes to all projects that are co-financed under the new agreements. This will include: 

• Policy checks, including analyses of the additionality that the EU component brings to the financing package, and of the market failures that it helps address.
• Analysis of compliance with EU climate and environmental policy and legal requirements.
• Assessment of fulfilment of a number of EU policy objectives and filling out of a scoreboard of indicators.
• Completion of the EU’s Sustainability Proofing process, which includes three components: Climate, Environmental and Social Proofing.
• Calculation of project-level finance proportion contributing to climate and environmental objectives, assessed and reported according to the EU’s climate and environmental tracking guidance.
• Economic Analysis of projects where relative or absolute CO2 emissions are over a certain value.

 

Facts / Scale

• Work on a range of projects, tasks and initiatives, often being responsible for more straightforward projects under InvestEU and RRF.
• This role is critical in preventing occurrence of institutional liabilities of financial and reputational nature related to E&S impacts of Bank’s transactions, country and sector policies and broader initiatives. In pursuing this objective this role supports and closely interacts with Clients, Banking, Office of General Counsel (OGC), CSD and EBRD Donor Co-Financing InvestEU team.
• Support the environmental and social appraisal of approximately 30 more straightforward projects per year under InvestEU and RRF considering EU-related approvals process and EBRD ESP.
• Work together with Climate Proofing specialists as well ESD environmental, social and green finance specialists as part of the EU-related approvals process. Where necessary manage consultants engaged to support such projects.
• Design and conduct monitoring of environmental and social aspects for such projects together with ESD specialists in line with Sustainability Proofing Guidance and EBRD’s Environmental and Social Policy, including associated reporting under InvestEU and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
• Work with colleagues in managing the programming and data management of relevant donor funds ? together producing quarterly status updates. The main envisaged programmes are InvestEU and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
• Participate in 2-3 environmental and social policy and methodology working groups of the EU and other partners related to environment and social issues.

 

Accountabilities & Responsibilities
Under the general direction relevant Head of Sector 

• Ensure alignment of allocated projects considered under InvestEU and RRF with EBRD environmental and social policy and conduct Environmental and Social Proofing.
• Support planning, and formulate and manage due diligence approaches in line with the ESD Assurance processes and in liaison with Banking and other teams to ensure that projects are structured to meet the EU environmental and social policy, EU-related approvals process requirements, and E&S Policy Performance Requirements and in line with the E&S Procedures. Ensure that projects proposed under the relevant co-financing arrangements are aligned with relevant EU policy and regulatory aspects, e.g. the EU EIA Directive, Habitats Directive, Industrial Emissions Directive, etc.
• Carry out in-house due diligence or coordinate external consultants’ delivery of the E&S appraisal, and subsequent monitoring activities across a broad range of sectors.
• Ensure that the EU’s methodological processes related to Sustainability proofing (Environmental and Social Proofing), including ?Do no Significant Harm?, are followed and the appropriate documentation is created and submitted. Ensure consistency with EBRD’s own environmental and social policy and methodological approaches (working with ESD specialists where necessary).
• Complete all environmental and social-related documentation needed for the EU approvals processes related to the supported projects. This will need to be done in close coordination with the Principal Environmental and Social Advisor-Sustainability Proofing and with other colleagues working on the Climate Proofing processes, and also the EBRD internal approvals processes. These will include documentation on policy checks, environmental and social proofing, InvestEU scoreboards, Do No Significant Harm assessments etc.
• Facilitate implementation of relevant donor facilities by managing internal information and awareness, e.g. by drafting and updating operational manuals and instruction sheets for teams using the relevant co-financing instruments.
• Monitor implementation and provide updates for donors as needed and in coordination with the Bank’s Donor Co-Financing team and other relevant colleagues.
• Supporting colleagues in internal and external matters relating to Sustainability proofing e.g. inputting to reports and presentations.
• Prepare E&S Summaries, E&S Action Plans, Back to Office Reports on site visits and respective sections in the Bank’s documents for projects in a broad range of sectors.
• Coordinate the input from ESD specialists when assigned as Lead or to other technical roles to ensure effective and efficient Work with other specialists in the team in identifying potential social components in projects (i.e., inclusion opportunities), and provide guidance to Banking on the development of sustainability activities (including additional investment and TCs) to strengthen the E&S impact of projects.
• Contribute to investigation and management of problematic E&S issues and situations, and carry out respective mediation and conflict resolution activities with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage delivery of specific TC assignments or provide comments to the other teams’ TC work based on identified opportunities for broader Bank’s policy dialog and E&S benefits creation at project, sector or country levels.

 

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Knowledge and expertise of technical environmental and/or social issues.
• Familiarity with main EU and international E&S requirements, practices and guidelines (e.g. InvestEU Sustainability Proofing, EU Taxonomy, World Bank’s EHS Guidelines, Equator Principles, Core ILO Conventions etc.), as well as good international practice approaches to managing E&S risks (e.g., ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO39001, ISO 26000, HAACP, SA 8000, etc.).
• Understanding of IFI working environment, policies and procedures.
• Ability to undertake technical E&S discussions, in a constructive and collaborative manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Good organisational and programme/ project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and self-motivate.
• Experience working in a highly complex environment.
• Effective time management and organisational skills and ability to multi-task without losing attention to detail.
• High-level English writing and verbal skills, and numeric, methodological and IT skills.
• Ability to work on a number of projects at a time.
• Solid demonstrated professional experience gained in the environmental, health and safety and social appraisal of projects, such as ESIA, auditing, management systems and familiarity of environmental and social due diligence for financial intermediaries.
• Proven skills in stakeholder engagement.
• Past work experience in and/or good understanding of the Bank’s countries of operation, language, culture, and E&S context.
• Experience in the assessment of particular topics related to the Banks PRs such as: ESG, biodiversity, ecosystems services, human rights risk assessments, gender equality and gender based violence and harassment.
• Experience of dealing with the European Commission would be desirable.
• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant subject.

 

What is it like to work at the EBRD?

Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people’s lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in. 

The EBRD environment provides you with:

• Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in;
• A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity;
• An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital  transformation at the heart of what we do.

 

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does.  A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.  As an inclusive employer, we promote flexible working and expecting our employee to attend the office 50% of their working time.

 

Please note, that due to the high volume of applications received, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted (for further consideration).

 

Right to Work in the UK: Swiss nationals (and all other non-UK employees) can work in the UK without a Visa – working at the EBRD gives all employees “exempt status”. The Bank however encourages all non-UK employees to obtain an Exempt Vignette (EV) prior to relocating to the UK, as without an EV you may face more questions at Border Control and when required to show evidence of their exempt status when renting accommodation under the Right to Rent legislation. The application process may take 3 – 4 weeks approx. outside of the UK. 

 

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