Principal Environment and Social Specialist

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing the Infrastructure for Tomorrow with infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in January 2016 and have since grown to 109 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized up to USD100 billion and Triple-A-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Working with partners, AIIB meets clients’ needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled and promotes regional connectivity.

The Strategy, Policy and Budget (SPB) Department is responsible for (i) developing and monitoring the implementation of AIIB’s strategic agenda as set out in its Corporate Strategy and other strategies; (ii) developing and overseeing the implementation of the operational policies and procedures for AIIB’s infrastructure investment portfolio (non-treasury) including their compliance with environmental, social, procurement and financial management requirements; and (iii) developing the annual business plan to implement AIIB’s strategies and manage the Bank’s administrative budget to support the implementation of the annual business plan.

The Principal Environmental and Social Specialist is primarily responsible for supporting the development of and providing guidance on the application of the Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) in AIIB’s investment operations; supporting the Vice President, Policy and Strategy in providing policy assurance on all new investment programs focusing on ES aspect; advising ES specialists in the investment teams on complex ES issues to mitigate risks; and supporting Management in addressing any potential concerns raised by internal and external stakeholders.

 

Responsibilities:

• Supporting the implementation of the Bank’s ESP including further developing and refining relevant guidance and procedures and supporting the application of the ESP to the preparation and implementation of projects. This includes:
  • Providing advice on the preparation of environmental and social assessments and implementation of environmental and social management plans and other types of instruments.
  • Providing advice on strategic, sectoral, regional, and cumulative impact assessments for selected operations.
  • Reviewing and validating environmental and social risks, impacts and mitigations identified by the Investment Teams on selected complex projects covering both Sovereign-backed Financings (SBF) and Nonsovereign-backed Financings (NSBF), including financial intermediaries (FI) Projects, against the requirements of AIIB’s ESP.
  • Developing and monitoring courses of action to resolve issues concerning Bank and client compliance with the environmental requirements of AIIB’s ESP.
  • Supporting the preparation of Management responses and action plans for projects which are the subject of requests to the Project-affected People’s Mechanism.
  • Leading AIIB’s knowledge base on environmental and social aspects through training and capacity training of AIIB staff.
• Relevant tasks assigned by supervisor

 

Requirements:

• Minimum 20 years of relevant experience working in a multilateral development bank, bilateral development organization or a private sector organization.
• Experience in the development and implementation of environmental and social strategies, policies, and procedures, especially those used by multilateral development banks and bilateral development organizations.
• Experience working on policy interpretation and application from senior level Management, boards of directors and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
• Knowledge of project development and supervision, including project design, and feasibility studies.
• Professional expertise in planning and management of environmental and social aspects of infrastructure programs and projects, in sectors such as energy, transport, water, urban development, and digital infrastructure.
• Experience in the planning, preparation and implementation of project-level environmental and social assessment and related types of studies, including environmental and social management plans and frameworks.
• Willingness and ability to travel to conduct site visits, sometimes in remote locations.
• Master’s degree or equivalent in environmental science, engineering, social studies, planning, law or related fields from a reputable university.
• Experience with financial intermediaries, ESG ratings or sustainable finance operations is desirable.
• Outstanding written and verbal English language communication and writing skills.

AIIB is committed to diversity, transparency and inclusion. We believe our strength comes from having a team with the right diverse skills, experiences and abilities selected through a merit-based competitive process. We actively encourage applications from people from both within and outside AIIB members, regardless of nationality, religion, gender, race, disability or sexual orientation.

Previous experience and qualifications will determine the grade and job title at which successful applicants will enter AIIB.

Join us and help create a prosperous and sustainable Asia while growing your career in a diverse and innovative environment.

 

This is how cinfo can support you in the application process for this specific position:

• Application preparation: Before you apply for this position: Improve your application documents by registering for a Job Application Support. Our coaches are here to help tailor your application to the requirements of the job (service provided at your own cost).
• Interview preparation: When invited to the interview: Prepare for the interview by registering for a Job Application Support.
• Additional services for  Swiss nationals who get invited to the selection process (written test, interview, assessment centre, etc.):
  • Let us know by writing to recruitment@cinfo.ch. We flag matching applications to HR partners and SDC/SECO for visibility.
  • Benefit from free interview/assessment preparation by registering here : Interview and Assessment Centre Preparation for Jobs in Multilateral Organisations. Our coaches stand ready to help prepare for upcoming interview/assessment centre.