Senior Environmental and Social Dev Specialist

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record US$43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. 

IFC is seeking a motivated Senior Environmental & Social (E&S) Specialist with strong communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills experience primarily to support its Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS) and Infrastructure business clusters across the East Asia Pacific region. This professional will be based in Thailand and will provide E&S guidance to clients and investment and advisory teams on E&S matters vis-à-vis IFC Performance Standards (PS) and Sustainability Policy, with the aim of promoting compliance and enhancing the impact and additionality of IFC-supported business activities.

Duties and Accountabilities:

Early Screening, Due Diligence, Portfolio supervision:

• Lead or contribute to assessment of E&S risks and issues in new IFC investments and advisory engagements in IFC’s Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services (MAS) and Infrastructure business lines.
• Lead or contribute to identification and development of risk mitigation measures and value-add solutions that support clients in addressing identified issues; advise on structuring, appropriate mitigation measures and contractual alignment of interest to address risks and impacts.
• Provide clear and responsive guidance to IFC investment teams on E&S risk management in project decision-making and processing in light of E&S risk issues, including clear communication to teams and management throughout the investment cycle.
• When leading E&S assessments, ensure effective and efficient use of staff, consultants, and resources, ensuring the timely completion of deliverables. Provide guidance and support to team members.
• Discuss and support formulation of E&S legal conditions for projects legal agreements.
• Monitor portfolio clients’ E&S performance and engage with them and investment colleagues to achieve compliance, including clearly documenting and communicating performance gaps.
• Support industry teams and clients in response to Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) and Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) requests, leading discussion with CAO and IEG officers.
• In coordination with industry and CEG advisory teams, build capacity with clients on issues related to E&S issues, including clients’ monitoring and evaluation of E&S activities and outcomes.
• Contribute to portfolio analysis to identify systemic issues and assess trends.
• Contribute to regional supervision program reviews and periodic reports.

Upstream and Advisory Services:

• Support identification of systemic bottlenecks in the market that prevent adequate E&S risk management in key markets. In collaboration with Upstream officers and advisory teams, propose activities to address these bottlenecks based on technical experience and expertise.
• Work proactively to identify opportunities for advisory engagements that result in greater development impact and value for the client; provide expert input into new IFC advisory offering.
• Participate in strategic decision making (as needed) regarding IFC role in advisory support to enhance E&S risk management. Where relevant support the development of appropriate solutions.

Knowledge Management:

• Engage with global teams responsible for the preparation of policy interpretation notes on E&S topics and contribute to corporate knowledge by analyzing and disseminating project lessons learned.
• Participate in E&S forums or conferences to showcase IFC experience, approach and value proposition.
• Provide guidance/mentor more junior staff and Short-Term Consultants (STCs) working on E&S risk management and supervise the timeliness and quality of their work.

Selection Criteria:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in science, engineering or other relevant fields, e.g. sociology/social sciences, environmental management/engineering or similar.
• Minimum of 12-15 years of professional experience in E&S management in the international context.
• Experience in E&S due diligence, monitoring and/or management in multiple sectors and countries, preferably in the private sector.
• Familiarity with IFC, World Bank or ADB E&S requirements.
• Willingness to travel regularly in East Asia Pacific.
• Strong analytical skills, ability to think strategically, analyze and synthesize diverse information sources, and draw conclusions from sometimes limited data.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines and adapt to changing circumstances, organize and prioritize deliverables, and maintain attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate effectively and concisely on complex environmental and social issues in spoken and written form, in a manner that can be understood by non-experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – proficiency in English is essential.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team, influence and negotiate point of view within teams.
• Exemplary project management skills and ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines.
• High personal integrity and emotional intelligence, with demonstrated ability to handle sensitive matters in a discreet and respectful manner. Diplomatic approach and calm under pressure.

Source:  https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=26961&site=1