Environmental and Social Sustainability (ESS) Consultant

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope

UNICEF Ukraine

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of assignment:

The consultant will complete the following tasks:

• Establish a thorough Environmental and Social Sustainability monitoring framework/methodology, outlining key indicators, and data collection methods for  education facility rehabilitation interventions.
• Conduct 55 education facility site assessments to identify environmental social health and safety (ESHS) risks of each specific site.
• Based on initial site assessments, develop Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) for each corresponding site, using the “Guidance for Environmental and Social Management Plan” (ESMP) and “Environmental and Social Code of Practices” (ESCOP) packages.
• Prepare guidance for UNICEF implementing partners on ensuring Environmental and Social Sustainability during rehabilitation/facility improvement works.
• Develop content for ESMP procedural inductions and trainings: Health and Safety (H&S) plan, labour safety, , incident reporting mechanism, site specific PPE, grievance mechanisms, etc.
• Evaluate performance of indicators and tools and make practical recommendations for improving the monitoring of Environmental and Social Sustainability (ESS) in Ukraine.
• Present findings within reports i.g. training records, site photographs, meeting protocols.
• Develop final reports on key lessons learnt and observations based on assessments, plans implementation and monitoring visits.

The consultant will support the project with the following contributions:

• Support to prepare all relevant Environmental Safeguards documents and ensure compliance with the Environmental specific requirements of the Environmental and Social Commitments Plan (ESCP).
• In coordination with UNICEF staff, prepare and update the environmental and social management framework (ESMF) and plans for the relevant ESS.
• In coordination with UNICEF staff, develop and refinesite specific Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMPs) including monitoring tools to ensure compliance with all Environmental and Social Safety Standards (ESS) relevant to UNICEF. 
• Monitor Education programme compliance with ESMF, ESMPs and all related ESS.
• Monitor UNICEF implementing partners, contractors, and suppliers’ compliance to ESMF and ESMPs.
• Plan and formulate any other additional necessary documents, guidance notes, monitoring tools, reporting templates, as well as convene internal focused group discussions instrumental towards finalizing the ESP.
•  Ensure the ESP related documents are aligned with UNICEF’s internal procedures and policies, regulatory frameworks as well as the model UN approach.
• Provide technical support, guidance, and advice to UNICEF Education and ADAP section.
•  Closely follow up the integration of environmental safeguard assessment information into project planning and implementation and completion of safeguards self-screening checklist during the project development process.
• Develop content for all demanded by ESMP procedure inductions and trainings.

Project Management and Implementation:

• Identify challenges, opportunities, priorities and needs for the development and implementation of the ESCP, ESMF and ESMPs.
• Make sure that the terms and conditions set for project development in line with environmental safeguard principles are adhered to.
• Provide technical support during project implementation to ensure compliance to the ESCP, ESMPs and ESMF including MWMP, SMP, LMP and GBV Action Plans.
• Include formulating a roll-out plan, developing supporting guidance and tools, when applicable (e.g. Environmental Screening Tool) to support environmental safeguarding implementation.
• Take stock of lessons learned from previous projects, global regional and national best practices, and current UNICEF and KFW guidelines and procedures to ensure environmental safeguard documents for the education programme works remain up to date and current.

Project Monitoring & Reporting:

• Undertake follow up monitoring to ensure that proposed environmental risk mitigation measures are implemented according to the ESCP, ESMF and ESMPs.
• Ensure monitoring tools are developed, applied and reported to ensure compliance of Environmental and Social Safeguards standards.
• Participation of UNICEF education programme in all environmental safeguard related meetings.
• Reporting of all safeguard risks and concerns observed on the ground to UNICEF education programme.

Work assignment overview:

Travel plan:

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal including travels to carry out the deliverables listed above.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in one of the following fields is required: Environmental sciences/studies, Environmental Economics or Natural Resource or similar fields.

Professional experience:

• Experience in technical supervision in projects for at least 3 years.
• Experience of cooperation with international organizations would be an asset.
• Work experience in accordance with international standards of labor safety and environmental safety, in compliance with the principles of social and gender equality.

Languages: 

• Ukrainian: Proficient/Native [C2];
• English: Intermediate (B1, B1+).

Skills and competencies:

• Environmental sciences/studies, Environmental Economics or Natural Resource & Health Care Management or relevant similar field
• Possession of a valid technical supervision engineer certificate.
• Knowledge of the regulatory framework in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine.
• Free reading of drawings and knowledge of AVK software.
• Knowledge of modern methods of planning and conducting work on construction sites.
• Knowledge of advanced construction technologies and the ability to apply them.
• Advanced communication skills.
• Ability to make quick decisions and take responsibility.
• Fluency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Availability to take business trips across Ukraine.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.