National Environmental Safeguards Specialist

Greater Mekong Subregions Biodiversity Conservation seeks to recuit National Environmental Safeguards Specialist (21pm)

Expertise:                    Environmental Safeguards Specialist (national)
Duty Station:               Hanoi and project sites (Quang Nam, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue)
Duration/ timing:        21 Person-months distributed within 2015 to 2017
Expected start date:    01st May 2015

Background

The Vietnam Environmental Administration, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) is implementing the project titled ‘Greater Mekong Sub-region Biodiversity Conservation Corridors – Viet Nam component’ (BCC), over a period of eight years, 2011-2019.  The objective of the project is to achieve climate resilient and sustainable forest ecosystems in the Central Annamites region, benefiting local community livelihoods, and downstream users, through sustainably managed biodiversity corridors in Quang Nam, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue provinces.  The Project comprises four main outputs: (a) Institutional and community strengthening, (b) Biodiversity corridor restoration and protection, (c) Livelihoods improvement and small-scale infrastructure support, and (d) Project management and support services.

The main objective of the national Environmental Safeguards Specialist is to help ensure that the project meets environmental compliances in its field implementation.  For doing this, the consultant will work closely with project field implementing personnel, as well as management and monitoring units.

Reporting and liaising

The Environmental Safeguards Specialist will work for BCC Vietnam Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) at the Biodiversity Conservation Agency (VEA), MONRE.  He/ she will report directly to the National Project Director/ Deputy Director, with documentation provided in both Vietnamese and English language.

For technical matters related to implementation of project activities, the consultant is to coordinate closely with the team of Loan Implementation Consultants (LIC), in particular the Team Leader and Deputy-team Leader, and as needed with specialists placed at each of the project provinces.  For monitoring of field implementation activities as these relate to environmental aspects, the consultant will liaise directly with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and designated members of the External Monitoring Organization.

Timing

The consultancy is to take place through 21 person-months of effective input, and over a period of three years, with seven person-months each year.

Qualification

• At least eight years of experience in the working on environmental issues with larger forestry and or conservation-related projects.
• Experience in monitoring environmental compliance or assessing the impact of small-scale infrastructure developments or land and forest use implementation activities to the environment
• Ability to prepare objective assessment/ evaluation reports and provide feasible recommendations
• Experience in biodiversity, ADB loan project is an advantage
• Experience in ADB environmental safeguards is an asset
• Understanding of environment safeguards in Quang Nam, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue
• Strong communication skills, able to work in difficult field conditions, and as a member of a team

Language requirements

Excellent Vietnamese communication skills, and proficiency in English

Tasks

The Environmental Safeguards Specialist will be help the BCC project, including the anticipated additional financing to be funded by the Global Environment Facility, meet ‘environmental safeguard requirements’ of ADB Safeguards Policy Statement 2009 (SPS) and Vietnamese legislation on environmental safeguards as specified in the Environmental Assessment and Review Framework (EARF).  The consultant will develop and provide training for uptake of number of critical tools that will be used during project implementation to ensure its compliance with environmental safeguarding requirements.  The consultant will have qualifications or experience in small-scale rural infrastructure development and design.

In collaboration with the National Social Safeguarding Specialist, the Loan Implementation Consultant (LIC) team, and other project staff, and implementing partners and stakeholders, the Environmental Safeguards Consultant will:

• Update the EARF, which covers both the BCC Project and the anticipated additional financing.
  
  • Update the EARF where necessary
  • Develop field guidance and training materials, and conduct training as needed to relevant project stakeholders.

• Assist in the selection of infrastructure subprojects to avoid and minimize environmental impacts.
  
  • Work with the infrastructure design consultant teams to screen infrastructure subprojects for environmental impacts, avoiding and minimizing environmental impacts;
  • Advise the infrastructure design consultant teams to ensure that infrastructure subprojects are designed in a way that does not alter the environmental classification of the Project in accordance with ADB’s environmental safeguarding policy and procedures

• Ensure participatory consultations at the community level for environmental safeguards
  
  • Carry out participatory consultations at community level relating to environmental safeguards and guidelines for project activities in livelihoods, forest enhancement, and small-scale infrastructure sub-projects.
  • Document these consultations and ensure that the public has access to public documents related to the environmental safeguarding process.
  • Assist the CPMU and PPMUs to implement the grievance redress mechanisms of the project.

• Prepare environmental categorization forms and rapid environmental assessment (REA) checklists, and IEE.
  
  • Assist PPMUs to prepare environmental categorization forms and rapid environmental assessment (REA) checklists all subprojects
  • Assist PPMUs to prepare IEEs for category B subprojects. The IEE shall include the environmental management plan and environmental monitoring plan.
  • In the case of category C subprojects, assist the PPMU and CPMU in notifying ADB of the screening findings and the categorization of the subproject;

• Develop an appropriate monitoring schedule of each infrastructure sub-project during construction, and in operation if necessary, for compliance with the environmental requirements of the project, ADB, and the Vietnamese government.
  
  • Develop a work plan for the entire environmental safeguards program
  • Develop a monitoring plan for PPMU staff to monitor progress of the environmental safeguards program.   
  • Train PPMU staff and DPIU staff in how to conduct the monitoring
  • Coordinate and facilitate all environmental safeguarding monitoring and reporting activities for the Project
  • Prepare detailed monitoring schedules as well as the final environmental safeguards monitoring reports for inclusion into the project progress report for submission to ADB;

• Training and Supervision
  
  • Develop guidance and training materials on the use of screening checklists for all subprojects, and provide appropriate training to project implementing stakeholders and beneficiaries.  Collaborate with project monitoring units to harness resulting information in periodical project monitoring.
  • Provide guidance and support to the Project staff to prepare and submit the environmental impact assessments for subprojects according to the Vietnamese and ADB requirements;
  • Support the project external monitoring organization (EMO) to develop and conduct appropriate monitoring parameters in function subproject implementation.
  • Participate in project deliberations regarding definition of project intervention ‘hotspots’ and ‘models’ to assess potential environmental impact of project developments, and needs and strategies for mitigation.  Similarly, participate in the definition of provincial corridor guidelines to assess and advise on possible environmental impacts of project interventions.
  • Assist the EMO, PPMUs, DPIUs, and other project stakeholders during the implementation of the project Environmental Safeguard Assessments.
  • Other related to the main environmental safeguards content of this consultancy, as requested by the BCC Vietnam CPMU.

Those who are interested in the above position should submit their detailed Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter in English and Vietnamese before the 12 April 2015 to following the address and/or the email:

Centre Project Management Unit, Fl. 3, Detech Tower, No. 8, Ton That Thuyet, My Dinh, Tu Liem, Ha Noi. Tel: 043 7956992      Fax: 043 7956993
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Note: Applications will not be returned for non-selected candidates

Organisation Name: Greater Mekong Subregion Biodiversity Conservation Corridors – Viet Nam component

Location: Ha Noi, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue

Application Deadline: 12 April 2015

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