Officer - Environmental and Social Management

Job Description

Position Description:

The Environmental and Social Management Officer (ESMO) will ensure that the project activities are prepared and implemented in compliance with addressing the project’s Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), subproject-specific E&S instruments and Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS). The Environmental and Social Management Officer will be required to travel across all project sites for monitoring and supervision purposes.

Responsibilities:

Summary of Key Functions/Specific Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Make sure the environmental and social screening/assessment for each sub-project are completed and propose proper mitigation measures in the form of simplified ESMP.
• Make sure that the database officer uploads the required ESS documents to the project MIS based on the Project Operational Manual.
• Conduct environmental and social management awareness training for FP staff, and make sure it cascades to CDCs and laborers for each sub-project before the commencement of physical activities and during the implementation as needed.
• Monitor ESS-related data in the project’s MIS database and make sure that data is accurate.
• Generate reports, conduct analysis, and share findings with UNOPS for ESS improvement.
• Conduct monitoring visits to the project sites to ensure that the ESS implementation, reporting, and documentation comply with the ESMF and safeguard instruments.
• Provide regular reports on environmental and social management activities.

Environmental and Social Management Compliance

• Make sure the environmental and social screening/assessment is conducted for each of the sub-projects and propose proper mitigation measures in the form of simplified ESMP and any activity-specific E&S instruments.
• Conduct training on Environmental and Social compliance aspects/issues for the FP Team, and make sure it cascaded to CDCs, laborers, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain all proper documentation of E&S safeguards measures to confirm all due processes have been followed.
• Record and investigate incidents (including near misses) to determine the cause and to propose improvements to processes in the future and prepare reports on incidents (including near misses) and compile statistical information to present to upper management on E&S matters.
• Make sure a safe workplace environment is maintained at all times without risk to the health and safety of everyone including workers, FP staff, other stakeholders, and the general public.
• Respond to the Third Party Monitoring Agents’ reports on ESS-related issues.
• Regularly meet with FP engineers regarding sub-project ESS-related issues, grievances, and capacity-building requests.
• Record lessons learned from the field and deliver training to the FP staff regularly as required.
• Participate in regular site meetings/kick-off meetings and provide training to the CDCs and laborers.
• Perform other related duties as required by the supervisor.
• The ESMO must strictly follows the organization existing security policies, procedures and daily instructions of the safety personnel.
• Any other tasks are given by the Supervisor.

Education:

University degree in Social Environmental Science is required But, Master in relevant field is preferred.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant experience in Community Driven Development (CDD) projects. Familiar with community-based environmental safeguarding is required.

Other qualifications’ an advantage:

• In-depth knowledge of environmental regulations, standards, and best practices.
• Familiarity with environmental management systems (EMS) and ISO 14001 certification.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address environmental risks.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective stakeholder engagement and report writing.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in using environmental assessment tools and software.
• Certification or training in environmental auditing or risk assessment is a plus
• Languages:Oral and written fluency in (English, Dari, Pashto)

Employment Benefits:

• Good training opportunities to enhance employees’ skills.
• Eid bonus on both Eids (after the completion of three months’ service).
• 36 days of paid annual leave per year.
• 10 days of paid sick leave per year.
• 45 days of paid Hajj leave (after the completion of one-year service).
• 90 days of paid maternity leave for female employees (after the completion of three months’ service).
• 6 days of paid paternity leave for male employees (after the completion of three months’ service).
• Public holidays (According to the approved public holiday’s list).

DEADLINE
31/07/2025

About the Organization

The Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) is a non-governmental, non-profit, apolitical humanitarian organisation, which has been working in Afghanistan for the last 25 years. It currently employs around 700 people of which 98% are local Afghans. Its core activities are water and sanitation projects and rural development activities. DACAAR works on encouraging and enabling larger community participation in its projects and the involvement of both men and women in the decision making process. Gender mainstreaming is also being promoted through a newly established Gender Unit. Currently DACAAR is working in 14 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. History DACAAR started as a small sewing centre for Afghan women living as refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan in 1984. Two years later DACAAR started its first water supply programme for Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan. Over the next three years the programme was expanded to most of the camps in NWFP and included maintenance of water supply and water distribution systems. In 1989 the Soviet withdrew its troops from Afghanistan and DACAAR returned to Afghanistan to start up programmes in the rural areas. The main office remained in Peshawar but over the coming years, field offices were gradually opened across Afghanistan. In 1994 the Taliban took over control of most of Afghanistan and by 1996 all of DACAAR's activities were in Taliban controlled areas. DACAAR continued to work with the Afghan people, where it was possible. By the late 1990s DACAAR stopped its relief work to focus on development work in Afghan communities involving the local people in the projects. In late 2001 the Taliban regime was overthrown by allied forces and a new government was formed in Kabul. In November 2002 DACAAR moved its main office from Peshawar to Kabul, and in 2006 DACAAR stopped working in Pakistan to focus on its work in Afghanistan. Activities DACAAR provides rural communities with access to safe water. To date, over 40,000 water points have been installed across Afghanistan and provide clean and safe water for over 7 million Afghans. Water points are tested in DACAAR laboratories in Kabul to find out if it is of an acceptable quality. All of the projects involves men and women of local communities, and establishes community based maintenance systems. DACAAR teaches local Afghan population the importance of simple hygiene practices in reducing water borne diseases. Most of the hygiene educators are married couples, which makes it possible to reach men, women and children. DACAAR related hygiene educators make visits to families to deliver key hygiene messages and giving training in refreshing routines and how to overcome any hygienic problems. DACAAR assists farmers in managing their natural resources, in order to help them build a self-sufficient income for the household. Farmers receive technical training in how to design and manage more efficient irrigation systems. DACAAR also helps the farmers with saffron cultivation instead of poppy farming. Since 2005 DACAAR has been running the Women’s Resource Centers, which provides women with training skills in running small business. The first centre was introduced in Ghazni province, and since then 11 more centers have been established. The women can take literacy courses; learn about business planning, social organizing and community management. They also receive training in agricultural management and water supply. Through these skills women are enabled to contribute financially to the households. The centers also have women’s groups, where rural women can discuss the challenges they encounter in the local communities. DACAAR has provided technical training to 250 women, conducted field visits and provided facilities for saffron drying. All centers have nominated its own management committee and chair woman, who is responsible for the daily leadership of the centre. After two years, the centers are designated to become self-sustainable. In 2003 the Afghan government introduced the Afghan National Solidarity Programme (NSP), which focuses on the needs of rural areas in Afghanistan. DACAAR is a facilitating partner and involved in democratically elected Community Development Councils (CDCs) of villages and has trained local people in accounting, community management, minute taking and chairing meetings. Since 2002 more than five million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan. Many of them are living in refugee camps, while waiting to receive land from the government. DACAAR is providing these camps with safe and clean water. DACAAR also helps with emergency humanitarian relief to rural communities such as providing food to starving families and clean water during floods and other natural disasters. Partners DACAAR has worked closely with the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development (MRRD) and the Ministry of Women Affairs. DACAAR receives funding from a wide range of donors, including Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the National Solidarity Programme (NSP), the the European Commission, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy among others.