Principal Environmental and Social Policy Specialist (Based in Beijing, China)

Job Description

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow in Asia and beyond – infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in 2016 and have since grown to 111 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized at USD100 billion and AAA-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Collaborating 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 Department (SPB) is responsible for developing and monitoring the implementation of AIIB’s strategic agenda as set out in its Corporate Strategy and other strategies; 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 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 Policy Specialist will be primarily responsible for supporting the development of and providing guidance on the application of the Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) in AIIB’s nonsovereign-backed investment operations, with particular focus on financial intermediary (FI) projects, including further developing and refining relevant guidance and procedures; advising Environmental and Social specialists in the investment teams on complex ES issues to mitigate risks; and supporting the management in address any potential concerns raised by internal and external stakeholders.

• Advise on the preparation of environmental and social assessments and implementation of environmental and social management plans and other types of instruments.
• Advise on strategic, sectoral, regional, and cumulative impact assessments for selected operations.
• Review and validate environmental/social risks, impacts, and mitigations identified by the investment teams on selected complex projects covering nonsovereign-backed financings, especially FI projects, against the requirements of AIIB’s ESP.
• Develop and monitor courses of action to resolve issues concerning Bank and client compliance with the environmental requirements of AIIB’s ESP.
• Support AIIB’s knowledge base on environmental and social aspects through training and capacity training of AIIB staff.
• Other relevant tasks assigned by supervisor.

• Minimum 20 years of relevant experience working in a multilateral development bank (MDB), bilateral development organization, or private-sector organization.
• Master’s degree or equivalent in environmental science, engineering, social studies, planning, law, or related fields from a reputable university.
• Experience in the development and implementation of environmental/social strategies, policies, and procedures, especially those used by MDBs for FI projects.
• Experience working on policy interpretation and application and communicating such policies to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including senior management, boards of directors, and civil society organizations.
• Knowledge of project development and supervision, including project design and feasibility studies.
• Professional expertise in the planning and management of environmental/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 to make site visits.
• Experience with ESG ratings or sustainable finance operations is desirable.
• Outstanding written and verbal English 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.

Join in AIIB’s mission to promote sustainable infrastructure investments and to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond.

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

About the Organization

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is Financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow in Asia and beyond—infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in 2016 and have since grown to 111 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized at USD100 billion and AAA-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Collaborating with partners, AIIB meets clients’ needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled and promotes regional connectivity.