Social Equity and Rights Specialist
Position Summary Expectations - Duties, Responsibilities
Terms and Conditions
Start Date: As soon as possible
Duration of Contract: Undetermined Duration Contract, based on the fund availability
Probation Period: Three months
Gross Salary Range: Competitive contingent on experience
Location: Based at BLF Phnom Penh Office, with regular travel across Cambodia, particularly Ratanakiri and Steung Treng provinces.
Benefits:
- 25 working days annual leave entitlement
- Medical insurance
- Seniority Indemnity
- 13th month Salary
- Other benefits aligned with Ministry of Labour and Vocational
- Training
Hours of Work:
This is a full-time position, working Monday to Friday from 8:00AM to 5:30PM, with 1.5 hours break from 12:00PM to 1:30PM.
Key working relationships: BLF Management Team and Component Leads Fauna & Flora Cambodia Country Director Virachey Landscape Manager Cross-Cutting Teams, especially Social Equity, Agriculture, Enterprise and Wildlife Trade (UK).
Key external relationships: Key staff from Biodiverse Landscapes Fund consortium partners National and local government agencies, National and local communities and community-based organisations, International and national partner NGOs and for-profit entities Academic institutions and funders.
Purpose:
To support the implementation of gender and social equity, rights-based approaches, and good governance within Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) Cambodia, to help to secure Indigenous people’s rights over traditional land tenure and ancestral domains and enhance Indigenous-led solutions to protect and restore threatened species and habitats.
- Technical
- In close collaboration with the BLF Social Equity and Rights Manager work with BLF consortium partners and country staff in Cambodia to develop, implement, and monitor appropriate site-level social safeguards for the BLF programme. In doing so, the post will help ensure that the project adequately identifies, avoids, manages and/or mitigates negative social risks and impacts affecting communities, or other relevant local stakeholders, as a result of its conservation work. The primary tool for this work will be the project’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), supplemented by other safeguard instruments.
- With the support from the BLF Social Equity, and Rights Manager to work with BLF consortium partners and country staff ensuring that social equity, rights-based approaches, Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) engagement and good governance are effectively integrated and implemented in the BLF and other conservation programmes in Cambodia, which include:
- Ensure a gender-sensitive programme approach and enabling framework is applied to the delivery of the BLF programme. Using participatory analytical and decision-making tools to enable engagement and gender transformative learning within the landscape, and to mainstream gender equality into policies and plans.
- Ensure that the project approach acknowledges and respects the rights, values, and knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) in relation to land and resources;
- Ensure that the project facilitates the meaningful participation and equal access of diverse groups, including those from marginalized communities, in decision-making processes related to project and natural resources governance;
- Ensure that project benefits and risks are distributed equitably among all stakeholders, promoting fairness and inclusivity in the overall project outcomes;
- Ensure the project is designed to improve inclusive and equitable governance of protected areas
- Be the focal point for BLF Cambodia ESMP, Process Framework, Stakeholder Engagement Plan, Grievance Mechanisms, FPIC, Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) reporting and revision of tools;
- In collaboration with the country team and consortium partner support the data collection, analysis, and reporting on social impact of BLF project, including the social outcome and output indicators of the project.
- Implementation and communications
- Conduct field visits and stakeholder consultations with project staff to support and monitor the implementation of social safeguards, good governance, and social equity aspects of the project.
- Contribute to the production of annual work plans and budgets for the social aspects of Fauna & Flora’s conservation activities under the BLF project in Cambodia.
- Develop communications materials in appropriate formats as requested and actively share project results and learning through internal and external fora;
- Partnerships
- Develop and manage productive and collaborative relationships with partners to ensure the effective delivery of desired social impacts in the BLF project.
- Conduct training and other capacity-building activities in social equity, rights-based approach, and good governance to the BLF team, country staff, national and sub-national government agencies, local partners, and IPLC.
- Support the consortium partners and country team in implementing a gender-sensitive programme approach within the BLF project to enable engagement and gender-transformative learning.
- Other duties
- Undertake any other tasks commensurate with the position that may be requested of you, from time to time, by your Line Manager.
- Skills
- Essential
- A strong background in social science
- Technical skills in the development, management, implementation, and monitoring & evaluation of rights-based and community-driven conservation approaches
- Analytical review skills
- Facilitation, training, and coaching skills
- Excellent communication and presentation (written and verbal) to a range of audiences
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with local communities
- Advanced excel users and ability to analyse social data
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Desirable
- Relevant technical skills in using/applying social safeguards (e.g. IFC PS or WB ESS)
- Khmer language is an advantage
- Essential
- Master's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience in a similar role
- Experience in working with Environmental and Social Management Systems
- Experience in using participatory approaches in conservation and/or development
- Experience in designing and delivering training to build individual or organisational capacity
- Experience of working in a cross-cultural environment
- Professional experience in international conservation or a related field
- Experience of implementing gender equality and social inclusion approach
- Experience of working in partnership with government agencies, local civil society
- Desirable
- Experience working in South-east Asia, especially Cambodia
- Behavioural qualities
- Self-motivated, independent and resourceful
- Open to learning and able to quickly pick up new skills
- Team player, with the ability to seek out the views of others and build positive working relationships with people from different backgrounds and cultures
- Ability to work under pressure and to deal with challenges in a positive and constructive way
- Commitment to working collaboratively, sharing information, and learning
- Commitment to organisational and legal compliance, and responsible management of donor funds
- Interest in and empathy with the mission and values of Fauna & Flora
- Other
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly and at short notice within project sites
