Social Development Specialist - Nairobi - World Bank Group

Description

Social Development Specialist

Job #:

req33565

Organization:

World Bank

Sector:

Social Development

Grade:

GF

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:

Local Recruitment

Location:

Nairobi,Kenya

Required Language(s):

English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:

7/7/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Working at the World Bank
Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their
greatest development challenges. The
World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for
developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions
dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity on a
livable planet. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide,
we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking
projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the
most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit

The Eastern and
Southern Africa (AFE) region comprises 11 countries (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda,
Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eretria, Sudan, Zambia, Tanzania, and Malawi).
Together, the region is home to about 700 million of Africa's population, and
includes a geographically, culturally, and economically diverse region, stretching
from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. The
subregion harbors some of Africa's protracted conflicts, rendering many of its
countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills
development continue to constrain people's capacity from reaching their full
potential. This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the
lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade.
But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil
society, development partners, and young people to create and sustain
conditions for ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity on a livable
planet. Realizing prosperity in the region requires operational leadership and technical
support and working with relevant partners.  

We are looking for dedicated
professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people's lives
and help countries build back better after COVID19. For more information on
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAFR) Region:  

Planet Practice
Group

The Planet
Practice Group of the World Bank supports the WBG's vision by focusing on sustainable
and inclusive growth and ensuring that the Bank's work focus on people. The
Group comprises five operational units including Agriculture and food (AGF);
Climate Change Global (CCG) solutions; Environment, natural resources, and blue
economy (ENB), Water as well as the Social sustainability and Inclusion (SSI)
practices. In
addition, the Planet Group leads the implementation of the World Bank's
Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), making sure that Bank-assisted
projects are sustainably designed and implemented. The Planet leadership team
includes Vice Presidency (VP), Regional Directors (RDs) responsible for the
delivery of regional and country programs and Global Directors (GDs) who have a
primary role in setting GP strategy, global engagements, promoting the flow of
global knowledge, talent management, and strategic staffing. The Planet Group
has four objectives (i) deliver basic needs; (ii) ensure sustainability; (iii)
build social inclusion and cohesion; and (iv) lead on long term development
issues.
 
Social Development
Global Practice

The Social
Development Global Practice (GP) helps countries tackle deep-rooted social
problems stemming from fragility, climate change, exclusion, and the digital
age with people-centered solutions built on local values and institutions. The
GP engages with citizens, communities, and governments to deepen resilience,
build inclusion, and empower vulnerable and marginalized groups to have
influence and voice. The GP prioritizes participatory, multi-sectoral
approaches that build on norms and informal institutions to address social
challenges and create more inclusive, empowered communities. It also works
across the Bank's portfolio to implement the Environment and Social Framework
(ESF) standards, strengthen inclusive development, and promote sustainable
development outcomes. For more information:

Unit Context (SAES2)

The East Africa
Unit of Social Development (SAES2) provides social development support to borrower
countries in East Africa – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia,
South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. SAES2 manages a
portfolio of SSI operations and analytics across East Africa, supports other
global practices in meeting the objectives and requirements of Bank's environmental
and social Framework (ESF) on their operations, and is responsible for quality
assurance on all social risk management instruments for the region.  

This position is based
in Nairobi, Kenya and will involve supporting the World Bank's engagement in Kenya,
Somalia, and other countries in the region. The incumbent will be part of a
team of six social development specialists across the Country Management Unit (CMU),
overseeing one of the Africa region's largest International Development
Association (IDA) portfolios. 

Duties
and Accountabilities:

As a core member
of World Bank Task Teams, the Social Development Specialist will advise Task
Teams and clients in various sectors, and support project designs and implementation,
making sure that Bank-assisted projects are inclusive and present clear and
implementable measures for addressing social risks whilst finding opportunities
to enhance the social development outcomes of Bank financed operations in East
Africa. The specialist will lead and promote social inclusion agenda in the
design and implementation of projects in East Africa. The Specialist will have
the following key responsibilities:

- Advice
task teams and clients in the public and private sectors on the Bank's ESF
and Operational Policies, especially OP 4.03, social risks management and
social benefits optimization across sectors throughout the project cycle.

- Provide
technical and operational support to clients in operationalizing the
Bank's social standards, focusing on land acquisition and involuntary
resettlement which includes where applicable, livelihood restoration,
stakeholder engagement consultation and inclusion, grievance redress
mechanisms, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and cultural heritage.

- Undertake
social due diligence and prepare Environmental and Social Risks Review
Summaries (ESRS) for new projects and relevant social section of Project
Appraisal Documents, Project Operational Manual and/or Environmental,
Social, Health and Safety Risk Management Manual, and complete necessary
administrative activities used by the Bank to track and monitor social and
environmental performance of projects.

- Contribute to SSI-led
analytical and operational engagements, policy dialogue in Kenya, and
social risk management, including engagements with internal and external
clients on SSI business opportunities.

- Provide
technical support to government agencies implementing Bank financed
projects in due diligence, preparing and implementing social risks
management plans in accordance with the Bank's ESF/policy requirements. These
include legal documents such as the Environmental and Social Commitment
Plan (ESCP), social assessments, stakeholder engagement plans (SEP), labor
management procedures (LMP), plans for inclusion of historically underserved traditional local communities,
resettlement action plans (RAP), livelihood restoration plans (LRP), environmental
and social impact assessments (ESIA), gender based violence risk
assessment and action plan with a focus on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
(SEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH), and environmental and social management
plans (ESMPs) as determined by the needs and impacts of a project, and
Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).

- Provide
timely, expert technical reviews of social assessment products and other E&S
instruments prepared by clients for other Bank Global Practices, such as energy
and infrastructure, Water, Health, Urban Development, private sector
development, and others as needed. In this regard, provide timely feedback
and suggestions to clients on measures for ensuring such instruments are
in line with the Bank's Environmental and Social Standards.

- Participate
in project preparation, appraisal, and supervision activities of project
implementation, including operational missions and providing inputs
related to social performance of projects into the mission Aid Memoirs
(Ams), and support the resolution of emerging issues to ensure results on
the ground and project implementation progress.

- Advise
task teams in integrating gender considerations in the project design and
implementation.

- Ensure timely
reporting on SSI activities, including ESF, proactive monitoring,
management, and preparation of relevant social risks management briefs.

Policy and
analytical work:

- Contribute
to dialogue on the implementation of the Environmental and Social
Framework with government officials, development partners, civil society,
and other stakeholders, and coordinate the Bank's relations with clients
on social development.

- Participate
in portfolio reviews on social and environmental sustainability and risk
management as required.

- Contribute
to analytical advisory activities on key social development issues,
notably related to local governance and service delivery, gender
mainstreaming, and land property and tenure rights.

- Maintain
active engagement with a broad range of key stakeholders, identifying
potential partnerships and new opportunities for engagement around social
development aimed at advancing social development in general and social
risk management in particular.

Capacity
building:

- Work
closely with ENB colleagues to enhance the capacity of the project
implementing agencies  to implement
the Bank's environmental and social framework for handling project risks
and enhancing the sustainability of World Bank financed projects,
especially in FCV contexts.

- Supervise
the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency
and conformity to Bank standards.

Reporting:

- Reports
to Practice Manager, SAES2.

- Works
under the mentorship of Senior Social Development staff based in Nairobi, Kenya
and under the general direction of CMU country coordinator, based in Nairobi.

Selection Criteria

* At least a Master's degree in
Social Sciences (i.e., Development Studies, Social Anthropology,
Sociology, Gender and Development, International Development, Business
Sustainability Management, and related subjects).  

* A minimum of 5 years of
direct professional experience in managing social and environmental risks
in infrastructure projects in energy and extractives sector, water sector,
finance, competitiveness and innovation (FCI) sector, transport and roads,
urban development, large scale agriculture in Eastern
and Southern Africa and/or elsewhere in Sub-Sahara Africa, . 

* Knowledge and demonstrated
competence in operationalizing the global sustainability frameworks of
International Finance Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank's
Environmental and Social Framework, IFC's Environmental and Social
Performance Standards, the Asian Development Bank's Safeguards Policies
and Standards and standards of other Development Partners. This includes
experience in managing the following thematic issues in projects settings:
social impact assessment of projects on different populations, land
acquisition and involuntary resettlement, resettlement planning and
livelihood restoration, stakeholder engagement, consultation and inclusion,
complaint and grievance redress mechanisms, community health and safety,
social investment interventions, etc. Ability to innovate and
strategically address these issues, balancing development imperatives
against sustainability challenges, and remaining client-focused.

* Experience
in working in Fragile and Conflict and Violence (FCV) affected areas is an
added advantage.

* Demonstrated
ability to translate analytical work into policy advice and substantial,
practical recommendations.

* Ability to
present complex social risks and sustainability issues in a simple way to
people of different technical backgrounds.

* Proven
ability to engage effectively with Government, private sector, project
beneficiaries and civil society.

Professional
traits and willingness.

* Excellent
interpersonal, problem-solving skills, and ability to think innovatively
and strategically to find solutions to complex development problems.

* Very high
level of energy and initiative, and proven ability to multi-task.

* Readiness
for frequent travel within Country duty station and the AFE region.

* Proven
ability to work in and actively contribute to teams and champion a
positive team dynamic.

* Experience
working in a multicultural setting.

* Knowledge of
the local language(s) in-  Kenya or
Somalia.

* Excellent
oral and written communication skills in English and Kiswahili.

World Bank Group
Core Competencies

The World
Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical,
life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as
well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are
proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and
committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity,
religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Note: If
the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a
Regular or Open-Ended appointment, they will retain their Regular or Open-Ended
appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff
Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this
appointment, they will retain the duration of their current Term appointment.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense
of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal
and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful
Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous
decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment
and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable
manner for impactful results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.