Deputy Executive Director

Deputy Executive Director (DED)-Environmental and Social Performance (ESP) and Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI)

Organization Branch: Kathmandu Head office

Organization Division: Environment and Social Performance

Job Description

Division: Environmental and Social Performance

Reports to: Executive Director

Band: E

Background & Project Description

The Millennium Challenge Compact was signed on September 14, 2017 between the United States of America, acting through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a United States government entity, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, acting through its Ministry of Finance. The Compact aims to increase the availability and reliability of electricity, maintain road quality, and facilitate power trade between Nepal and India helping to spur investments, and accelerate economic growth. The Compact is currently in implementation stage and is valid for a period of five years from the date of Entry-Into-Force (EIF), i.e. 30 August 2023. Pursuant to the agreement, the entity charged with implementing the project has been established as the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal entity. This position will assume a critical role in the success of MCA-Nepal.

Position Objective

The DED-ESP and GSI, reporting to the Executive Director of the Millennium Challenge Account-Nepal (MCA-Nepal) provides substantive expertise to the MCA-Nepal Project Managers, implementing partners, and project stakeholders as it relates to environmental, social, health and safety, resettlement, and gender and social inclusion (GSI) impacts and opportunities of all Compact-funded activities. As a member of MCA-Nepal Executive Team, the Deputy Executive Director (DED) for ESP/GSI is responsible for leadership and management of the ESP/GSI team. This position will report to the Executive Director of the Millennium Challenge Account-Nepal (MCA-Nepal) and will provide guidance and support to the Executive Director on the execution of Compact projects and cross-cutting sector activities, and to ensure sound coordination and project management in achieving Compact targets. The incumbent will ensure that appropriate resources, and MCA-Nepal internal policies, are aligned with the achievement of work plans within agreed-upon time lines and budgets.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Team Management

• Supervise MCA-Nepal ESP, GSI, and resettlement Managers according to MCA-Nepal Human Resource/Performance Management guidelines and procedures;
• Lead MCA-Nepal ESP, GSI, and Resettlement teams through recruitment, training and development, and performance management of staff to ensure a capacity to deliver the Projects’ objectives;
• Coordinate and collaborate closely with MCA-Nepal Deputy Executive Director (DED) for Engineering to ensure smooth project implementation and achievement of Compact goals;
• Ensure that MCA-Nepal Environmental, Gender, Social, and Resettlement staff are available and assigned appropriately in order to achieve project goals through coordination with DED for Engineering;
• Advise MCA-Nepal Project Managers and specialists on ESP/H&S issues, approaches and overall ESP/H&S strategy, ensuring coherence, coordination and alignment of ESP/H&S approaches across projects towards a common standard for the whole of MCA-Nepal;
• Serve as the main interlocutor between MCA-Nepal and the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) to ensure the Compact is implemented in full compliance with relevant Nepali environmental laws and procedures;
• Serve as the main interlocutor between MCA-Nepal and MCC’s Environment and Social Performance Project Leads, including preparation of reports and provision of information, both as required and upon request, as appropriate;
• Serve as the main interlocutor between MCA-Nepal and GSI-relevant governmental institutions at both federal and local levels;
• Lead and maintain regular communications and good partnership with MCC to support project completion;
• Advise and oversee all project management tasks as it relates to ESP/GSI including financial management through developing and monitoring budget and
• implementing quarterly fund disbursement processes; procuring and managing consultants and works contractors; developing and managing work plans; and establishing and monitoring quality assurance and control frameworks;
• Make recommendations and provide strategic guidance for the projects and cross cutting areas sectors;
• Ensure continuous improvement of projects and implementation efficiency in the team;
• Lead in formulating, coordinating, and recommending of issues to address to the Board of Directors, which includes preparation of the implementation plan, budget, Compact program activities, and subsequently, and through the ED, endorses these to the Board of Directors for its approval;
• Provide oversight and work closely with Managers to ensure compliance with MCC, Government of Nepal and other relevant guidelines and procedures;
• Lead and be responsible for coordinating the preparation of periodic reports that are required by MCC and the Board of Directors;
• Assist the Executive Director in representing MCA-Nepal and Compact to the Nepali public and MCA-Nepal’s partners/stakeholders;
• May act as officer-in-charge in the absence of the ED; and
• Perform other tasks and special projects as assigned by the ED.

Project Management Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance of program activities with Nepali environmental laws and regulation, MCC’s Environmental Guidelines, MCC’s Gender and Inclusion Policy (2024),MC Counter-Trafficking in Persons Policy (2021) and the IFC Performance Standards in close collaboration with MCA-Nepal DED for Engineering and Project Managers;
• Ensure regular ESP, GSI, Counter Trafficking in Person (C-TIP) and resettlement updates are provided to detailed work plans and coordinate to develop and regularly update an Executive Work Plan (combines all compact activities including condition precedents) for use with executive team, MCA-Nepal Board of Directors and other high-level stakeholders;
• Oversee strategy and work plan for ensuring ESP, GSI, and resettlement considerations are effectively integrated in accordance with MCC policies and procedures;
• Ensure regular update on Executive Risk Management Plan for use with executive team, MCA-Nepal Board of Directors and other high-level stakeholders;
• Ensure completion of all tasks, deliverables and duties in compliance with applicable environmental, social, health and safety guidelines, including domestic laws and regulations, MCC Environmental Guidelines and IFC Performance Standards;
• Review and oversee technical input to any remaining Environmental and Social Assessments (ESIAs) required by the Projects, including resettlement action plans (RAPs) and livelihood restoration plans (LRPs);
• Ensure that all bidding documents for the Compact incorporate relevant environmental and social mitigation measures;
• Ensure that resettlement planning and implementation are incorporated into works contracts;
• Review comments and complaints from project-affected parties on environmental, social impacts and resettlement issues and recommend actions for resolution;
• Liaise with key stakeholders and donors, including the MoFE and other national and subnational government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and project affected populations and MCC;
• Oversee compilation of program data on ESP/H&S related to compact implementation, ensuring up to date information of program metrics such as environmental, social and health and safety performance;
• Oversee the development and/or application of Environmental and Social Performance (ESP) documents including but not limited to the Environmental and
• Social Management System (ESMS), Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and Management Plans (ESIAs/ESMPs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs),
• Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEPs), Health and Safety Management Plans (HSMPs) etc., and ensure the dissemination, implementation and compliance with these tools to improve the environmental and social performance of Compact activities;
• Oversee and ensure the effective implementation of MCA-Nepal’s TIP Risk Management Plans in minimizing projects’ TIP risks on communities;
• Oversee and ensure the effective operationalization of MCA-Nepal’s institutional arrangement and tools for responding to TIP incidents applying survivor centered approach.

Contract Management Responsibilities

Develop and oversee a quality control framework to monitor and strategically manage the:
environmental, health and safety; resettlement and land acquisition; and

gender and social inclusion (GSI) performance of each Project and respective contract in compliance with applicable standards; ensure Managers (EHS and GSI) develop and implement of a compact-wide environmental and social management system.

Monitor for non-conformances in ESP/H&S performance to ensure remedial measures and corrective actions are being identified and implemented in a timely manner;
Support implementation of corrective actions when requested;
Oversee the work of MCA-Nepal Consultants and Contractors to ensure adequate oversight of the implementation of all ESP/GSI-related activities funded by the Compact.

Job Specification

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree (required) and Master’s Degree (preferred) from a recognized institution in natural or social sciences, environmental planning, engineering or a similar discipline;
• A minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience leading efforts to integrate environmental, social resettlement considerations as well as gender and social inclusion into infrastructure design and implementation;
• Ability to support and motivate teams, including coaching and development opportunities to maximize production, quality of work and achieve goals;
• Proven skills to build trust in teams that deliver results and add value by constantly looking for a better way to achieve more impactful results;
• Prior experience of ensuring compliance to IFC standards, Nepal experience preferred;
• Proven experience in managing contracts/projects, environmental and social aspects of large infrastructure projects, including monitoring working hours, budgets, quality control and compliance with contractual terms of reference;
• Experience working with international construction contractors;
• In-depth knowledge and demonstrable experience in the application of:
• Nepal’s environmental laws and regulations, in particular those relating to the energy sector, public health and safety, consultation, land acquisition and involuntary resettlement; and
• International industry best practices in environmental planning, including the International Finance Corporation’s environmental and social performance standards, the World Bank’s operational policies, or other environmental and social safeguard procedures of multilateral or bilateral donors;
• Proven experience in assessing environmental and social impact and leading efforts to integrate environmental and social considerations into infrastructure or similar projects;
• Excellent communication skills in English and Nepali.

Preferred:

• Experience managing a team of GSI, Resettlement, and Environment and Social Performance Managers;
• Demonstrated employment experience in large infrastructure project;
• Preferably exposed to Transmission lines or Roads;
• Domain expertise preferably in GSI, Resettlement or ESP;
• Expertise in Land acquisition and design of Resettlement/Restoration plans would be an advantage;
• Dynamic and experienced leader with proven experience in effective team management, ethical and results-oriented leadership;
• Strong leadership skills, with a willingness to actively engage in all aspects of project delivery.