Consultant Required: Social Safeguards Specialist
GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
HOUSING RECOVERY PROJECT
Terms of Reference
Social Safeguards Specialist
Introduction
An urgent and critical issue confronting Dominica is the recovery of its housing sector in the wake of Hurricane Maria which struck the island in September 2017. The hurricane devastated the country’s infrastructure, communities and households, along with the main productive sectors – agriculture and tourism. Prior to Hurricane Maria, it was already established that the country’s development was challenged by the vulnerability of its population and economy to natural disasters, which can impose large costs on the country’s fragile economy. The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has embarked upon a broad range of housing recovery strategies aimed at increasing structural resilience in the housing sector and the built environment, thus reducing the vulnerability of citizens and the economy to natural disasters.
Project Background
The Commonwealth of Dominica has secured financing from the International Development Association (IDA) credit and a Crisis Response Window Grant for the Home Recovery Project (HRP). The HRP is one of the projects in the GoCD’s National Housing Repair and Reconstruction Programme portfolio. The HRP will contribute both to the recovery of housing for disaster-affected households and to improving the application of resilient building practices in the housing sector. The Project will finance support for housing recovery systems and capacity building, support for the reconstruction of houses, and project management and coordination. The project has a significant construction works component and other activities related to institutional strengthening and capacity building. It has been formulated in keeping with the GoCD’s National Housing Repair and Reconstruction Programme (NHRRP). The HRP is prepared as part of an overall development partner initiative to support medium- and long-term recovery in Dominica, and is part of a broader World Bank recovery portfolio comprised of two other operations: (i) an Emergency Agricultural Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project; and (ii) an Additional Financing to the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project.
A stand-alone Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established under the Ministry of Housing, Land and Water Resource Management (MoH) to be responsible for the timely implementation and execution of the HRP program. The PIU will report directly to the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the MoH, and will liaise constantly with the technical divisions of the MoH and the Ministry of Planning (MoP) as well as the Housing Task Force (HTF), responsible for overseeing sector recovery. In the implementation of the Program, the Communications, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and the PIU staff will have support from a team of international experts, who will form an Implementation Support Team (IST), housed in the Ministry of Finance. This IST will have expertise in areas of World Bank procurement, social/environmental safeguards and financial management, and will serve as a shared resource across all World Bank financed Projects in Dominica.
An essential component of the Project is the establishment of up to seven (7) Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) throughout the country to serve as satellite offices of the Physical Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoP). These TACs will be the primary interface between the public/eligible beneficiaries/contractors and the implementing agencies. The PIU will oversee the operations at the TACs while the TACs support the PIU in the collection of the demographic information required for administering eligibility under the project, for undertaking technical assessments and carrying out development control functions. These Terms of Reference have been prepared to assist in the engagement of a Social Safeguards Specialist for the PIU. He/She will be responsible for all aspects of strategic coordination with the IST Environmental and Social Management Specialist on all social safeguards aspects of the project.
Objectives
Some individual sub-project activities proposed under the HRP will lead to social impacts, particularly those with a focus on small civil works to be executed throughout the island, including in the Carib Territory, where the majority of the Island’s Carib/Kalinago population resides. The purpose of this consultancy is to provide social support to the PIU during project implementation to ensure compliance with the Bank’s Social Safeguard Policies and the laws of Dominica.The consultancy is also to ensure that other social impacts are identified and mitigated as necessary.
Responsibilities
During the preparation of sub-projects, proposed sub-project activities must be screened, scoped, and assessed for impacts on assets/access to assets, as well as whether the activity/sub-project will implicate the country’s Carib/Kalinago population. Once impacts are identified and determined the social specialist will be responsible for the implementation and documentation of mitigation measures as per the RPF and IPP.
The consultant is expected to implement, and report upon, the activities described in the IPP and RPF. Specifically, the consultant will:
- Assist the Environmental and Social Management Specialist of the IST in the preparation of technical and operations safeguard plans for approval and implementation;
- Assist the Environmental and Social Management Specialist of the IST and the PIU Project Manager in preparation of reports (monthly, quarterly, annual) on safeguards risks with appropriate actions for project implementers and stakeholders;
- In consultation with the Environmental and Social Management Specialist is the IST, execute a knowledge gap assessment and build capacity of implementers to close identified gaps and minimize livelihood risks;
- Screen and scope (examine and evaluate) all activities proposed by individual subprojects to evaluate and assess the potential social risks or impacts and to determine which mitigation measures are needed;
- Screen and scope proposed projects for the presence of indigenous peoplesin accordance with the World Bank’s Operational Procedures (OP 4.10);
- Implement and report upon the Indigenous Peoples Plan in full consultation with the Carib Council and Ministry of Carib Affairs;
- Implement and report on the Project Grievance Redress Mechanism, as outlined in the Project Operations Manual
- Conduct consultations with the relevant project beneficiaries on a regular basis to ensure that issues are addressed in a timely manner and that project beneficiaries are kept abreast of development;
- Conduct field supervision, monitoring and inspection of individual sub-projects to ensure compliance with the mitigation measures required, to ensure compliance with World Bank policies, and to insure compliance with the laws of Dominica.
- Report on project activities and social issues/concerns as they arise to serve as documentation of compliance and to support periodic reporting to the PIU.
Minimum Required Qualifications and Experience
- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in social sciences (geography, anthropology, sociology, economics, law) or related discipline. A Master’s Degree would be an asset.
- Demonstrated experience of a minimum of 5 years in the field of social development, project planning and project implementation.
- Qualitative research skills and experience in community consultation would be an asset.
- Knowledge of World Bank Social Safeguards policies would be an asset.
- Work experience in the Caribbean would be an asset, specifically in Dominica.
Required Skills:
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, organization and time management skills;
- Ability to work in teams within a collaborative mode;
- Integrity and confidentiality;
- Advanced computer (PC) skills, especially in Microsoft Office or related software;
- Strong Analytical and Report Writing Skills;
- Fluency in English Language with excellent written and oral communication and listening skills.
Reporting Arrangements
The Consultant will report directly to the Project Manager of the Housing Recovery Project/Project Implementation Unit, Ministry of Housing.
Terms of the Assignment/Contract Duration
The Consultancy is expected to be awarded for a period of duration of one year, and will be renewed subject to satisfactory performance reviews. The assignment is expected to commence in July 2018 and is to be renewable annually as the HRP project continues through its project cycle. The Consultant shall be engaged on full time basis, eight hours a day, and five days a week. A six (6) month probation period will be included.
Expression of Interest
Interested applicants whose qualifications and experience are in line with the Terms of Reference are invited to submit their CV and a letter of motivation / application stating suitability for the position on or before Friday 15th June 2018 to
Fred Esprit
National Housing Coordinator,
Ministry of Housing, Lands and Water Resource Management