Programme Policy Officer (Environmental and Social Safeguards) SSA9, Nairobi Kenya The Republic

## Programme Policy Officer (Environmental and Social Safeguards), Nairobi - Organization:WFP - World Food Programme DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability. The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves. To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok. - WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. - WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment. - WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities. - A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe. - We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to theTerms and Conditionssection of this vacancy announcement). BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT The World Food Programme (WFP), and the Government of Kenya, is implementing the Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Food Systems Programme aimed at strengthening food security, resilience, livelihoods and sustainable development outcomes in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). The Programme includes interventions that may involve community assets, livelihoods support, climate resilience, water and irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation and development, market systems strengthening, a Risk-Sharing Facility, and agricultural and pastoral value chains, serving communities including refugee and host communities - across 14 ASAL counties. These activities require robust safeguards oversight to identify, mitigate, and monitor environmental and social risks and impacts. The Programme is subject to environmental and social due diligence requirements that include the preparation and implementation of a range of safeguards instruments and management procedures. The Programme therefore requires a Programme Policy Officer (National Environmental and Social Safeguards), who will provide the technical leadership and coordination required to develop, implement and monitor these safeguards deliverables, while supporting the Programme's Environmental and Social ( E&S) due diligence throughout implementation. The Programme requires robust environmental and social risk management systems aligned with WFP's Environmental and Social Safeguards procedures, IFC Performance Standards, the World Bank Group EHS Guidelines, Kenya's national legislation (including the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act and its EIA/EIA Regulations, and the Water Act 2016), and international good practice. The Programme Officer will provide technical leadership and operational support for the environmental and social due diligence requirements of the Programme and must be conversant with multiple DFI frameworks for environmental and social safeguards. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The assignment's overall objective is to lead the WFP Kenya Country Office's design and operationalization of the Programme's environmental and social (E&S) safeguards, ensuring timely, quality-assured and compliant delivery of the Programme's E&S safeguards instruments. This includes integrating E&S risk management covering environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, gender, GBVH risk, disability inclusion, protection, and community health and safety across programme implementation. The specific duties through which the Officer delivers this objective are set out under Accountabilities/Responsibilities below. ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Programme Officer will undertake the following:a) Risk Assessment, Screening and Decision Support - Coordinate environmental and social screening of programme activities and subprojects, and developing the appropriate E&S safeguards instruments, based on risk categorization. - Lead the delivery of the environmental and social baseline and risk assessment for all Programme activities. b) Consolidated Safeguards Instruments and Site Management Lead preparation, updating and quality assurance of the Programme safeguards instrument package. The package comprises: - Site-specific instruments including Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), ESIAs where legally required, and biodiversity management plans. - Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and Indigenous Peoples Engagement Plan (IPEP). - Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM), including adequate treatment of GBVH-related complaints. - Labour Management Procedures and Occupational Health and Safety Plans. - Community Health and Safety Measures. - Contractor Management Plan. - Emergency Preparedness and Response Procedures (EPRP). - Economic Displacement Process Framework. - Biodiversity Risk Assessment and Management Procedures. Define the Statements of Work, commission and manage qualified specialist support where required including appropriately qualified IFC PS5, PS 6 and PS7 specialists. Ensure safeguards instruments are fit for purpose, internally consistent, compliant with applicable standards and translated into practical site-level controls, contract requirements and supervision tools. c) Monitoring, Reporting, Capacity and Coordination - Directly supervise, mentor and performance-manage the Programme's field-level ESS focal points, ensuring consistent technical standards across hub counties. - Develop and deliver ESS training and awareness sessions for WFP staff, cooperating partners, contractors, and local stakeholders, per the E&S Risk Management Training Plan, including continuous technical coaching and advisory support to field teams. - Conduct regular field monitoring visits, jointly with ESS focal points, to assess safeguards compliance. - Support incident reporting and follow-up on environmental and social non-compliance issues. - Maintain safeguards compliance tracking systems and documentation, including ESAP deliverable tracking against agreed milestones, and prepare monthly and quarterly compliance monitoring reports and donor reporting inputs in support of WFP's fiduciary reporting obligations as Development Impact Provider. - Track and report progress on key Programme E&S deliverables and milestones, flagging risks to timely delivery to the HQ ESS Expert and Programme management. - Develop practical safeguards tools, checklists, SOPs, and guidance materials. d) Stakeholder Engagement and Accountability - Lead inclusive community consultations and stakeholder engagement processes, including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes ensure vulnerable and marginalized groups; including women, youth, persons with disabiliti