Call for Interest – Consultant [Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP) Complaints Officer (SCO)], Office of Audit and Oversight (AUO), Rome, Italy

Job Title : Call for Interest – Consultant [Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP) Complaints Officer (SCO)], Office of Audit and Oversight (AUO) – Rome, Italy (Retainer)

ID : 22372

Location : ROME

Date of issue : 07/25/2024

Close Date : Open Until Filled

Organizational Unit : Office of Audit & Oversight

Full/Part Time : Full-Time

Regular/Temporary : Temporary

Assignment Duration : Grade : C-1

Organizational Setting

Consultants are not considered staff of IFAD. This consultancy assignment does not carry any expectation of employment, extension or conversion to another type of contract with the Fund

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation.

Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org.

In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

Given the diverse technical nature of the assignments, IFAD is looking for consultants of varying ability above the minimum threshold stated. Applicants to this call for interest might undergo a first level screening and those candidates meeting the minimum requirements will undergo a more in-depth assessment in order to be included in IFAD

• s Consultants Roster. Inclusion in the roster is no guarantee of assignment.

Job Role

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF TASKS AND OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED

IFAD believes that social, environmental and climate sustainability is a fundamental aspect of achieving outcomes consistent with its mandate, and considers SECAP as one of the important building blocks of its approach to achieve long-term impact and results on the ground. The latest edition of the procedures’ SECAP 2021 applies to all investments in the programme of loans and grants, co-financed initiatives and non-sovereign operations for which IFAD financing is sought, and to IFAD technical assistance. SECAP outlines the management of risks and impacts, and integrates priorities into IFAD investments to achieve better development outcomes through: (i) environmental, social and climate due diligence; (ii) clear procedures to integrate IFAD priorities (environment, gender, nutrition, youth) and marginalized people into projects; (iii) commitment to work with borrowing countries to build their national systems for managing risks and enhancing development opportunities; and (iv) timely stakeholder engagement and functional grievance redress mechanisms. SECAP seeks to both minimize risks and maximize development gains.

IFAD considers it important to manage risks of non-compliance, and to ensure that parties adversely or potentially adversely affected by IFAD-supported projects and programmes should be able to bring issues to the Fund’s attention. In this regard, IFAD has also enhanced its complaints procedure (CP), which demonstrates this commitment and helps to ensure that operations conform to sound environmental and social standards as laid out in SECAP 2021 and other relevant IFAD policies and strategies. The aim of the CP is to serve as an accountability mechanism with a clear entry point and transparent process for people and communities to raise concerns with IFAD-supported projects related to non-compliance by IFAD with its SECAP, and to provide effective sustainable solutions. Additionally, the CP will strengthen risk management of projects and contribute to better impact and results on the ground and to long-term development impact and sustainability.

IFAD’s enhanced complaints procedure is organized in three steps:

• Assessment phase: to provide the complainants, the borrowers/recipients/partners and the project delivery team an opportunity to raise questions and consult with the SECAP Redress Service to facilitate informed decision-making and understanding of the procedure.
• Problem-solving process: to help resolve issues raised about the environmental and/or social impacts of projects through a neutral, collaborative, problem-solving approach and contribute to improved social and environmental outcomes of the project.
• Impartial review process: to carry out impartial reviews of IFAD’s compliance with its SECAP and other related policies, assess harm done and recommend remedial actions where appropriate. To carry out the impartial review function, IFAD requires the services of an independent expert to act as the SECAP Complaints Officer (SCO) and carry out impartial reviews and related work activities as required from time to time. The SCO will be administratively housed within AUO, and will report to the Executive Board through the Audit Committee. The President, in consultation with the Audit Committee, will determine the appointment of the SCO on a non-renewable three-year retainer contract, extendable for a further two years. To ensure impartiality, the SCO may not have worked for IFAD and may not work for IFAD after this service is completed.

Expected activities:

The SCO will:

• Carry out impartial reviews of complaints in an independent, thorough and objective manner; specifically, the SCO will:
  • Prepare the terms of reference for the impartial review and the terms of reference and the selection and engagement of suitably qualified expert(s) to assist in conducting the impartial review; oversee and ensure the quality of the experts- work, and be accountable for their conclusions;
  • Engage with relevant parties and stakeholders;
  • Conduct a thorough and objective impartial review;
  • In the case of co-financing projects, coordinate with the independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) of other co-financing institutions;
  • Issue the draft review for comment to the complainant, the borrowers/recipients/partners, IFAD Management and the regional division concerned; and
  • Issue the final impartial review report to be considered by the Audit Committee;
• Coordinate with IFAD Management and with the regional division on proposed remedial actions to bring the project into compliance and monitor the implementation of proposed remedial actions; and
• Produce an annual report on the work of the impartial review process; attend meetings of the Audit Committee and Executive Board for any matter related to the impartial review of IFAD’s complaints procedure.

The SCO, while performing their duties, shall be considered an expert serving IFAD pursuant to paragraph 2 of annex XVI to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies.

Expected outcomes:

• By the end of the retainer contract, the consultant is expected to have supported IFAD in: (i) better resolution of alleged complaints by project-affected parties; (ii) better monitoring and reporting on SECAP complaints; and (iii) building IFAD staff knowledge and understanding of the complaints procedure.

Division/department: Office of Audit and Oversight (AUO) / Office of the President and Vice-President (OPV)

Reports to: the Executive Board through the Audit Committee, and administratively to Director AUO

Total number of working days: Initially 10 (retainer)

• to be extended as necessary

Expected start date of assignment: To be determined

Expected end date of assignment: Three years (may be extended up to a maximum of five years)

Job Profile Requirements

QUALIFICATION AND SKILLS REQUIRED

Education:

• Master’s degree, or equivalent, in economics, environmental studies, international relations, law, social sciences or related fields. University degree in economics, environment, law, social sciences or related fields combined with specialized experience in related organizations may be considered in lieu of a Master
• s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 20 years of relevant professional experience, with a proven record in interpreting and applying rules and policies, and knowledge of investigative, compliance and audit strategies, methodologies and techniques;
• Minimum of 10 years of international experience working in several countries, preferably IFAD borrowing countries;
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with international development and operations of international financial institutions, as well as understanding of environmental and social safeguards, policies and performance standards of multilateral development banks;
• Experience with and a good understanding of IAMs and grievance redress mechanisms;
• Adequate technical knowledge of agriculture, pollution, climate change, land acquisition and other technical areas relevant to IFAD projects would be desirable;

  eTi0rOE PHMNB

• Proven strong ability to gather, analyse and synthesize information from multiple sources and present it concisely and clearly;
• Demonstrated ability to act objectively and impartially with integrity;
• Highly developed communication and diplomatic skills, including the ability to engage effectively with civil society, non-governmental organizations, borrowers/recipients/partners and other international organizations;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work as a team leader and build consensus, good exposure to international and multicultural environments; and
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently and on reasonable short notice to IFAD working regions, including rural and difficult environments.

To ensure impartiality, candidates may not have worked for IFAD during the three years prior to being appointed to this position and may not work for IFAD after their service is complete.

Organizational competencies:

Level 2:

• Demonstrating leadership
• leads by example; initiates and supports change
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating
• challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture
• Focusing on clients
• contributes to a client-focused culture
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
• Managing time, resources and information
• coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
• Team working
• fosters a cohesive team environment
• Communicating and negotiating
• acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills
• Building relationships and partnerships
• builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally

Languages:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Proven ability to write and edit clear and concise technical reports and to prepare summaries and information materials for different stakeholders and audiences (Management, donors, policymakers, etc.) required.
• Command of other IFAD languages (Arabic, French or Spanish) is highly desirable.

CODE OF CONDUCT AND CONFIDENTIALITY

By accepting these terms of reference, the consultant agrees to be bound by the strict confidentiality provisions under AUO

• s mandate and investigation guidelines. The consultant also agrees to discharge his or her duties vis-à-vis IFAD staff members in compliance with the provisions of the IFAD Staff Rules and Implementing Procedures applicable to consultants. All documentation gathered, and the files and reports delivered by the consultant, become the property of IFAD to be held by AUO. Upon completion of the contract, the consultant will not retain any information gathered or documentation composed, edited or observed during the course of the employment, and will ensure that electronic records accessed, examined or held by the consultant in relation to work undertaken are delivered in their entirety to AUO staff.

Consultants are not considered staff of IFAD. This consultancy assignment does not carry any expectation of employment, extension or conversion to another type of contract with the Fund