The Director is an immediate requirement for the Company to head the Environment and Social Sustainability and External Relations Unit to manage environmental, social, labor, and human resources, occupational health and safety, and external communications. The Director will report to the Organization's management and shall provide active guidance to implement the environmental and social safeguard instruments.

The Project’s safeguard instruments include the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and all its addendums, including the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) Framework, Owner’s Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan, Construction Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (CESMMP), Operations Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (OESMMP), Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) and our project Implementation Guidelines, Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM), and Land Acquisition and Livelihoods Restoration Plan (LALRP) among others. Utilizing international experience in environmental and social safeguarding, the candidate will carry out the tasks listed below

Responsibilities:

1. Provide overall policy and technical direction and supervision for the Project’s E&S safeguard management, as defined by the Project E&S safeguard instruments and in accordance with Lenders’ requirements and good international industry practice
2. Represent E&S matters and the Unit in the day-to-day governance of the company. Advice and brief Organizations management in embedding E&S and sustainability into company decision-making. Develop information flow and decision-making tools at the management level (e.g., process gateways) to ensure E&S integration in all relevant processes
3. Manage and coordinate closely with the Unit in planning, implementing, and monitoring safeguard activities to attain the objectives of national and Lenders’ policies, and managing project implementation as per the safeguard instruments
4. Build E&S Manager capacity to the required international standards for a sustainable hydropower project, through active coaching and mentoring
5. Closely coordinate with the management of the Company and provide specialized guidance to the Unit for the preparation and execution of the Company’s ESMMP and ESAP as necessary, namely the LALRP, IPP, and PDA-related plans
6. Under the supervision of the management of the Company, provide expert guidance to the Unit on the closure of the E&S conditions precedent and subsequent requirement as part of the Common Terms Agreement (CTA) with the Lenders
7. Provide an expert review of the Construction Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (CESMMP) prepared by the EPC contractor, the Operations Environmental Social Management and Monitoring Plan (OESMMP), and other plans prepared by the O&M contractor for Lenders’ approval

Provide oversight of the E&S manager for all E&S work streams, including:

• Regular internal monitoring and audit to ensure that the Owner, EPC contractors, and O&M contractors are in compliance with Lender’s E&S requirements
• Provide support, guidance, and development of ToR for hiring technical assistance, where necessary, and for review and endorsement of any additional Project safeguard documents
• Ensure consistency of safeguard documents with ESIA, approved GoN E&S documents, international safeguard instruments and procedures, and regulations
• Develop ToRs to undertake E&S assessments for complex and new activities and obtain necessary approvals from the Lenders as per the Management of the Change process;
• Lead the Environment and Social Sustainability and External Relations Unit in the development, organization, and delivery of E&S training programs and workshops as needed on safeguard requirements and their management to EPC contractors and O&M contractors on E&S safeguards as needed;
• Prepare additional technical guidelines, if necessary, to support the safeguard instruments in order to strengthen their implementation
• Ensure adequate stakeholder consultation during the construction and operation phases in line with the safeguard documents, especially the Project Affected Families (PAFs) in the Area of Influence (AoI) as per the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)
• Ensure grievances relating to Project implementation are timely addressed with corrective action and adequately documented as per the GRM
• Hold periodic review meetings with the safeguard officers of the Owner, Operations, and EPC contractors, and visit the Project site to monitor the implementation of the safeguard instruments
• Prepare routine E&S monitoring reports such as monthly ESHS reports, and periodic Environment and Social Compliance Monitoring Reports as set forth in the safeguard instruments and Lenders’ reporting requirements
• Liaise with the E&S Safeguard Specialists of the Lenders, Lenders’ International Environmental and Social Advisor (LIESA), and International Panel of Experts (IPOE) where technical guidance is required
• Report to the Management and the Lenders on the overall E&S performance of the Project as    part of the Unit’s reporting mechanisms
• Lead the establishment and operation of a computer-based database to ensure that data of monitoring indicators prescribed in safeguard documents are protected and readily retrieved for reporting and making decisions.

Deliverables:

The Candidate will manage the Environment and Social Sustainability and External Relations Unit and work closely with the Company’s E&S specialized staff to carry out the tasks listed in the Responsibilities above. The Candidate will produce, but not be limited to the following deliverables:

1. Gap analysis of the organization's environmental, social, labor and human resources, occupational health and safety, and external communications processes and procedures;
2. Project compliance of the Owner, EPC, and O&M contractors to their ESMMPs as well the requirements of national and Lenders’ policies through the construction and operations periods
3. EPC contractors and sub-contractors have adopted the ESHS processes and procedures in line with the construction management plans and initiated corrective variances as necessary
4. Project compliance with Lender’s E&S requirements, including ADB’s Safeguard Policies, the World Bank and IFC’s Performance Standards, and other good international industry practices (GIIP)
5. Project compliance of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system and to Lenders’ E&S requirements at regular intervals
6. Internal annual ESHS training program with a review of training needs.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• A minimum of fifteen (15) years’ work experience including essential international exposure in environmental and social management, and environmental and social safeguards preferably in hydropower projects or other large infrastructure projects
• Sustainability-related influencing and change management skills
• An M.Sc. in a relevant technical field such as environmental management, social sciences, civil engineering, etc., from a reputed university
• Strong understanding of ADB’s Safeguard Policies, the World Bank and IFC’s Performance Standards, and other GIIP
• Ability to guide and deliver the range of safeguards management activities required by the Project
• Experience working in development projects with IFI involvement and implementation of donor safeguards is necessary; prior experience in IFC and ADB-funded projects will be a necessity
• Familiarity with the relevant Government of Nepal (GoN) procedures and regulations
• Ability to read and write in excellent English, excellent verbal skills, and produce project reports in English for regular and continuous presentations to the project management and Lenders
• High level of computer literacy, including Word, Excel, email, and the internet
• Strong track record to manage a multi-disciplinary team and conduct training for local staff 
• Strong communication and managerial skills and good interpersonal relations.