Environmental And Social Safeguards Officer

Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer - HCI
Full-time
Paid Relocation: None
Founded in ****, WWF works to help people and nature thrive.
As a global conservation organization, WWF operates in more than 100 countries, partnering with communities, companies, and governments to protect wildlife, conserve vital habitats, and advance sustainable solutions.
Grounded in science and driven by collaboration, WWF works to help nature by conserving biodiversity, supporting resilient communities, and addressing climate change.
Nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 5 million globally are WWF members.
Project Description
The
Heart of Conservation Initiative
(
HCI
) is a
5-year global project
designed to address systemic barriers that limit Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' ability to steward their lands, territories, waters, and biodiversity-rich ecosystems.
Despitestrong evidence that Indigenous Peoples and local communities manage or influence at least 37% of remaining natural lands globally, they receive less than 1% of international climate and biodiversity finance, face complex donor procedures, limited direct access to funding, and insufficient recognition in decision-making arenas.
Building on the achievements of the GEF-7 InclusiveConservationInitiative (ICI), HCI's objective is to increase Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' organizational capacities and ability to access sustainable finance at scale for territorial stewardship to deliver social, economic, cultural, and Global Environmental Benefits.
The project is transformative in that it targets structural change in biodiversity finance systems - shifting from centralized, intermediary-driven models toward more inclusive, Indigenous Peoples and local community-led financing and governance mechanisms.
This will be achieved through four integrated components:
(i) organizational and technical self-strengthening of Indigenous Peoples and local community funds and organizations and implementation of self-determined Indigenous Peoples-and local community-led sub-projects across Latin America, Africa, and Asia;
(ii) collective self-strengthening of Indigenous Peoples and local community-led funds and organizations' institutional, fiduciary, and technical capacities;
(iii) enhancing Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' representation and influence in global biodiversity andbiodiversityfinance processes; and
(iv) advancing knowledge, learning, and evidence on rights-based, inclusive conservation.
Major Function
Under the guidance and supervision of the Project Managerwithin the Global Coordination Unit (GCU), andinclose collaboration withIndigenousPeoples and local community organization partners , theESSOfficer willbe responsible forleadingimplementation and monitoring of theEnvironmental and Social ManagementFramework(ESMF)andtheStakeholder Engagement Plan(SEP).
This is a uniquecrosscuttingrolewitha strongfocus onComponent 1,supporting environmental andsocial safeguarding ofa global, Indigenous-ledinclusive conservation project that must respectIndigenous and local community partners'rightsand approaches, while ensuring implementation of GEFsafeguardingrequirements.In addition to working closely with the Indigenous Peoples and LocalCommunities'organizations in Component 1, this role will alsobe responsible foroverall projectSafeguards, including those activities under directmanagementof the GCU.
Reports to:
Project Manager in GCU
Key Responsibilities
Lead implementation ofstepsand proceduresfor ensuringWWF's Environmental and Social SafeguardsFramework (ESSF) is fullyincorporated into all aspects of the project, including ESSimplementationas outlined in the ESMF.
This includesyearly ESSscreening ofproject activities,reviewand input intoannual budget/work plans, conducting consultations with local stakeholdersasappropriate, supporting Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' development ofadditionalsafeguards plans, and ensure thereview, approval, and disclosure of safeguard documents.
Provide that all documents necessary to ensure full compliance with ESSinstruments, in particularthe ESMF,areprepared,implemented,regularly updated and are available to relevant stakeholders.
Work with Component 1 partners to support their annual ESS screening and related mitigation planning, asrequired.
This will require individualizedsupport to each C1 partner,as theirsub-projects, as well as cultural,politicaland environmentalcontexts, arevery different.
Troubleshoot with Indigenous Peoples and local communities' organizations to find creative ways to streamline ESS planning, implementation, monitoring, documentation, andreportingapproachesthat respect their organizational and cultural processes and meet GEF requirements.
Review annual work plans and budgets and provide recommendations to ens