Jobs: Social Specialist. Deadline 20th August 2021

JOB ADVERT

RECRUITMENT FOR ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE (AFIRR) PROJECT

Background

Business Development Fund (BDF) Ltd is a nonbanking institution that was established in 2011 with a core mandate of facilitating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to access finance. BDF promotes alternative financing avenues by providing credit guarantees to viable projects, direct financing to start-ups, SACCO refinancing, and matching grants.

BDF is implementing a Five-Year World Bank financed project titled Access to Finance for Recovery and Resilience (AFIRR). The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to increase access to finance and support recovery and resilience of businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Project design includes three main components namely (i) Liquidity and Recovery Facility to alleviate the financial constraints of firms and help them adjust their business to the post-COVID-19 scenario; (ii) Risk-sharing Facility aimed at enhancing, scaling up and expanding existing risk-sharing solutions such as partial credit guarantee (PCG) and insurance schemes with the objective of reaching MSMEs in sectors most hit by the COVID-19 pandemic; and (iii) Institutional Strengthening and Implementation Support which will aim at strengthening firms’ capability through the provision of tailored Business Development Services (BDS) and enhancing the capacity of institutions involved in the implementation of the project through provision of technical assistance support. Given the specificity of this project, BDF is setting up a Project Implementing Unit (PIU) that will oversee overall project implementation (coordination, monitoring and evaluation) over the next five years. Therefore, BDF seeks to hire six (6) competent and qualified staff   with a contractual term of 5 years, which is the project period.

Job Location

 All the positions will be stationed at the Headquarters of the Business Development Fund (BDF) located in the Central Business District at M-Peace Plaza, 5th Floor, Kigali.

4. Social Specialist 

Roles and Responsibilities

Generally, the Social Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that social aspects in the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) for BDF; and Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for Access to Finance for Recovery and Resilience are effectively implemented, monitored and reported throughout BDF operations. But specifically, the Social Specialist will do the following:

• Oversee all aspects of the implementation of the Labor Management Procedures (LMP), including ensuring contractors compliance.
• Review the BDF Human Resources (HR) Policy to address all LMP aspects as well as for procurement for services and works.
• Ensure the day-to-day compliance with specified safety measures and records of any incidents.
• Report minor incidents of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) to HR department monthly and report serious incidents immediately to the World Bank.
• Keep records to ensure that labor conditions are met in accordance with national OHS regulations.
• Review records against actuals monthly and require immediate remedial actions and include them in the periodic reports to the World Bank.
• Ensure that a Labor Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) are established and operationalized within the BDF and are communicated to the staff.
• Review records on any grievance registered and treated monthly.
• Prepare Monthly grievance management reports and share with line manager.
• Ensure that the HR policy and manual does not include any process that could be reported as a sexual or other form of discriminations or exclusions in its process of recruitment and staff access to wages, awards and professional benefits.
• Ensure that the assigned workers are adequately trained and briefed with overall safety arrangement, use of equipment, GRM procedure, working conditions.
• Participate in Social screening of funding proposals from SACCOs and other beneficiaries as well, to review grievance redress mechanisms.
• Ensure inclusion of vulnerable potential beneficiaries in the access to funding including women, people with disability and the youth during proposal evaluation.
• Closely follow up the integration of social safeguard assessment information and completion of safeguards self-screening Checklist during the project/program development process.
• Provide technical support during proposal development, project design, appraisal process and resource mobilization plan.
• Closely aid and deliver training to the teams and beneficiaries to close knowledge/skill gaps and minimize the likelihood of risks to happen to projects.
• Assist in the development process of Social Safeguards guidelines in consultation with BDF management, to be used by line department/unit in the plan and implementation process of financed projects.
• Undertake Social risk categorization of proposals submitted to BDF and projects under implementation.
• Undertake follow up monitoring to ensure that proposed mitigation measures are implemented according to an agreed upon social issues mitigation implementation plan.
• Prepare social issues safeguards plan and ensure that such plans are approved by relevant authorities before implementation.
• Lead on developing and delivering a series of spot checks to ensure safeguards policies are properly implemented in line with the guidelines.
• Compile quarterly, biannual, and annual reports on safeguards related issues as part of the M&E report.
• Provide advice on administrative measures and actions required for ensuring the compliance with requirements set regarding social issues safeguard measures prior to the validation and implementation of the project activities.
• Analyze Social developments and provide technical and substantive support in implementation.
• Handle any other duties as directed by the PIU Manager.

  Required Competencies & Knowledge

• Excellent computer skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good analytical and negotiation skills; resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

Qualifications and Experience

• Must have at least a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Economics/ Management, or any other related discipline with 5 years working experience in the same field or a master’s degree in the mentioned disciplines with 3 years’ working experience.
• The incumbent must have worked with world bank funded projects or any other development partner funded projects with strong knowledge of social issues and safeguards, monitoring and reporting guidelines.

How to apply: Please submit your application letter with Curriculum Vitae, notified copies academic and professional certificates, copies of Identity card, and contact details of three references to Info@bdf.rw or Hard Copies to BDF Office Reception at M.Peace Plaza,

5th Floor , attention of Human Resource and Administration Manager not later than Friday, 20th August 2021 at 11:00 AM.

 NB: BDF will contact only those who will be shortlisted.