Jobs: Environmental 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.

5. Environmental Specialist 

Roles and Responsibilities

Generally, the Environmental Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that 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. Specifically, the Environmental Specialist will;

• Ensure that key departments and countrywide BDF branches have sufficient knowledge and skills to implement the requirements of ESMS, ESMF, ESCP and SEP.
• Ensure that the requirements of the ESMS, ESMF and SEP are integrated into the PFIs and firms through the participation and sub-loan agreements.
• Monitor performance and compliance of partner financial institutions (PFIs) with ESMS and ESMF requirements.
• Ensure compliance and management of environmental issues/risks across BDF.
• Conduct environmental assessments for project applications and proposals, including initial risk screening, review of concept notes and proposals, site visits.
• Provide overall endorsements of environmental screening and assessments related to projects applications and proposals.
• Ensure the coordination and integration of environmental risk management procedures across the organization and provide duly reports to the Project Implementing Unit (PIU) Manager for presentation to the Senior Management team/Chief Executive Officer.
• Report any major environmental issues to the PIU Manager for presentation to the Senior Management Team
• Develop & provide quality control of training materials for internal staff and for PFIs & delivery of training on environmental aspects to internal staff and PFIs and maintaining training records.
• Review and approve BDF’s annual environmental performance report to stakeholders (including lenders), environmental assessments and action plans.
• Conduct environmental monitoring as per requirements in the loan agreement.
• Ensure that appropriate environmental permits and certificates and management plans are incorporated in each client agreement and are implemented.
• Supervise financial institutions (FI) portfolio and on-going compliance with the applicable requirements on a regular basis, which may include:
  • Conducting site visits, monitoring the implementation of site specific environmental and social (ES) standards instruments such as environmental and social management plan (ESMP), environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) or Summary Project Report (SPR) for subprojects as specified in the ESMS and ESMF and adopted ESMS by the partner financial institutions (PFIs), reviewing PFIs’ annual reports, and recording PFI’s environmental ongoing performance.
• Resolving environmental issues in case of non-compliance, and where needed, preparing a time-bound corrective action plan with specific follow-up procedures.
• 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 Environmental science, environmental 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’ work experience.
• The incumbent must have worked with world bank funded projects or any other development partner funded project with strong knowledge of environmental 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.