Job Summary:
By fulfilling these responsibilities, a Social Safeguard Officer plays a critical role in safeguarding the rights, well-being, and interests of local communities, promoting social sustainability, and fostering positive relationships between projects and the people they affect.
The position is based in Kabul with frequent travels to Balkh, Jawzjan, Saripul, Ghor and Faryab provinces where the project is being implemented.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Technical Tasks:
- Conducting Social Impact Assessments: Assess the potential social impacts of project activities on local communities, vulnerable groups, and cultural heritage sites. Identify risks and propose mitigation measures to address social concerns.
- Developing Social Management Plans: Design and implement plans to manage social risks, promote social inclusion, and enhance community engagement. Ensure that project activities contribute to positive social outcomes and sustainable development.
- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion: Promote gender equality, social inclusion, and diversity within project activities. Ensure that women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups have equal access to project benefits and opportunities.
- Risk Assessment and Management: Identify potential social risks and vulnerabilities associated with project activities, such as displacement, loss of livelihoods, cultural impacts, and social conflicts. Develop risk management strategies to prevent or mitigate negative impacts on affected communities.
- Support community-led development initiatives, capacity-building programs, and sustainable livelihood projects that enhance the well-being and resilience of local populations. Foster partnerships with community-based RRAA, and government agencies to promote social and economic empowerment.
- Cultural Heritage Preservation: Protect and preserve cultural heritage sites, traditional knowledge, and indigenous practices that may be impacted by project activities. Collaborate with cultural experts, heritage conservationists, and local communities to safeguard cultural assets and promote cultural diversity.
- Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Facilitate dialogue, mediation, and conflict resolution processes to address disputes, grievances, or conflicts that may arise between project stakeholders. Promote peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, and consensus-building among diverse groups.
- Participatory Planning and Decision-Making: Engage stakeholders in participatory planning processes, collaborative decision-making, and inclusive governance structures that prioritize community needs, preferences, and aspirations. Foster ownership, transparency, and accountability in project design and implementation.
- Stakeholder Engagement:
- Engage with CRGs and local communities, sub-groups, and other stakeholders to understand their needs, concerns, and expectations. Facilitate meaningful dialogue, consultation, and participation in decision-making processes.
- The SSO should collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including social development agencies.
- Engage with government agencies, local communities, and other relevant stakeholders to promote social safeguarding awareness.
- Gather feedback, and address concerns related to social safeguarding to the stakeholders.
- Attend meetings with the stakeholders to provide updates and share ideas on social issues under the project.
- Get technical advice from donor and line department on any social safeguarding issues.
- Coordinating social commitments and initiatives with relevant government and non- government agencies
- Capacity Building and Training:
- Provide training and capacity-building support to project teams, community representatives, and local stakeholders on social safeguards, human rights, community engagement, and conflict resolution. Build awareness and empower communities to participate in project decision-making processes.
- Develop and deliver training programs to raise awareness of social safeguarding principles and best practices among employees, contractors, and partners.
- Training of RRAA staff on overall social safeguarding, and training and awareness raising of project beneficiaries in relation to their immediate requirements in order to ensure compliance with ESHS.
- Organize consultations meetings with all stakeholders (project beneficiaries, communities, staff).
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Monitor the social performance of project activities, track progress towards social goals.
- Collect feedback from stakeholders, conduct social audits, and report on social impact indicators.
- The SSO should establish monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of social safeguard measures and the overall social performance of the organization or project. Regularly report findings and recommendations to management.
- Reporting:
- Prepare environmental and social impact assessments, monitoring reports, and compliance documents to meet regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations. Communicate findings effectively to internal and external audiences through reports, presentations, and public consultations.
- Be responsible for technical reporting to donors on adherence to social safeguards requirements.
- Lead or support the response to social incidents, including spills, contamination, or other emergencies, by coordinating cleanup efforts and ensuring proper reporting and documentation.
- Generate and submit monthly progressive reports to provincial and package managers.
- Develop safeguards reporting formats and maintaining social records including land acquisition documentation on established formats.
- Report on any child labors noticed under the project to the provincial and package managers
- Reporting any safeguarding issues noticed (sextual exploitation, abuse and harassment) under the project to the provincial and package manager
- Conduct field visits according to approved plan to monitor and evaluate the field activities and support field team.
- Report to the CRLP Package Manger, Director/Deputy Director on a daily and weekly basis on community issues and the project’s performance in relation to those issues.
- Training in Social Safeguards:
- Deliver training sessions, workshops, and awareness-raising activities on social safeguards for project staff, contractors, and community representatives. Build capacity for social responsibility and ethical conduct throughout the project lifecycle.
- Develop and deliver training programs to raise awareness of social safeguarding principles and best practices among employees, contractors, and partners.
- Training of RRAA staff on overall ESSAF, and training and awareness raising of project beneficiaries in relation to their immediate requirements in order to ensure compliance with ESHS.
- Organize consultations meetings with all stakeholders (project beneficiaries, communities, staff).
- Monitor emerging trends in social safeguards, community engagement practices, stakeholder consultation methods, and ethical standards in development projects. Continuously evaluate and adapt social safeguard strategies based on lessons learned, feedback from stakeholders, and evolving best practices.
- The SSO should provide training and capacity-building programs to project staff, contractors, and local communities to enhance their understanding of social safeguard requirements, promote social responsibility, and foster positive social outcomes.
- Safety/Security
- The SSO must strictly follow the organization's existing security policies (SOPs), procedures, and daily instructions of the safety personnel.
- Ensure all personal safety and security issues are considered while in the office and project site.
- Follow all security and safety messages dispatched by the Safety/Security focal point and regional office.
- Report any safety/security issues and incidents to the SSFPs, provincial manager and regional office.
- Coordinate all your field tripes with SSFP and provincial manager
- Confidentiality:
- Follow data confidentiality measures, such as encryption, access controls, data masking, and strict policies.
- play a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
- Plays an essential role in protecting individuals, maintaining business security and safeguarding private data.
- Computer management is a broad topic that includes many essential security practices. By protecting devices, you can also protect the data they contain. Follow basic cybersecurity hygiene by using anti-virus software, routinely patching software, whitelisting applications, using device passcodes, suspending inactive sessions, enabling firewalls, and using whole-disk encryption.
