Job Description

GCAP is looking for suitable candidate for a Social Safeguard Specialist as specified in detail belowThe position will be for three yearsSelected candidate will be on probation for the first year; if confirmed based on satisfactory performance, the term will be extended by two years
For national positions, an attractive remuneration package will be offered in accordance with the provisions for nationally recruited staff in World Bank funded projects in Ghana

DUTIES: 

The Social Safeguards Specialist (SSS) is responsible for ensuring that all social safeguards screening takes place as per agreed environmental and social management framework (ESMF) and based on an in-depth understanding of 
gender, class and clan relations at the community level, effective community mobilization and inclusive institutional development objectives are achieved
The SSS will report to the Project Director and ensure that high standards of effective, inclusive development through strong participatory, empowered, gender sensitive and equity-conscious community institutions are developed under the projectSpecific responsibilities shall include but not limited to:
 

• Ensuring that guidelines for responsible treatment of land-related issues as defined by GCAP, the Government of Ghana and the World Bank are respected and diligently followed in all GCAP activities that involve land acquisition 
• Evolving a strategy for provision of effective training and sensitization on social issues such as empowerment, inclusion, participation and effective functioning as an institutional collective such as Water User Associations (WUA) and other relevant user groups and how to 
• effectively integrate the process of addressing these issues as part of activities under the project.
• Coordinating the provision of effective training and capacity building in social issues to the GCAP Team in Accra and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) functionaries in the project area through experienced organizations and experienced practitioners with expertise in this area in a manner that this results in the 
• development of a manual of practical do's and don'ts of direct relevance to the planning and implementation of the project.
•  Using all available data on social issues (including the ESMF, social assessment and analysis, and studies undertaken as part of project preparation) to evolve a strategy for social mobilization and 
• community organization that is based on actual demonstration of what is possible in the different parts of the project area.        
• Coordinating the process of social assessment through participatory rural appraisal and joint walk-through in each scheme and to develop plan of action for institutional strengthening with inclusion of women and men farmers on the project
• Helping and coordinating with the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) Support Specialists to provide effective support WUA formation as per the proposed new Ghana PIM regulations and ensuring that all stakeholders' voices and concerns are effectively included     
• Sensitizing GIDA, Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR) and private sector entities like Golden Exotic to the need to work in partnership with farmers and to understand farmers' perspective for ensuring win-win agreements that help achieve GCAP project objectives
• Identifying a suitable agency to undertake process documentation of the community organizing and social mobilization processes under the project, outputs of which can be used as effective training material for learningfrom experience of implementing the project
• Organizing exposure visits of farmers, WUA representatives, GIDA, ICOUR and other stakeholder teams to best practice examples of social mobilization and community organizing in other parts of Ghana and other countries 
• Mainstreaming social mobilization/community organization related issues in the project by being an active participant along with senior colleagues in GCAP and GIDA in key project decisions and processes including those related to project strategy development, technical design, MI5, monitoring and learning and all such decisions that 
• would contribute to the project development outcomes

Required Skills or Experience

Essential: At least a Master's degree in Sociology, Anthropology or related field, with 15 years of relevant experience of which at least 5 years should have been for projects funded by international financing institutions
Thorough knowledge of Government of Ghana and World Bank guidelines and procedures in social safeguards, social assessment, social analysis, effective stakeholder engagement and grievance redress systemsFluency in spoken and written English is essentialExcellent presentation and group moderation skills.

Desirable: Knowledge and hands-on experience of having undertaken work with community institutions including user groups and water WUAs, their training and capacity building and facilitating their partnership with concerned government agencies