Social Inclusion and Safeguards Officer (P3)

Introduction

The Roads for Development Programme (R4D) is the leading rural roads Programme in Timor-Leste, supporting the development of the rural roads sector in the country. R4D is aligned with the Government of Timor-Leste's Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 and the Programmes of the Constitutional Government. R4D is implemented by the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) through the National Directorate of Roads, Bridges and Flood Control (DRBFC) in the Ministry of Public Works (MPW). The Government of Australia (GoA) provides technical support to R4D through the Roads for Development-Support Programme (R4D-SP), which is managed by the International Labour Organization (ILO). R4D is currently in its third phase referred to as the Bridging Phase, which is designed to be implemented over the course of 21 months - from 1 April 2021 to 31 December 2022. R4D Bridging Phase focuses on developing the capacity of relevant GoTL staff to manage Timor-Leste’s rural roads network on a sustainable basis through a combination of individual capacity development and systems strengthening. Because R4D operates within the wider political context of Timor-Leste, a key focus of R4D-SP is on strengthening the enabling environment through support for policy development and coordination across key actors in the roads sector. The Australian Government's contribution to the Bridging Phase of R4D is approximately USD$5.48 million.

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The development objective of R4D-SP is that women and men in rural Timor-Leste are deriving social and economic benefits from improved road access. The two End-of-Program Outcomes are:

1. Increased GoTL capacity to effectively manage rural roads at national and municipal levels; and
2. Increased contractor capacity, employment and income in selected rural communities.

The scope for the Bridging Phase will place more emphasis on strengthening GoTL's staff capacity of the Ministry of Public Works (MPW), and the 12 District Municipalities under the Ministry of State Administration (MSA), to oversee rehabilitation and maintenance of rural roads using labour-based approaches and private sector contractors. This will include training of MPW and municipal staff through workshops, seminars and on-the-job mentorship/coaching, in cost-efficient planning, technical designs and management of rural roads.

To this end, R4D-SP intends to recruit a full-time Social Inclusion and Safeguards Officer (SISO).

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The SISO will ensure that all R4D-SP sponsored initiatives target and increase the opportunity for the development of competencies and capabilities in individuals, groups or organisations supported by R4D-SP. He/she will work in association with MPW/MSA at central and municipal level to collaboratively manage social protection and development initiatives supported by R4D-SP.

R4D-SP intends to recruit a full-time Social Inclusion and Safeguards Officer (SISO). The SISO will ensure that all R4D-SP sponsored initiatives promote employment opportunities for the communities and the operationalisation of the program's Social Safeguards Framework (SSF). This framework covers areas of employment promotion, working conditions, gender and social inclusion.

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The SISO will support the knowledge management, advocacy and institutionalisation of social inclusion and safeguards practices, principles and guidelines supporting rural road management and development. The Officer will work closely with R4D-SP and MPW staff to provide technical backstopping for 12 Community Development Officers. S/he will additionally support the program management team to coordinate with key stakeholders and partners on social inclusion and safeguards-related themes, in particular the ADB, World Bank, national disability organisations, women's organisations, and other DFAT funded development programs. The SISO will work directly as part of the R4D-SP program management team and work in close collaboration with the Directorate of Roads, Bridges and Flood Control (DFRBC) in the MPW, as well as the national accredited Don Bosco Training Institute based in Dili 

Reporting Line

The Social Inclusion and Safeguards Officer will be under the direct supervision of the Project’s Chief Technical Advisor (CTA). The main technical backstopping support to R4D-SP will be provided by the ILO's Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) Specialist in the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South East Asia and the Pacific (DWT/CO-Bangkok) whilst ILO CO-Jakarta office provides administrative backstopping to the Program.

Description of Duties

1. Provide effective backstopping support to MPW, MSA, DRBFC, and other relevant GoTL agencies on the implementation of the Social Safeguards Framework, and its related surveys, including regular compliance monitoring. This includes regular field missions to construction project sites to promote productive community contractor relationships, identifying best practices and proposing solutions to the problems identified in the areas of social protection and safeguards;

2. Support the DRBFC to strengthen operational capacity of its Social and Environmental Safeguards Section through developing policies, frameworks, guidelines and action plans and with day-to-day technical backstopping for 12 Community Development Officers (CDO) across the 12 Municipalities;

3. Act as a focal point for social inclusion and safeguards, gender equality and employment creation, for the R4D programs in Timor-Leste and support DRBFC to promote gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive policies in coordination with key stakeholders and partners;

4. Contribute to the capacity development of DRBFC staff to perform their key functions. This includes and is not limited to planning, supervision, compliance monitoring, social safeguards, employment promotion, working conditions, health and safety, gender and social inclusion. This will involve carrying out formal, on-the-job training and mentorship of staff of the DBRFC Department of Projects;

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5. Participate in the development and facilitation of strategic networks and partnerships in the field of social safeguards, employment promotion, working conditions, gender and social inclusion developed by the ILO with development partners, employers’ and workers’ organizations, the business community, civil society organizations, other UN agencies, and other stakeholders;

6. Represent the social protection and safeguards R4D Program team at international, regional and national fora’s and participate in trainings, seminars and workshops on social safeguards, employment promotion, gender, and social inclusion, as the resource person;

7. Oversee public health communications and health advocacy strategies, plans and communications products for policy change or behaviour change and ensure they are evidence-based and accurate;

8. Maintain and update a database with all the relevant contacts (i.e. stakeholder representatives and focal points) from the different organizations and government and municipal representatives and update the Communication Plan accordingly;

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9. Document achievements and challenges for R4D learning purposes;

10.Convene and organize general and when necessary, special stakeholder meetings, minute those meetings and ensure that all parties receive minutes, understand contents and follow up action items;

11.Consolidate and report on the Municipal CDO’s log of grievances and details of their resolutions, and log of positive feedback of the project from the Communities;

12.Assist the ILO Regional Coordinators and Field Engineering Trainers to ensure all environmental and social issues are being achieved and well-coordinated in line with the MPW/MSA plans and R4D outcomes and objectives;

13.Monitor and Report on environment and social impacts of the civil works program (giving priority to the R4D activities), and in the adherence to health and safety plans and regulations on construction sites, including HIV/AIDS awareness program and community consultation plans;

14.Any other reasonable duties as assigned by the Chief Technical Advisor.

Monitoring and Progress Control

• Provides weekly summary of activities in process;
• Contribute to project progress reports;
• Regularly consolidate and report on the Community Development Officers activities and records;
• Timely delivery of assigned tasks as required;
• It is anticipated that at least 1 day a week will be required meeting with stakeholders. Most work time is expected to be involved outside of the Dili Project Office meeting the R4D partners and stakeholders.

Deliverables

The following are some of the deliverables, but which are not limited and include: -

• Preparation of annual and monthly work plans;
• Weekly reports on activities as listed above in standard template form;
• Monthly / Quarterly reports on activities as listed above as required by the CTA and for final submissions to be forwarded to MPW/MSA, the donor, as well as any other relevant stakeholders;
• Minutes of all stakeholder meetings distributed to all attendees;
• Filing system with records of all reports, minutes, correspondence etc. in hard and soft form;
• Prepare and maintain the project communication strategy and Communication Plan for R4D;
• Prepare and maintain a Database of contacts of all stakeholders;
• Document lessons learnt, community meetings, briefing reports, impacts and requests from the community for consideration by the MPW/MSA for adoption during Project Implementation.

Required qualifications

Education

Master’s / Advanced degree in Social Science, Environment, Economics, Development Studies, or a related discipline.

Experience

Minimum fives years of relevant professional experience in a similar role as a Social Inclusion and Safeguards Officer (or equivalent in the application of social protection) and with at least two years at the international level in the development sector.

Prior experience in social development and implementation in challenging environments, experience in collaboration with governments of developing countries and donor agencies, and working with diverse teams composed of government staff, representatives from communities and local individuals will be highly regarded.

Experience working on projects involved with gender equality, social inclusion, health and safety, environment, employment generation and improving working conditions preferred.

Languages

Excellent command in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of Portuguese, Tetum or Bahasa Indonesia is an advantage.

Competencies

• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with respect, tact and diplomacy;
• Ability to provide advice and to guide and coordinate the work of the project team and partners;
• Ability and willingness to work as a member of the team, with people of different backgrounds, different gender and diverse political views, whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Ability to draft reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation and ability to provide support to others carrying out research, project formulation and implementation;
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability and willingness to travel around Timor-Leste and stay overnight in the Municipalities;
• Good computer skills in Microsoft packages, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook;
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.