PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The SES and Social Mobilization Specialist will support the integration of social and environmental safeguards into project planning and implementation in Kandahar and Helmand provinces. The position will engage communities in an inclusive and meaningful manner, identify and help address potential social and environmental risks, raise awareness of project activities and safeguards, and support community feedback and complaint mechanisms in line with COAR policies and project requirements.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Primary Responsibilities
• Plan and implement social mobilization and social and environmental safeguards ac-tivities in accordance with approved work plans, timelines, project objectives, and applicable COAR and donor requirements.
• Mobilize and engage community members, local leaders, women, people with disa-bilities, returnees, and other relevant groups to support inclusive participation in pro-ject activities and decision-making.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor community engagement and safeguards im-plementation, identify challenges, and support timely resolution of issues with the project team.
2. Technical Support and Expertise
• Identify and screen potential social and environmental risks associated with project activities, including risks related to exclusion, community tensions, access, safety, land or resource use, waste, water, soil, and other locally relevant concerns.
• Recommend practical mitigation measures for identified social and environmental risks and follow up with project staff and relevant stakeholders on their implementa-tion.
• Conduct community awareness sessions on project objectives, eligibility and selec-tion criteria, expected activities, community rights and responsibilities, safeguards, and available feedback and complaints channels.
• Support the DRR Specialist in preparation and community consultations related to the installation and operationalization of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) equipment, ensuring community participation and compliance with appli-cable social and environmental safeguards.
• Work closely with the DRR Specialist to identify and address potential social and environmental risks associated with MHEWS equipment installation and use, and support community awareness of the equipment’s purpose, benefits, safe access, and maintenance responsibilities, in line with UNDP guidance.
3. Coordination and Collaboration
• Coordinate with relevant provincial and district authorities, community leaders, community structures, civil society, and other stakeholders to support transparent, safe, and inclusive project implementation.
• Work closely with COAR program, MEAL, safeguarding, and other relevant teams to ensure that community feedback, social risks, and environmental concerns are con-sidered in project decisions and implementation.
• Build constructive relationships with community-based organizations and other stakeholders, share relevant information, and help prevent misunderstandings, exclu-sion, or duplication of community engagement activities.
4. Monitoring and Reporting
• Maintain accurate records of community consultations, awareness sessions, participa-tion, identified risks, mitigation actions, feedback, and complaints, ensuring confi-dentiality and secure handling of information.
• Monitor social mobilization and safeguards activities against approved plans and in-dicators; document risks, mitigation measures, community concerns, lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement.
• Prepare timely and accurate field updates, consultation summaries, safeguards moni-toring reports, incident or risk referrals through approved channels, and other reports required by the line manager or project.
5. Adherence to Policies
• Comply with COAR policies, procedures, staff code of conduct, environmental and social safeguard requirements, and all applicable project and donor standards.
• Uphold safeguarding, child protection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), gender equality, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations, confidentiality, and do-no-harm principles in all activities.
• Ensure community engagement is respectful, accessible, culturally appropriate, and inclusive. Explain approved feedback and complaints channels and promptly refer safeguarding concerns or suspected misconduct through COAR’s approved confiden-tial reporting procedures.
6. Other Duties
• Facilitate community meetings, consultations, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building sessions on project information, social and environmental risks, inclusion, community responsibilities, and feedback mechanisms.
• Promote responsible use of project resources and environmentally sound practices, including appropriate waste management and prevention of avoidable environmental harm, as relevant to project activities.
• Perform other reasonable, job-related duties assigned by the line manager in line with the position’s responsibilities and project scope.
