Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Expert - Fortified Complementary Food Value Chain

Organizational Context

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) promotes industrial development for poverty and hunger reduction, inclusive and fair globalization, and environmental sustainability. UNIDO's mission is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States, aligning with the 2030 Agenda and SDG-9. The organization focuses on fair and sustainable global supply chains, innovation for hunger reduction, renewable energy, and climate action, with cross-cutting priorities in industrial policy, skills development, digitalization, gender equality, youth empowerment, circular economy, and private sector investment. UNIDO operates through technical cooperation, analytical and research functions, normative functions, and partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer.

Job Purpose

To identify, assess, and translate environmental, social, and climate-related risks and opportunities associated with MSME participation in selected pharmaceutical value chains under the ATCMA ECOWAS Programme into actionable safeguard instruments, including an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).

Responsibilities

Conduct desk reviews of UNIDO ESS Policy, project documents, and pharmaceutical standards. Prepare an inception note detailing methodology, work plan, and consultation plan. Collect and analyze baseline environmental and social information for selected value chains, including chemical and biological hazards, waste management, energy use, cold-chain dependencies, and regulatory capacity. Review legal, institutional, and policy frameworks relevant to environmental and social safeguards. Identify and analyze environmental and social risks and opportunities for MSME value chains, including OHS, waste management, climate risks, and social inclusion. Assess safeguards capacity gaps and develop recommendations for capacity-building. Develop Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMFs) with indicators, mitigation measures, and monitoring plans. Conduct validation workshops with stakeholders and integrate feedback into final ESIA and ESMF reports.

Work Experience

Minimum seven (7) years of demonstrated experience in conducting ESIAs and/or developing Environmental and Social Management Frameworks in industrial, pharmaceutical, health-related, or regulated manufacturing contexts. Proven experience integrating climate risk, resilience, resource efficiency, clean production, or circular economy principles into development programming or industrial value chains. Demonstrated experience working with pharmaceutical manufacturing or closely related health-product value chains. Experience in occupational health and safety, waste management, environmental controls, or regulatory compliance in regulated manufacturing. Experience working with MSMEs or emerging manufacturers in pharmaceutical or health-related value chains. Experience working in Africa or similar socio-economic contexts.

Skills

Analytical, report writing, communication, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, understanding of environmental and social safeguards, knowledge of pharmaceutical value chains, climate risk assessment, resource efficiency, clean production, circular economy principles, occupational health and safety, waste management, regulatory compliance, MSME development, project management.

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