Social Investment Managers and Advisors LLC (SIMA) www.simafunds.com seeks to hire a subject matter expert and detail oriented professional with a background in environmental and social management systems (ESMS) and Gender Equity (GE) (collectively ESMS/GE). The SIMA ESMS/GE Specialist will co-lead our multi-stakeholder technical assistance (TA) program across the energy access sector in Africa and Asia. The TA involves capacity building with over 100 energy access SMEs in 15 African countries, and up to 10 in-country renewable energy associations. The capacity building is to advise and support implementation of energy access companies’ environmental and social management systems and gender equity practices. The TA will also involve facilitating webinars and trainings with energy access practitioners and sharing of learnings with international associations, investors, development finance institutions and other stakeholders. An important part of the TA is working together with energy access companies that are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as in-country associations, SIMA’s team, the TA Coordinating Committee, the Stakeholder Working Group and others in a multi-stakeholder context. The deliverables include building and disseminating data-based tools and dashboards for benchmarking and promoting best practices (in terms of environmental and social management systems alongside gender equity best practices) at energy access companies and REAs across the sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

Planning and Program Management

• Support SIMA team to conduct assessment and analyse the ESMS/GE data of energy access companies and identify the risks, gaps and best practices in their performance.
• Work with SIMA team to establish an approach and methodology to develop an ESMS/GE tool and dashboard in liaison with multiple stakeholders.
• Lead the discussions with multiple stakeholders on ESMS systems and development of new ESMS/GE scorecard tools aligned with international standards.
• Act as a strategic advisor on a wide range of ESMS/GE issues and co-manage program execution, including development of material for Stakeholder Working Group.
• Continuously monitor and analyse the latest developments in the local and international environmental and social related policies, regulations, and reporting, including to TA Coordinating Committee.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Lead the annual report preparation on ESMS/GE system including data and information gathering, and content development.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and other materials for stakeholder discussions on ESMS/GE performance and tool.

Capacity building and advocacy

• Collaborate with stakeholders to promote the adoption of the tool and support in implementation of the best practices.
• Develop training materials, facilitate webinars and deliver training sessions with energy access companies and REAs on building environmental and social capacities, alongside improved gender equity performance.
• Advocacy, promotion and awareness raising of ESMS and gender equity issues at energy access companies and among stakeholders, as well as primary research amongst companies, REAs, investors and other stakeholders.

Education

Master’s degree in business, environmental or social sciences, economics, sustainability, development, or other relevant fields.

Expected experience and qualifications

• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in the design and implementation of environmental and social management systems, training and/or capacity building at SMEs, environmental and social due diligence, program management, reporting, etc.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position.
• Familiarity with energy access sector companies policies and operations in Africa preferred.
• Familiarity with sustainability guidelines and frameworks e.g. IFC Performance Standards, Global Reporting Initiative, IRIS+, safeguarding policies.
• Experience in Africa would be an advantage.

Apply

Please send your resume and salary expectation to careers@simafunds.com and annabelle@simafunds.com The title of your email should be“ESMS and Gender Equity Specialist”.