[Hiring] Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Expert - Pharmaceutical Value Chain @UNIDO

Role Description

The objective of the assignment is 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 operationally actionable safeguard instruments, including an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).

• Familiarization with UNIDO ESS Policy, project document, including review of pharmaceutical-specific international standards and guidance, such as WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Distribution Practices (GDP), relevant EU pharmaceutical directives, and regional ECOWAS regulatory initiatives.
• Prepare Inception Note: methodology, work plan, and consultation plan with regional/national stakeholders.
• Collect baseline environmental and social information for selected value chains across ECOWAS Component: physical, biological, climate, institutional, and socio-economic conditions.
• Review legal, institutional and policy frameworks in ECOWAS Component: national/regional environmental laws, SPS/TBT regulations, EU directives, and international agreements.
• Identification and analysis of environmental and social risks and opportunities for MSME value chains in ECOWAS.
• Assessment of environmental and social safeguards capacity gaps among MSMEs, relevant institutions, and partners.
• Develop Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMFs) for ECOWAS including indicators, mitigation measures, monitoring plan, and institutional responsibilities.
• Conduct validation workshops with key stakeholders and regional/national stakeholders to review findings and recommendations.
• Integrate findings into a Final ESMF & ESIA Report: Include a non-technical summary.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Masters or equivalent) in environmental science, environmental engineering, public health, pharmaceutical sciences, social sciences, or related field is required.
• 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 is required.
• Demonstrated experience providing environmental and social advisory support within donor-funded programmes.
• Proven experience integrating climate risk, climate resilience, resource efficiency, clean production, and circular economy principles into development programming.
• Demonstrated experience working with pharmaceutical manufacturing or closely related health-product value chains.
• Experience covering one or more of the following areas: Occupational health and safety, waste management, and environmental controls in industrial settings.
• Familiarity with UNIDO’s ESSPP, EU environmental directives, and international sustainability standards is desirable.
• Experience working in Africa or similar socio-economic contexts is required.
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and communication skills in English are required; working knowledge of French is desirable.

Requirements

• Core values: Integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity.
• Core competencies: Results-orientation and accountability, planning and organizing, team orientation.
• Managerial competencies (as applicable): Strategy and direction, judgement and decision-making.

Benefits

• This appointment is limited to the specified project(s) only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
• Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity.
• UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process.