[Hiring] Environmental & Social Safeguards Manager @African Parks Network

Role Description

The Environmental and Social Safeguards Manager will lead the park-level environmental and social risk management system for Liuwa Plain National Park (LPNP). The role will translate African Parks policies, applicable Zambian law, partner commitments and recognised international good practice into practical safeguards controls across conservation, infrastructure, law enforcement, tourism, community development, research, procurement, contractor and other park activities.

The post-holder will provide independent, solutions-oriented advice to the Park Manager and management team; ensure early screening and proportionate assessment of environmental and social risks and impacts; coordinate implementation and monitoring of safeguards instruments and action plans; strengthen stakeholder engagement, grievance and remedy systems; and build a culture in which risks are identified, escalated and addressed before harm occurs.

The Manager will directly supervise and provide technical oversight to the Safeguards Officer, ensuring coherent implementation of ESS requirements, the Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM), Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the Liuwa Plain National Park Land Use Plan (LUP), Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) safeguards, community awareness and safeguards data-management systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental or social sciences, law, human rights, development studies, natural resource management, occupational health and safety, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in environmental and social risk management, including at least three years leading safeguards implementation in complex field operations.
• A postgraduate qualification in Human Rights, Law, International Development, Conservation, Environmental and Social Safeguards or a related field will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated practical experience applying international environmental and social standards, preparing or supervising risk assessments and management plans, and monitoring corrective actions.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, grievance mechanisms, land or natural-resource access issues, human rights and working with vulnerable or marginalised groups.
• Experience managing sensitive incidents and confidential information with sound judgment, trauma-informed practice and disciplined escalation.
• Experience managing contractor environmental and social performance and working across multidisciplinary operational teams.
• Excellent written and spoken English, including strong analytical reporting and training-delivery skills. Proficiency in spoken and written Silozi is a strong advantage.
• Computer skills: proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and competence with digital registers, dashboards and document-control systems.
• A valid driver's licence is required; a valid rider's licence is an added advantage for field operations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work across cultures, manage conflict and foster collaboration.
• Experience in protected areas, conservation, infrastructure, rural development or another operationally complex sector in Africa is strongly desirable.
• Experience with EU-funded, UN-supported, World Bank-financed or other multilateral development-partner requirements is strongly desirable.
• Ability and willingness to live and work in a remote park environment and undertake frequent field travel, anticipated at approximately 50 percent.

Requirements

• Integrity and independence – Maintain high ethical standards, identifies and manages conflicts of interest, protects confidentiality and acts fairly.
• Teamwork and collaboration – Works constructively with colleagues, shares information and contributes effectively towards collective organisational goals.
• Risk judgement – Distinguishes material risks, applies proportionate controls and escalates significant concerns promptly.
• Conflict resolution – Works effectively with conflict, sensitive complaints and emotionally distressing matters while remaining impartial and respectful.
• Flexibility and resilience – Adapts to changing demands, competing priorities and remote-field conditions, including work outside normal hours when operationally necessary.
• Planning and organising – Sets clear priorities, timelines, budgets and accountabilities and monitors progress against agreed commitments.
• Initiative – Recognises emerging risks and opportunities and acts proactively rather than waiting for problems to escalate.
• Analytical rigour – Uses evidence, verifies corrective-action closure and identifies trends, root causes and recurring control weaknesses.
• Cultural intelligence – Works effectively across languages, cultures, institutions and community contexts, with particular sensitivity to customary governance in Liuwa.
• Creativity – Develops practical, field-appropriate solutions to complex environmental and social risk-management challenges.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Effective implementation and continuous improvement of African Parks' Environmental and Social Safeguards Standards and park-level ESMS.
• All new or materially changed activities appropriately screened, classified and supported by required safeguards instruments before implementation.
• Risk register, ESAP, compliance calendar and corrective-action tracking maintained accurately and updated within agreed timelines.
• Effective supervision and technical support to the Safeguards Officer, with clear work planning, quality assurance and timely escalation of material issues.
• Measurable progress in implementing and monitoring the Liuwa Plain National Park Land Use Plan, including stakeholder participation, compliance tracking and corrective actions.
• Timely, fair and well-documented management of grievances through the GRM, including confidential pathways for sensitive cases.
• Compliance with FPIC and meaningful-consultation requirements where applicable.
• Timely coordination, monitoring and reporting of HWC-related safeguards risks, prevention and mitigation measures.
• Effective stakeholder engagement with communities, traditional leaders, BRE, LCRB, VAGs, government institutions, civil society and partners.
• Quality, timeliness and accuracy of ESS, LUP, HWC, donor/partner and management reporting, databases and dashboards.