Environmental & Social Specialist (m/w/d)

Job Description

At Voltalia we are passionate about renewable energies! We are an electricity producer from wind, solar, hydro, biomass and storage and also a service provider to 3rd party clients such as Development, EPC, O&M and Distribution.Today we are in 20 countries, split among 4 continents, and offering a global operating capacity to our clients. We are listed on the regulated Euronext market in Paris since July 2014.

The Environmental & Social Specialist will work closely with project managers, across business lines, to ensure that company and international (IFC, EBRD) E&S standards are embedded within the project lifecycle from inception to operation.
The E&S Specialist will also be responsible for ensuring that project managers have the correct tools to ensure environmental and social risks are identified and mitigated. This includes through the project’s Environmental and Management System (ESMS), community engagement, and aligning with Voltalia’s ethics and governance.

Main Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the ESMS for Voltalia’s projects in line with company and international performance standards requirements;
• Manage environmental and social aspects of Voltalia’s project in Egypt;
• Supervise Environmental and Social (E&S) and Human Resource (HR) consultants in executing respective studies and audits (including the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), Human Resources (HR), and Critical Habitat Assessments (CHA’s) where necessary, as well as Resettlement Action Plans (RAP), Livelihood Restoration Plans (LRP) and Human Rights Assessments (where necessary);
• Coordinate with all stakeholder and governmental authorities for reviewing the ESIA report and approving the Project’s Environmental Application (EA’s permit);
• Coordinate the implementation of the E&S management plans during the development, construction and operation phases of projects in coordination with the relevant internal departments of Voltalia and its sub-contractors;
• Work with project managers to identify local supply chains;
• Work with project manages to help identify opportunities and reputational risks, as well as creating and delivering a strategy for handling risks to positively influence stakeholders to achieve sustainable business outcomes;
• Manage stakeholder engagement activities: Develop and maintain relationships with community leaders and stakeholders, develop, implement and update stakeholder engagement plans, handle community feedback, issues and concerns;
• Maintain oversight of the application of the Project’s grievance mechanism, and ensure the co-ordination of data into Voltalia’s Engage platform;
• Support engagement with key external stakeholders e.g. local councillors, local parish councils, local community members, and local media for major projects;
• Engage and communicate with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, identifying, and understanding issues as well as proactively communicating updates related to project development;
• Support co-ordination of consultation events and activities, ensuring compliance with relevant planning legislation and the projects SEP;
• Build up a network of key internal contacts as well as working closely with colleagues across teams in corporate affairs, communications and E&S;
• Ensure that internal E&S and HR audits are co-ordinated and made ready for Lender consumption as part of the supporting documentation to the Projects ESMS.

Requirements

• Bachelor or Master in Environmental Engineering or similar;
• Minimum 10 years of experience in Environmental & Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs);
• Strong track record and experience in utility scale solar, wind projects is essential;
• Strong experience and a holistic understanding of Egypt’s development of solar and wind projects;
• Proven track record of managing and delivering energy projects through the consenting regime;
• Proficiency in all areas of Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, Publisher and PowerPoint;
• Arabic native, English fluent, other languages can be a plus.

Key Skills

• Ability to create and maintain relationships and communicate efficiently across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders;
• Positive, “can do” attitude;
• Ability to work in a Multicultural Business environment;
• Entrepreneurial mindset;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Commitment to and understanding of the aims, values, principles, policies and procedures of Voltalia;
• Commitment to utilizing participatory approaches;
• Demonstrable ability at report writing and summarizing complex situations;
• Good understanding and/or knowledge of community cultures, customs and practices;
• Good sense of organization and time management;
• Ability to have difficult conversations.