Environmental, Social & GBV Specialist

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC was present in Sudan from 1981 to 2009. In November 2019, the IRC re-registered in Sudan and opened a main office in Khartoum, with programming beginning in 2020. The IRC expanded into non-SAF-controlled regions of Darfur and South Kordofan in 2024. It is currently operational in Al Jazeera, White Nile, Gedaref, River Nile, Blue Nile, South Kordofan, West Darfur, Central Darfur, and North Darfur states, including a satellite office in Tunaydbah (Gedaref). The IRC's impact groups are vulnerable individuals impacted by conflict and crisis, including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, refugees, mixed populations, and host communities.

Since the outbreak of war in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country has spiraled into relentless violence, institutional collapse, and mass displacement. Despite multiple ceasefire announcements, violence has continued for nearly two and a half years, displacing over 12 million people across all 18 states. Sudan is facing one of the most complex and devastating humanitarian crises in the world today.

More than 30 million people now require humanitarian assistance, and around 25 million people face acute food insecurity, including 770,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Damage to infrastructure, supply shortages, and restricted humanitarian access continue to severely hinder the humanitarian response. In response to increasing needs, the IRC has scaled up its humanitarian efforts despite immense challenges. The IRC supports Sudanese communities, within the country and across national borders.
 

The project is expected to run for the duration of the World Bank-financed award (exact start date and duration to be confirmed on award).
 

Scope of Work

The IRC is seeking an Environmental, Social & GBV Specialist for an upcoming World Bank-funded health project in Sudan. The project is intended to restore access to a basic package of health and nutrition services and preserve the main elements of essential public health functions in Sudan.

The project is expected to run from February 2027 for 3 years.

The Specialist ensures full compliance with the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) across all project activities, including the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Labour Management Procedures (LMP), SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan, Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), and Healthcare Waste Management Plan requirements, reporting to the Project Director / Chief of Party with functional coordination with the World Bank E&S team. In this fragile and conflict-affected context, the GBV component is elevated to a mandatory safeguard requiring dedicated specialist capacity.
 

The postholder leads implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans, the ESMF, and the ESCP for all project activities, including minor civil works, medical waste management, and laboratory upgrading, and manages the SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan, conducting staff training, managing codes of conduct, operating GBV grievance mechanisms, and coordinating survivor-centred referral pathways. He/she maintains the project-level Grievance Redress Mechanism for workers and communities, submitting GRM reports to the World Bank.

The Specialist oversees Labour Management Procedures compliance, monitoring working conditions, occupational health and safety, child labour prevention, and gender-inclusive hiring across direct and contracted workers; leads healthcare waste management plan implementation at supported facilities; coordinates stakeholder engagement and community consultations per the Stakeholder Engagement Plan; and prepares periodic E&S monitoring reports for the World Bank, responding to findings from third-party monitoring.
 

Requirements

• Degree in social sciences, gender studies, environmental sciences, public health, law, or related field — Master's preferred.

• Minimum 7 years' experience in E&S/GBV programming in international development, with at least 4 years in World Bank-financed projects.

• Demonstrated expertise in the World Bank ESF, including ESS2 (Labour), ESS3 (Pollution), ESS4 (Community Health & Safety), and ESS10 (Stakeholder Engagement).

• Specialised training in GBV/SEA/SH prevention, survivor-centred approaches, and safe referral mechanisms.

• Experience with healthcare waste management plans and IPC/OHS protocols in health facility settings.

• Fluency in Arabic is preferred and English required.
   

Please note that this position will be contingent on the outcome of the bid.
 

Safety & Security Situation: All staff must comply with all IRC Sudan security policies and procedures.

Standards for Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. The worker will be expected to align to and assure project adherence to IRC's internal policies, guidelines and ethics as well as the World Bank's code of conduct and compliance requirements.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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