Social and Environmental Performance Associate at BRAC

About the Role:

• The Social and Environmental Performance Associate will have a crucial role in carrying out the mission of BRAC International Holdings BV (BIHBV), with a specific focus on social goals and driving social and environmental performance management (SEPM). The associate will offer technical support to all BIHBV microfinance entities in RIF-related areas.
• They will be under the supervision of the Manager, Impact and Social Performance, and will work closely with country microfinance management, maintaining a strong relationship with Social Performance Management Champions.

Key Responsibilities:

Social and Environmental Performance Management and Client Protection

• Work with the entity-level Social Performance Managers and country leadership to follow up on the Social and Environmental Performance Management (SEPM) work plan and schedule for each country’s implementation of responsible inclusive finance (RIF) practices and ensure the plan is fully implemented.
• Work with country teams in ensuring that consideration (backed up by social data) is given to social objectives in all key investment, strategic, and other management decisions.
• Work with the BIHBV team and leadership, governing bodies, and country leadership to promote the use of social data and implementation of industry best practices across BI’s portfolio of microfinance programs.
• To ensure BIHBV leadership/ boards receive robust responsible inclusive finance updates and data from MF entities regularly (quarterly) through the presentation of SPI4 and Smart tools results as well as other reports and assessments.
• Support BIMF entities to execute other surveys such as client dropout as needed.
• Build the capacity of the country board, management, and staff on environmental and climate issues.
• Support country teams to develop and implement their environmental strategies.
• Develop tools and support the administration of climate vulnerability assessments, develop action plans, and support implementation

Reporting and compliance:

• Identify all reporting requirements for BIHBV on European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and map where there are gaps. Create action plans to collect, verify and present the required data.
• In consultation with the BIHBV technical and finance team, put together templates for data collection and narrative reports. Make sure reporting is done timely.
• Support country entities to comply with all relevant Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting requirements.
• Make sure the BIHBV strategic dashboard is timely updated with Outreach, SEPM, and outcome results. Manage all reporting to the Boards on these performances.
• Be the focal person for all SEPM, ESG, and outcome-related reporting to Investors and Donors. Support country teams with these reporting by verifying each data point for accuracy and consistency, before they are shared externally.

Other

• Regular support to country teams on improving client service, managing dropout and dormancy, etc.
• Regular support in scaling financial and digital literacy training support.
• Ad hoc support requested by country teams.

Safeguarding Responsibilities:

• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals of safeguarding implementation. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, and encourage others to do so.

Academic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree: In either Business Administration, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Required Skills, Competencies & Knowledge:

• Maintaining Adaptability and eagerness to learn with a willingness to self-teach
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Strong research (qual and quant) and data analysis skills
• Fluency in English required (spoken, reading and written)
• Highly motivated with a strong interest in development and social issues
• Passionate about social outcomes for microfinance clients
• Ability to work with globally diverse teams and cultures
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work in a challenging environment

Experience Requirements:

• 3+ years’ experience in microfinance, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and client protection issues, product development, operational management, consultancy, monitoring and evaluation, or project management.
• Experience in Microfinance operations, training people and applying best practices (in academic research, strategy, or practical application), implementing qualitative and quantitative research end to end will get preference.