Environmental Compliance Advisor - ARE Activity

BACKGROUND

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economies in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Environmental Compliance Advisor (ECA) is a member of ARE’s Technical And Strategic Communications (TASC) team, responsible for providing technical advisory services across all of ARE’s value chain activities, including interventions through grants and technical assistance. The ECA will provide technical guidance, recommendation and advice related to all environmental management aspects and corresponding mitigation measures related to the ARE portfolio and concept notes. He/she will ensure environmental compliance requirements according to USAID’s procedures including

Leading on the Environmental Risk Assessment Checklist (ERAC), corresponding Environmental Mitigation Measures Plan (EMMP) and environmental audit and inspections under all of ARE’s interventions.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete ERACs for all ARE interventions to identify potential environmental and social effects and develop a corresponding EMMP. The ERACs will include a judgment that each activity will have either (a) a low or negative potential adverse environmental impact that requires no further environmental screening (i.e. a negative determination) (b) a moderate potential adverse environmental impact and requires and EMMP or (c) that the activities carry the potential for a high adverse environmental impact (i.e. positive determination and will be required to conduct an Environmental Assessment (EA) and prepare all necessary EA documentation (i.e. scoping report, EA report, EMMP).
• The ECA will conduct the necessary assessment and inspection visits to ARE partner location and other sites as needed in order to develop the ERAC and EMMP
• The ECA will develop a monthly EMMP inspection and audit plant to ensure that the agreed-upon mitigation measures by all of ARE’s partners are implemented in a timely and adequate manner.
• The ECA will support, coordinate and follow-up with the respective ARE intervention managers on all environmental management mitigation measures related to their interventions
• The ECA will stay abreast of best practices and industry trends in the environmental management sectors
• The ECA will ensure that all of ARE’s interventions meet any required environmental rules/regulations set by the Government of Lebanon
• Contributes to project deliverables like weekly, quarterly, and annual reports; annual work plans, as directed by the Deputy Chief of Party/Chief Technical Officer and/or Chief of Party;
• Other duties as assigned by the Deputy Chief of Party/Chief Technical Officer and/or Chief of Party.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in environmental management, renewable energy, mechanical engineering, agricultural engineering, or other field related to environmental management;
  • 15 years of total experience with preference of 8-10 years of recent relevant experience  in environmental management in the agricultural and agri-food sector and  minimum of 2 years’ experience on USAID-funded interventions
  • Demonstrated experience environmental management and mitigation measures in the agricultural and agri-food sectors;
  • Demonstrated experience in the development and drafting of ERACs, EMMP and Environmental Assessments for USAID project
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as in a team structure, versatility, and integrity;
  • Strong interpersonal, analytic, and written communication skills
• Fluency in spoken and written Arabic and English required.

LOCATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The ECA will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, Lebanon, and travel throughout the country as needed.

REPORTING

The Environmental Compliance Advisor (ECA) reports directly to the Deputy Chief of Party/Chief Technical Officer, or his/her designee