The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversized the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 staff across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, foster knowledge sharing,and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Since 1999, the Central Africa Multi-Country Office (CAMCO), headquartered in Kinshasa, DRC, has participated with UN agencies, international organizations, and governments in 15 Central African nations. CAMCO provides fund management, technical assistance, and capacity-building across critical sectors—infrastructure, health, education, governance, procurement, and environmental protection—while working with national and local authorities to secure local ownership and sustainable impact. The diverse portfolio spans rural-community empowerment, road rehabilitation, and peace consolidation in the DRC and CAR through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs, alongside wide-ranging procurement and human-resource services. Recent initiatives include drinking-water systems in Cameroon, mining-sector capacity-building,health-system support in the DRC, and infrastructure development in Madagascar, funded by a broad array of international partners. Together, these projects advance regional stability, resilient infrastructure, and improved livelihoods throughout Central Africa.

Since 2014, UNOPS has been a key partner in the Central African Republic (CAR), delivering essential services in project management, procurement, and human resources to support national development and peacebuilding efforts. UNOPS strengths community resilience, enhances transportation infrastructure, and contributes to peace and security, aligning closely with government priorities. Key initiatives include the World Bank/AFD-funded PURIC project, restoring critical infrastructure and improving rural connectivity; INUSCA-supported Community Violence Reduction (CVR) programs, promoting conflict prevention and social cohesion; and the rehabilitation of the Bangui Pediatric Hospital’s Neonatology Unit, funded by the Italian Cooperation. UNOPS also implements health infrastructure projects supported by the Global Fund,expanding access to essential healthcare. Additionally, UNOPS provides human resource services for MINUSCA, enabling effective peace operations. Through this diverse portfolio, UNOPS is committed to delivering tangible, sustainable results that build a more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous future for the people of CAR.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to projects with a significant impact on sustainable development and community resilience in the Central African Republic. It allows you to develop expertise in environmental and social management, as well as occupational health and safety, within a leading international organization.

The Associate in Health and Safety, Social and Environmental Management – Social Development will play a vital role in integrating environmental, social and occupational health and safety considerations into the implementation of UNOPS projects in the Central African Republic. He/She will work closely with the Project Manager and implementing partners to ensure compliance with national and international standards, as well as World Bank safeguarding policies.

The Associate in Health and Safety, Social and Environmental Management – Social Development is responsible for coordinating the environmental and social aspects of projects, monitoring and evaluating the measures implemented, and contributing to the achievement of key results in terms of environmental and social safeguarding.

1. Management of environmental and social aspects

• Monitor the implementation of social inclusion measures to ensure the effective participation of vulnerable groups, including women, youth, people with disabilities and marginalized populations, in project activities.
• Ensure the integration of social considerations in the different phases of the project cycle and formulate recommendations aimed at strengthening the social benefits of interventions.
• Monitor social commitments made to affected communities and verify their implementation in accordance with approved action plans.
• Analyze the social risks likely to affect the implementation of sub-projects and propose appropriate prevention or mitigation measures.
• Verify the preparation, facilitation and logistics of public consultations, meetings with local development committees, and ensure the systematic preparation of meeting minutes.
• Implement awareness-raising actions among local communities and construction site workers regarding the prevention of risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (EAS), Sexual Harassment (HS) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
• Participate in the identification and monitoring of the positive and negative social impacts of project activities on beneficiary communities.
• Coordinate the development of project sheets to mitigate the negative social and environmental impacts of the work as well as social support measures, and submit them to implementation stakeholders on site for immediate application.
• Review the pre-verification, for validation, of documents submitted by providers and implementing partners regarding the social aspects of ESIAs, ESMPs and Resettlement Plans (RAPs).

2. Monitoring and evaluation

• Regularly prepare initial monitoring and evaluation reports for the social and environmental component by following the reporting schedule for the review of the Project Manager and the supervision team.

• Monitor field compliance with UNOPS and World Bank administrative requirements and procedures by undertaking periodic audits of project files related to safeguards, to verify that the required documents (consents, MGP sheets, compensation sheets) are available and updated.

• Actively monitor the progress of social development activities and assess the impact of mitigation measures on the living conditions and resilience of targeted populations.

• Ensure that the social and environmental database (awareness kits, educational materials, media tools, community visibility elements) is continually updated, consolidated and available

• Rigorously manage the documentation and archiving (physical and digital) of all files relating to the implementation of the environmental, social and community component.

3. Key results

• Environmental and social safeguarding aspects are taken into account in all project interventions.

• All environmental and social safeguarding instruments are developed on time and implemented.

• All implementation studies include an ESMP that complies with national and international requirements (UNOPS and BM).

• Implementation reports of environmental and social safeguard documents are prepared on time.

• A plan of measures to mitigate environmental and social impacts is put in place on each site.

Required

• High school diploma in environment, social sciences or related field with 6 years of relevant experience.
• Technical/professional diploma in environment, social sciences or related field with 4 years of relevant experience

Wished

• Certifications in environmental management or occupational health and safety.

Required

• Proven experience in environmental and social project management

• Knowledge of the World Bank’s environmental and social safeguarding policies

• Experience in preparing monitoring and evaluation reports

Wished

• Experience working with international organizations or United Nations agencies

• Experience implementing projects in the Central African Republic or similar contexts

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited summaries.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacations must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, foster an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledgment and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to add a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retailer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information we have a tenant contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.