Safeguards Manager at Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association MMWCA in Nairobi, Kenya

    Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association MMWCA logo

    Safeguards Manager

    Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association MMWCANairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    1 week ago

    Apply by

    2 Sept

    Contractor
    On Site
    Senior
    Charity, NGO & Non-Profit
    Environment, Energy & Natural Resources

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    Job Description

    The Safeguards Manager will lead the design, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of the organization's Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) system across conservation and carbon projects. The role will ensure compliance with applicable national legislation, donor requirements, carbon certification standards, and organizational safeguard policies while promoting equitable, inclusive, and sustainable project outcomes. The Safeguards Manager will work closely with technical teams, project managers, community engagement staff, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) specialists, and external partners to ensure environmental and social risks are effectively identified, mitigated, monitored, and reported throughout the project lifecycle.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Lead the design, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of the organization's Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) system across conservation and carbon projects.
    • Ensure compliance with applicable national legislation, donor requirements, carbon certification standards, and organizational safeguard policies.
    • Promote equitable, inclusive, and sustainable project outcomes.
    • Work closely with technical teams, project managers, community engagement staff, MEL specialists, and external partners to ensure environmental and social risks are effectively identified, mitigated, monitored, and reported throughout the project lifecycle.

    Required Qualifications

    • At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in environmental and social safeguards, conservation, natural resource management, or climate change programs.
    • Demonstrated experience supporting conservation and/or nature-based carbon projects.
    • Experience applying international safeguard frameworks and standards, including one or more of: Verra VCS and Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards; World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF); Green Climate Fund (GCF) Environmental and Social Policy; Other recognized environmental and social safeguard frameworks.
    • Experience conducting environmental and social impact assessments and developing mitigation measures.
    • Experience working with government agencies, community institutions, NGOs, and development partners.
    • Experience facilitating stakeholder engagement, community consultations, and grievance management.
    • Strong understanding of biodiversity conservation and landscape restoration.
    • Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) rights and participatory conservation approaches.
    • Understanding of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles.
    • Knowledge of gender equality and social inclusion in conservation programming.
    • Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
    • Strong report writing and communication skills.
    • Ability to manage multiple priorities and work across multidisciplinary teams.
    • Strong facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
    • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and data management tools.
    • Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Natural Resource Management, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field. Master's degree in a relevant discipline is an added advantage.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Environment, Energy & Natural Resources

    Minimum Experience

    5 years

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Environmental Science

    Field of Study

    Environmental Science

    Languages

    English

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Send your CV and Cover Letter to hr@onemaracarbon.org.

    Show Your Safeguards Track Record Before the Interview

    This role sits at the intersection of conservation, carbon finance, and community rights. Hiring managers will want proof you've navigated real-world safeguard frameworks, not just read about them.

    1. Map your experience to the frameworks: Be ready to discuss your hands-on work with Verra VCS, CCB, World Bank ESF, or GCF policies. Give concrete examples of how you applied each standard in a project, including any challenges you faced and how you resolved them.

    2. Quantify your impact: Use numbers to show the scale of projects you've managed—hectares under conservation, number of community consultations, or percentage of grievances resolved. This makes your experience tangible.

    3. Prepare a case study on FPIC: Since FPIC is critical for carbon projects, have a detailed story ready about how you facilitated a free, prior, and informed consent process. Highlight how you ensured community understanding and buy-in.

    4. Show your MEL integration skills: Safeguards don't operate in a vacuum. Explain how you've worked with MEL teams to track safeguard indicators and feed data into project learning and adaptive management.

    5. Demonstrate stakeholder mapping: Be ready to talk about how you've identified and engaged diverse stakeholders—from government agencies to IPLCs—and how you balanced their interests in project design.

    6. Highlight your gender and inclusion lens: Give examples of how you've integrated gender equality and social inclusion into safeguard plans. Mention any tools or approaches you've used to ensure marginalized groups are heard.

    7. Brush up on Kenyan environmental law: While international frameworks matter, you'll also need to navigate national legislation. Review key laws like the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) and how they apply to conservation and carbon projects.

    8. Prepare thoughtful questions: Ask about the organization's current safeguard systems, the specific carbon standards they're pursuing, and how they handle community grievances. This shows you're already thinking like their Safeguards Manager.

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    Tags

    environmental safeguards
    social safeguards
    carbon projects
    conservation
    stakeholder engagement