Social Practitioner

Description

• Ensure the management of social aspects during the implementation of TCTA projects. Monitor the social compliance of the projects in line with the Environmental Authorization, Environmental Management Programme, Lender's requirements, legislation and best practices.
• Coordinate the implementation of social strategy and provide leadership to the project stakeholders. Establish and maintain good relationships between the project and key stakeholders. Ensure the continual identification of project social risks and management thereof.

Implementation of the project social strategy.

• Facilitate education and awareness of the profile and dynamics of the project area social environment in relation to the project activities.
• Ensure that adequate social monitoring is undertaken.
• Co-ordinate implementation of social strategy and provide leadership to stakeholders.
• Fast track processes to obtain social approvals e.g. land zoning for Resettlement purposes, agreements for servitudes on communal land.
• Prepare operational plans for the implementation of the social strategies and budgets.
• Supervise the implementation, impacts and the effectiveness of social mitigation measures.

Establish and maintain the relationship between all project key stakeholders.

• Development and maintenance of a stakeholder database.
• Records keeping, address and prompt feedback of issues raised by stakeholders and complete record of all project's interested and affected persons including interested parties, stakeholder groups and stakeholder sectors, their contact details and all interactions.
• Develop and sustain good relations with internal and external stakeholders.
• Pro-actively engage with project specific interested and affected parties.
• Develop and maintain social dialogue with stakeholders through structure meetings and formal communication throughout the project life cycle.

Strengthening Social compliance

• Monitor the compliance of the project against social aspects identified in the Environmental Authorisation, Environmental Management Programme, Socio-Economic Development Baseline, Health and Safety plans, legislation, and best practices.
• Document lessons learnt in relation to the social aspect of each project.

Support and provide input to land acquisition processes

• Identify social risks related to land acquisition and resettlement requirements.
• Facilitate meetings required by land acquisition specialists for information disclosure to the landowners, affected parties and communities.
• Assist in the facilitation of consultation processes with affected parties
• Facilitate processes relating to compensation queries and finalisation of claims and acquisition agreements with landowners.
• Arrange required follow up meetings to clear off any queries/concerns which may arise from the affected parties

Support the implementation of Community Development CSI legacy Projects.

• Facilitate processes towards project specific community development CSI legacy projects implementation.
• Mobilise and coordinate stakeholders involved in the community development projects

Management reporting and improvement in communication

• Responsible for social input into the monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports on status of various project activities, risks and mitigation measures proposed.
• Ensure reporting on social activities as per contractual specifications.
• To constitute and ensure the effective operation of a Social and Environment Committee SET comprising of representatives from the TCTA, Professional Service Provider PSP and the Contractor.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• B Degree in Social Sciences, Community Development, Communications, Public Relations & Environmental Management and related fields

Minimum Experience

• Five 5 years' experience in dealing with social matters.
• Experience in engaging communities, municipalities, service providers, contractors, consultants, and donors in a project environment.
• Experience with land, environmental and health & safety aspects in infrastructure or mining projects.
• Fluent in IsiXhosa added Advantage