Job Details (ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST)

UGANDA CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (UCMID) OPERATION - 

RECRUITMENT OF THE OPERATION SUPPORT TEAM (OST)

UCMID ADVERT

 

The Government of Uganda (GoU), represented by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD), is planning to launch a new program to support special urban needs for infrastructure improvement – the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) Operation, which will be supported  by a World Bank International Development Agency (IDA) Credit to the tune of US$540 million. The Operation will be for 6 years, (FY 2026/27-2031/32), and will encompass support to climate-smart urban infrastructure development, institutional strengthening and capacity enhancement, support to core Ministries related to these activities, as well as to program management arrangements and institutional strengthening. 

The UCMID is designed using the Bank’s hybrid lending instruments – Investment Project Financing (IPF) and Program for Results (PforR), whereby disbursement is linked to actual results agreed upon and realized on the ground. To mitigate any capacity risks, the Government has decided to recruit an Operation Support Team (OST), which will assist the MLHUD and the participating sub-National entities in the implementation of the operation. 

 

The OST within MoLHUD with a composition, mandate and terms of reference and resources satisfactory to the World Bank will include , a Finance and Accounting Specialist, a Procurement Specialist, a Local Economic Development Specialist, Engineering Specialists, a Social Development Specialist, an Environment Specialist, a Health and Safety Specialist, and a GIS Specialist. Administrative Secretary (1) , Accountant Assistant (1), ICT officer (1), Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (1).

These professionals will work alongside their departmental counterparts and report to the Commissioner for Urban Development/ Operation Coordinator, provide technical backstopping to Local Governments, and support the Ministry in fulfilling its coordination and oversight functions. The OST’s role will be transitional, with its functions gradually absorbed by MoLHUD staff as institutional capacity is strengthened through training, mentoring, and staffing adjustments. Members of OST who are recruited as contract staff will be placed on a two-year contract which is renewable only twice upon satisfactory performance.  

The Operation Support Team (OST) for the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) Operation utilizes a blended staffing structure that integrates recruited technical experts with existing government personnel. This institutional arrangement is designed to provide high-level technical backstopping while ensuring deep alignment with Ministry protocols and long-term sustainability.

Only Candidates with experience in externally funded specifically World bank Funded Projects will be shortlisted.
Directorate/Department
Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development
Post
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST
Scale
Other
Terms of Employment
Vacancies
1
Reference
Minimum Age
35
Maximum Age
Minimum Qualification
1. Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Engineering, Forestry, Biological Sciences, or related field. 2. Master's Degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Forestry, Natural Resources Management, or related field
Working Experience
1. Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in environmental safeguards management. 2. Experience in World Bank-funded or donor-funded projects. 3. Experience in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), environmental audits, and regulatory compliance.
Duties
The incumbent will be responsible to the Operation Manager for performing the following duties:-

  1. Ensure that all program planning and execution fully comply with the environmental policies, laws, and regulations of the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the World Bank, including the Environmental and Social System Assessment (ESSA) and Operation Implementation Manual.
  2. Support environmental reporting and documentation, including reporting of E&S Incidents to the MLHUD and World Bank in accordance with GoU and WB requirements.
  3. Review, develop Terms of Reference (ToRs) for, and oversee the preparation and implementation of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Project Briefs, and Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs).
  4. Liaise directly with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and relevant regulatory bodies to facilitate and fast-track all necessary statutory environmental approvals and conditions.
  5. Collaborate with the Social Development Specialist to draft ToRs and participate in selecting competent Safeguards Firms to undertake ESIAs, ESMPs, and Resettlement Action Plans (RAP).
  6. Document environmental safeguard requirements clearly in revised Standard Bidding Documents and ensure ESMP recommendations and NEMA conditions are integrated into contractors' Bills of Quantities (BoQs).
  1. Participate in shortlisting and evaluating bidders based on explicit environmental safeguard criteria, and verify that enforcement clauses are legally captured in final contracts
  2. Review and advise on contractor proposals, environmental specifications, and plans for temporary auxiliary facilities (e.g., campsites, equipment storage, quarries, and borrow areas).
  3. Conduct regular site visits to sub-national entities and local governments to track the performance and execution of identified environmental, health, and safety mitigation measures.
  4. Develop, maintain, and update environmental and social (E&S) monitoring checklists, compliance trackers, and systems for use during implementation. Participate actively in formal environmental audits and inspections.

11.   Guide and advise the project implementation team on the formation, operationalization, and management of Grievance Redress Committees (GRCs) for both project workers and local communities.

12.   Provide leadership in undertaking E&S Root Cause Analysis of Incidents, development and implementation of Safeguards Corrective Action Plans, ensuring closure of all reported cases.

13.   Develop and maintain a central UpToDate Environmental and social Incidents/ Accidents Register and associated reports and documents.

14.   Review and provide advice on Contractor’s TORs, proposals, and plans for temporary works and supporting facilities such as campsites, equipment storage, quarries, murrum borrow areas, temporary access roads, etc.

15.   Lead the investigation and Root Cause Analysis of E&S incidents, and design, implement, and verify the closure of Safeguards Corrective Action Plans.

16.   Compile and submit high-quality monthly, quarterly, and annual E&S monitoring progress reports, ensuring immediate escalation of critical incidents to MLHUD and the World Bank.

  1. Institutionalize environmental safeguards by planning and conducting targeted capacity-building, training initiatives, and hands-on support for MLHUD, sub-national entities, and Local Government staff.
  2. Coordinate and participate in community engagement and feedback mechanisms to share project information and capture implementation lessons.
  3. Provide technical environmental safeguards backing to the broader Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and other Ministry projects as institutional needs dictate.

 

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