Private Sector Engagement Advisor, Consultancy

Position Title	Private Sector Engagement Advisor, Consultancy
Requisition Number	14-0111
Post Date	9/4/2014
City	Bangkok
Description	Period of Performance: October 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015 Number of Days: Maximum of billable 44 days (over 6 month period) Location: This person can be based anywhere in the Southeast Asia Region. He/she needs to be able to travel to Bangkok easily and on short notice. Background: The Mekong Partnership for the Environment Project (MPE) presents a unique opportunity to broaden stakeholder engagement to achieve a vision of increased social and environmental soundness of regional development projects in the Lower Mekong Subregion (LMS). Large development projects with significant trans-boundary social, economic, and environmental impacts demand a creative approach that involves meaningful engagement across diverse stakeholders, including governments, banks and the private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs), and communities. The MPE project’s major objectives include: Objective 1: Increased capacity of civil society to influence development decisions that have significant anticipated social and environmental impacts; Objective 2: Strengthened regional platforms for multi-stakeholder participation in development decision making; and Objective 3: Increased public access to quality, timely information on environmental and social costs and benefits of regional development projects. Overview of Consultancy The consultant will develop and implement a plan of action to advance MPE’s engagement with private sector stakeholders, including companies, business associations, and others. Specific Tasks: • Develop a regional Private Sector Working Group to focus specifically on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) policy and practice in the LMS countries. Specifically, the advisor will: o Identify potential core participants in the proposed working group and conduct an assessment of needs, roles, and responsibilities of participants; o Establish a secretariat to facilitate and organize the working group meetings; and o Determine a 12-month meeting schedule and agenda for the working group. • Engage the US-ASEAN Business Council and national/international Chambers of Commerce in an outreach effort to enjoin influential private sector companies to participate in the EIA policy and practice working group; • Work with MPE’s Capacity Building Advisor to develop 1-2 trainings and/or workshops for CSOs around stakeholder engagement with the private sector - for both private sector benefit and CSO perspective; • Develop the “business case” for introduction of an ASEAN regional EIA standard; • Coordinate with MPE partner, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Citigroup, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and others to find linkages between MPE’s financial sector working group and the private sector working group; • Work with MPE team members to integrate private sector activities with other on-going MPE initiatives; • Review and revise MPE’s Private Sector Engagement Strategy document; and • Advise the MPE Chief of Party on opportunities to engage the private sector in activities that advance the MPE goal for constructive, multi-stakeholder dialogue around the costs and benefits of large-scale, regional development projects. Deliverables: • Revised Private Sector Engagement Strategy; • Guidelines and meeting agendas established for private sector working group; • Organize first two private sector working group meetings; • ‘Business case’ document for introduction of ASEAN regional EIA standard; • Co-design of materials for CSO/private sector engagement workshop/training; • Copies of all trip notes related to travel for planning and/or implementing private sector working group or other authorized travel for MPE; and • Regular written and oral briefings for the Chief of Party on private sector engagement activities as required. Qualifications: • At least 10 years of experience working with private sector on community engagement, responsible investment, or social and environmental impact/risk assessment, preferably in Asia; • Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate in both a board room and community meeting space; • Work experience with USAID, DFID, ADB or other donor organizations desirable; • Knowledge of international finance institutions and their policies; • Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, international development, business or other related field.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. We are also an equal opportunity employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. Apply now