Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Job Summary

The Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Social Performance Manager will develop, coordinate, and maintain the Project Stakeholder Register and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) across all delivery stages. This includes overseeing public consultation programs, running community grievance mechanisms (GM), tracking Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) milestones, and serving as the primary compliance link with international development banks and Rwandan state ministries.

Qualification

• Mandatory Educational Background: A formal University Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Environmental Science, or a related discipline.
• Standards Compliance Mastery: Deep, functional knowledge of International Finance Corporation Performance Standards (IFC PS1, PS5, PS7), the Equator Principles, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) processes.
• Linguistic Mastery: Flawless professional fluency in written and verbal English is essential. Working proficiency in French and/or Kinyarwanda is highly advantageous.
• Core Interpersonal Strengths: Exceptional communication skills with a proven capability to engage credibly and build trust with village communities, top-tier government officials, and international financiers.

Experience

Candidates must demonstrate a distinguished track record of steering social performance within complex operating environments:

Social Performance Tenure & Safeguards Scale

• Overall Industry Tenacity: A minimum of twelve (12) years of direct, verifiable experience in stakeholder engagement and social performance management on major infrastructure or extractive industry projects.
• Geographic Field Track Record: Proven experience managing community engagement programs and formal resettlement initiatives within Sub-Saharan Africa. Specific experience operating within the Rwandan market is highly advantageous.
• Grievance & Resettlement Exposure: Practical background establishing operational community grievance channels and coordinating Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) alongside dedicated field safeguards teams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Stakeholder Frameworks & DFI Compliance

• Govern the Engagement Plan: Formulate, roll out, and maintain the project's central Stakeholder Register and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), updating parameters at every major delivery stage.
• Drive Public Consultations: Lead public consultation and community outreach initiatives in absolute compliance with IFC PS1, project ESIA conditions, and Rwandan regulatory requirements.
• Build Institutional Relationships: Establish and maintain robust, high-trust relationships with the Government of Rwanda—including the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Rwandan Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA), and the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA)—alongside development finance institutions (DFIs) and active NGOs.
• Monitor Social Sentiment: Closely monitor stakeholder sentiment on the ground, delivering proactive early warnings and risk-mitigation options to the Project Director regarding emerging community concerns.

Grievance Resolution, RAP Oversight & Reporting

• Govern Grievance Mechanisms: Manage and coordinate the community Grievance Mechanism (GM) workflows, ensuring all localized complaints are transparently documented, investigated, and brought to a timely resolution.
• Supervise Resettlement Actions: Monitor and report on the progress of Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) implementation, collaborating with the social safeguards team to ensure fair and compliant execution.
• Orchestrate Project Communications: Prepare, verify, and distribute stakeholder brief materials, community newsletters, and public updates, coordinating with the Project Communications team to align external project messaging.
• Represent Project Forums: Serve as the formal representative of the project at public town halls, government forums, and international community engagement events.
• Deliver Executive Reporting: Maintain the master grievance log and compile detailed monthly stakeholder engagement progress reports for project leadership and lenders.

Skills Required:

• Civil / Engineering / Cotm