Social Planning Officer

Roads Authority

VACANCY ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE POSITION OF SOCIAL PLANNING OFFICER (GRADE RA6)

The Roads Authority (RA) was created by Act No. 3 of 2006 to ensure that public roads are constructed, maintained or rehabilitated at all times; and to advise the Minister, and where appropriate, the Minister responsible for Local Government on the preparation and efficient and effective implementation of the Annual National Roads Programme.

The Roads Authority (RA) is inviting applications from suitably qualified Malawians to fill the vacant positions of Social Planning Officer (Grade RA6) tenable at the RA head office, Functional Building in Lilongwe.

Social Planning Officer
The Social Planning Officer will be responsible for promoting social safeguards planning, management, and mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS, Disability, Gender Equality and other social issues in infrastructure development and maintenance undertakings in the Roads Authority.

The Social Planning Officer will report to the Senior Social Planning Officer and be specifically responsible for:

  1. Assisting in development, review and updating of policy statements articulating the Road Authority’s response to social issues;
  2. Assisting in development, review and updating of management procedures and guidelines to continually improve the management of social issues in the development and maintenance of the road infrastructure network;
  3. Monitoring and supervising Contractors and consultants to ensure compliance with all national legislative donor’s safeguards instruments governing social issues;
  4. Assisting in coordinating environmental and social impact assessment components of the economic feasibility and preliminary/detailed engineering design services, including but not limited to the preparation of terms of reference, administration of contracts and quality control;
  5. Assisting in coordinating issues of public disclosures, endorsements and cut-off dates on road infrastructure projects with regard to social impact assessments and ensuring they are timely executed at feasibility stage and adhered to at implementation stage;
  6. Assisting in coordination of involuntary resettlement and compensation procedures for projects and ensuring that resettlement action plans are developed and implemented in a timely manner thereby reducing related delays in project’s implementation;
  7. Assisting in reviewing document submissions arising from entered contracts as part of an approval process;
  8. Developing, reviewing and updating policy statements articulating the Road Authority’s response to social issues;
  9. Assist in mainstreaming of crosscutting issues such as HIV/AIDS, GBV/SEA and gender balance in the delivery of works in road infrastructure development and maintenance contract documentations;
  10. Assisting in briefing and keeping projects’ implementation monitoring engineers informed of the social issues and management plans on a particular contract, highlighting what needs to be managed through the contract and the responsibilities of supervision consultants with respect to the supervision of these activities;
  11. Conducting monitoring of the implementation of social management recommendations and plans by consultants and contractors;
  12. Advising stakeholders’ agencies on the management of social issues relevant to road infrastructure development and maintenance and
  13. Producing periodic reports.

The desired candidate must have the following qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities:-

  1. A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences such as Sociology, Social Development, Development Studies or other areas relevant to the assignment;
  2. At least three (3) years of experience in social management and monitoring of transport projects or engineering projects especially in the road sector or similar large infrastructure works/projects;
  3. Computer literacy;
  4. Strong Problem solving and analytical skills;
  5. Ability to work in a team and
  6. Good communication skills.

Interested candidates shall submit their applications under confidential cover together with detailed and updated Curriculum Vita (CV) that clearly stipulates the date of birth of the applicant, names of three traceable referees and copies of certificates to:-

The Chief Executive Officer
Roads Authority
Private Bag B346
LILONGWE 3

Closing date for the receiving applications is Friday, 25th January 2025.

Only shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.