This activity includes undertaking and/or updating E&S assessments, as relevant, preparing E&S risk management instruments including those required for school infrastructure, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.

The Government of Botswana is undertaking the Promoting Participation and Enhancing Learning (PROPEL) (P513800) project supported by the World Bank.

The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to increase participation in preprimary and senior secondary education and improve learning conditions in supported schools, particularly at the junior secondary level. The Project consists of the following four components:

Component 1: Increasing participation in education

Component 2: Enhancing the learning environment

Component 3: Strengthening system capacity for quality education service delivery

Component 4: Project management and implementation support

The Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education (MCWBE) is the implementing entity for the Project. A Project Delivery Unit (PDU) (or Program Coordinating Unit) is being established within MCWBE to support the effective implementation of project activities, including procurement and contract administration; monitoring, evaluation and reporting of progress under the project; fiduciary management; and environmental and social risk management. Specifically, the PDU will be responsible for ensuring that implementation of Environmental risk management activities are conducted in an efficient, transparent, and compliant manner. To strengthen implementation capacity and support timely delivery, the MCWBE seeks to engage an Individual Environmental Consultant as a core member of the PDU.

The objective of the assignment is to provide dedicated environmental risk management support to the PDU, to ensure that all project activities are prepared and implemented in compliance with the World Bank's Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs), WBG Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines, and Botswana's national environmental regulatory framework. The consultant will be the primary technical resource for environmental risk identification, instrument preparation, monitoring, and reporting across various project activities, overseeing stakeholder engagement and grievance redress processes, and building the capacity of MCWBE to manage environmental issues effectively throughout project implementation.

The Environmental Consultant will perform duties that include, but are not limited to, the following: Support the PDU in establishing environmental risk management systems, screening tools, and procedures in line with Project Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) requirements, including contributions to the Project Operations Manual (POM). Lead or support the preparation of E&S instruments required under the ESCP — including the project-level Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), site-specific Contractor ESMPs (C-ESMPs) — ensuring coverage of key risks such as construction Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), community health and safety (CHS), waste management, Asbestos Management, including life and fire safety (LFS) plans for school facilities, and other project-specific risks, in compliance with applicable World Bank ESSs, WBG EHS Guidelines, and Botswana’s national environmental regulations. Ensure E&S requirements (ESMP, LMP, Code of Conduct) are reflected in bidding documents and contracts prior to issuance; review and approve Contractor ESMPs prior to site mobilization at each location and monitor implementation on site. Conduct regular field visits to monitor ESMP compliance, OHS and CHS performance, and contractor adherence to agreed E&S measures across project sites. Notify his/her supervisor and the World Bank of any serious environmental, OHS, or CHS incident; participate in investigations and prepare corrective action plans per ESCP timelines. Prepare and submit quarterly E&S monitoring reports and provide environmental inputs to World Bank supervision missions and implementation status reports. Support implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) on environmental matters, facilitate community consultations at project sites, and ensure timely in-country disclosure of all cleared E&S instruments. Develop and deliver training for PDU staff, supervision engineers, contractors, and government counterparts on ESF requirements, ESMP implementation, OHS, and other relevant topics. Work closely with the Social Consultant / GBV Consultant and liaise regularly with the World Bank Environmental and Social Specialists, national regulatory agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. Undertake any other tasks related to the environmental management of the project, including the preparation for complaints recorded in the project’s Grievance Redress System (GRS) as well as others that the project and the Bank could receive.

The Consultant will work as an integral member of the PDU and report to the Project Coordinator. The Consultant will work in close day-to-day coordination with the Social Specialist, GBV Specialist and other PDU staff and will maintain regular communication with MCWBE, and the World Bank Environmental and Social Specialists assigned to the project.

The duration of the assignment is an initial period of 2 years from contract signature with a probationary period of three (3) months. A formal performance evaluation shall be conducted at the end of the first twelve (12) months by the MCWBE evaluation committee. Continuation of the contract for the second year shall be subject to a satisfactory performance assessment and availability of project funding. The performance assessment will consider, among other factors, the quality and timeliness of deliverables, compliance with the Terms of Reference, and overall effectiveness in supporting project implementation. After the initial period of 2 years, the contract will be renewable for the duration of the project based on satisfactory performance and project needs.

The Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must provide information demo