Resettlement Specialist At Development Aid

Position Objective:

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in Timor-Leste, collaborating with the Government of Timor-Leste and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the Government of the United States of America, is responsible for implementing the $420 million Timor-Leste Compact, which, together with an additional contribution of $64 million from the Government of Timor-Leste, represents a total $484 million investment in Timor-Leste. The Compact aims to address human capital development as a binding constraint to economic growth in Timor-Leste through two projects: the Water, Sanitation, and Drainage (WSD) Project and the Teaching and Leading the Next generation of Timorese (TALENT) Project.

In coordination with and under the direction of the Resettlement Director, the Resettlement Specialist is responsible for ensuring that the land acquisition and resettlement activities undertaken by MCA Timor-Leste meet the requirements stipulated in the Compact and particularly the requirements of Performance Standard 5 – IFC (IFC PS-5) on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement, and Timor-Leste legal and regulatory requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Works under the direction of, and in coordination with, the Resettlement Director.
• Responsible for ensuring that the activities undertaken by MCA Timor-Leste meet the requirements stipulated in the Compact and particularly the requirements of IFC PS-5 on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement, and Timor-Leste legal and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the development and/or review of procurements and documents related to land acquisition and involuntary resettlement and economic displacement such as resettlement action plans (RAPs), livelihood restoration plans (LRPs), etc.
• Oversee and manage the development, implementation, and monitoring/evaluation of RAPs and LRPs.
• Closely coordinate with MCA Timor-Leste staff, consultants, contractors, and other government entities to ensure the compact’s compliance with IFC PS-5, Timor-Leste legal and regulatory requirements, and to effectively integrate land acquisition and other resettlement activity planning into project and activity planning, design, and implementation.
• Work collaboratively with Resettlement Director to ensure that resettlement implementation includes a grievance redress procedure consistent with the overall grievance redress procedure for MCA Timor-Leste and addresses livelihood restoration and vulnerable persons affected by the project.
• Assist in the tracking and resolution of land acquisition, resettlement, economic displacement related grievances.
• Actively engage with MCA Timor-Leste staff in Environment and Social Performance, Gender and Social Inclusion, Monitoring and Evaluation, Fiscal, and Procurement and others to ensure cross-cutting requirements are fulfilled in the development and implementation of land acquisition and resettlement activities.
• Coordinate with relevant Timor-Leste government authorities to obtain required land acquisition and RAP approvals.
• Supervise the implementation of RAPs and ensure that implementation arrangements and operations are consistent with the approved project-specific RAPs and IFC PS-5; Conduct field visits to inspect planning and implementation activities, participate in public meetings, resolve problems, etc.
• In collaboration with other MCA Timor-Leste staff, support the organization and management of public consultation, meetings with stakeholders, and the communication of information on land acquisition and resettlement issues is undertaken in accordance with the RAPs and other approved guidelines and procedures.
• Develop tracking systems to monitor the progress of land acquisition and resettlement activities and assist in the preparation of the progress reports to MCC and the Government of Timor-Leste.
• Prepare terms of reference (TORs) and management consultants for any resettlement-related specialized studies that might be necessary to ensure compliant implementation of Compact activities.
• Serve as an in-house expert on land acquisition and resettlement issues.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities related to resettlement as appropriate.

Requirements (Education, Experience, Technical Competencies):

• Degree in social sciences, land tenure, law or other field related skills required to conduct involuntary resettlement and land acquisition.
• Seven (7) or more years of professional experience in a relevant sector, which must include at least five years of experience with land acquisition and resettlement. Familiarity with the policies and standards for resettlement of the IFC, World Bank or other donors is a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Timor-Leste land law and legal and regulatory requirements related to land acquisition.
• Experience in conducting Public Consultations and stakeholder engagement processes.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and institutions.
• Computer skills (MS Office and familiarity with project management software, such as MS Project) and experience with tracking systems.
• Excellent written and oral skills in English.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Tetum.