Environmental & Social Governance Specialist

Job Description

The purpose of this job is to implement environmental, social, and corporate governance policies and procedures, to
appraise and monitor transactions to comply with the Banks Environmental and Social Safeguards Standards (ESSS) and
international best practices, and to work with the Banks partners to support the achievement of long-term developmental
impact and sustainability in the Banks development and financing interventions.

Key Responsibilities

Key Performance Areas
1. Support the Bank in developing and implementing policy, strategy, products, and services which align with good
International Industry Practice, the delivery of sustainable infrastructure solutions and the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. Support the application of DBSA environmental and social safeguard standards (ESSS) in all DBSA operations.
3. Assess and appraise the environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact of potential investments by identifying
ESG development outcomes, key risks and proposing mitigation measures. Reporting on the outcomes of these
assessments to bank investment decision making structures (Development Results Working Group, Investment
Committee & Board Credit, and Investment Committee).
4. Support the embedding of gender considerations in the Banks operations through the implementation of the Gender
Marker System in appraisal of the Banks investment and development projects.
5. Provide on-going ESG monitoring and reporting on the ESG outcomes of existing investments. Where deviations to
loan conditions occur, recommend corrective measures.
6. Evaluate the environmental, social and governance impact of investment projects funded by the DBSA.
7. Support reporting to international partners including the IDFC on the ESG outcomes of the DBSA portfolio.
8. Build and maintain stakeholder networks and finance partnerships to promote ESG in the Banks operations.
9. Provide advice to clients to support sustainable infrastructure delivery and in building and maintaining Institutional
Good Governance.
10. Represent DBSA at technical meetings, industry events and relevant fora.
11. Assist where required on any strategic ESG related projects within the DBSA
12. Mentor graduates when required
Key Measurements of Outputs
1. Number of policies, financing products and services developed and applied to promote sustainable financing and GIIP.
2. Quality and number of due diligence assignments and projects concluded to ensure the application of the Banks ESSS
in investment decision making.
3. Quality and number of investment projects monitored to ensure application of conditions precedent.
4. Quality and number of corporate reports prepared to support transparent reporting on the Banks portfolio. enhance
sustainable infrastructure investment decision making in the DBSA.
Key Internal Liaison Relationships
1. Executives
2. Client Coverage, Transacting, CIO Division, IDD, Project Preparation, Risk, Treasury, Finance, Corporate Services
3. Specialists in the Bank
4. Investment Officers
5. Deal Originators
6. DBSA Investment Committees
7. Operations Evaluation Unit
Key External Liaison Relationships
1. All external Stakeholders
2. Private Companies
3. Green Climate Finance partners
4. Global networks addressing climate change and green
climate finance initiatives
5. Potential and Existing Clients
6. Banks and DFIs
7. SMME’s Environmental and Social Agencies
8. Government and Authorising Agencies

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Minimum Requirements
1. An advanced degree in, Social and Environmental Sciences, or any other relevant degree.
2. A minimum of 8 years’ experience in preparing and appraising projects for investment, quantifying development
outcomes, identifying and mitigating environmental, social/governance risks.
3. At least 6 years relevant experience in the development and / or infrastructure sectors (sustainable infrastructure,
social infrastructure, biodiversity, water, energy, transport or similar).
4. Demonstrate experience in the application of good international industry practice principles in ESG such as but not
limited to the UN Principles for Responsible investment, UN Global Compact, the IFC Performance Standards, the
Equator Principles, relevant national legislation such as the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the rule of law, justice, applicable environmental and social legislative requirements, and
its application to investment processes in Africa.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of corporate governance and its principles (particularly within a public sector, municipal and
utilities context) ESG, and responsible investing.
7. Working knowledge of BBBEE and gender considerations.
8. Innovative approaches/experience on how to improve ESG sustainability within development finance institutions and
the financial services sector.
9. Good knowledge of financial markets and ESG considerations in the development finance, financial services, and
investment sector.
10. Proven ability to undertake research, analyze and synthesize diverse ESG related data (especially climate related)
and information to deliver independent, high-quality professional reports.
11. Proven ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, and present ideas to clients and industry partners.
12. Must be able to travel for business purposes.
13. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
14. Understanding of ESG reporting requirements and frameworks such as TCFD, Green House Gas Protocol etc
15. Basic knowledge of carbon foot printing and carbon footprinting tools and the ability to apply the tools
16. An understanding of Climate risk integration into credit risk systems will be highly advantageous
17. Understanding of gender mainstreaming and grievance redress mechanisms.

Desired Requirements
1. An Honours or Masters qualification in the Social / Environmental Sciences, relevant Engineering, Climate Risk
management / mitigation/ adaptation, or Sustainable Development field
2. Professional registration with a relevant professional body such as:

- Institute of Directors
- Chartered Institute of Secretaries
- Chartered Institute of Development Finance (CIDEF)
- IAIA (SA) – International Association for Impact Assessments (South Africa)
- Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
- SACNASP
- Or other relevant professional body

Technical
1. Environmental, social & governance expertise
a. Has an in-depth understanding of environmental and social science and law and can analyse reliable, relevant,
and verifiable information, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions.
b. Ability to apply environmental, social and governance risk analysis to an investment scenario and propose
mitigants to close investment deals.
c. Knowledge of relevant environmental social and governance tools and operating models applicable to the
infrastructure sector and uses that knowledge to identify best practices.
d. Able to draw on environmental, social and governance knowledge to identify unique opportunities to enhance
business performance for potential DBSA clients.
e. Has some knowledge around the Task Force for Climate Related Disclosures and/ or the Green House Gas
Protocol/ Carbon accounting/ carbon foot printing
f. Understands the application of GIIP with the infrastructure sector and can communicate this to clients and position
the DBSA a leader in green infrastructure financing.
g. Ability to analyse and interpret financial information and unpack the ESG implications for transactions.
2. Research & Analysis
a. Ability to propose investment solutions through analysis and solutioning.
b. Proactively identifies the need for, initiates, plans and manages research projects as necessary.
c. High level of skill in the use of advanced/complex analytical techniques, tools and models covering all potential
business circumstances (such GHG screening, resource utilisation and quantification) and highlight potential
risks/opportunities.
d. Translates research reports into lucid and valid summaries and gives effective presentations of the findings.
e. Able to translate findings into reports and present findings to key stakeholders and important meetings.
f. Advises on the formulation and revision of policy in the light of research findings.
3. Business Acumen
a. Uses a methodical problem-solving approach to support effective decision-making considering importance,
urgency, and risk.
b. Thorough and in-depth understanding of the business environment, reviews outputs of analysis to relate these to
operational circumstances.
c. Monitors the environment and continuously seeks opportunities to align DBSA operations with national, regional,
and international GIIP and standards environment.
d. Understands South African public and private stakeholder community issues/challenges and can build win-win
relationships with them.
e. Envisions, creates, and facilitates connections to develop and enhance partnerships, alliances and networks that
advance shared interests.
4. Project Management
a. Defines, plans and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical
complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
b. Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
c. Successfully manages substantial project budgets, required SCM processes and reports directly to senior
managers on the progress and results of projects.
d. Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.
5. Risk Identification & Assessment skills – Level 4 check
a. Advises on applicable aspects of risk identification and assessment.
b. Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.
6. Planning & Organising
a. Uses effectively advance time management processes to deal with high workload and tight deadlines.
b. Organises, prioritizes, and schedules tasks so they can be performed within budget and with the efficient use of
time and resources.
c. Achieves goals in a timely manner, despite obstacles encountered, by organising, reprioritizing, and re-planning.
7. Reporting & Communication
a. Designs / customizes reports to meet user needs.
b. Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a
report.
c. Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs

Required Personal Attributes

Behavioural
1. Achievement Orientation
a. Undertakes challenging assignments and strives to complete them.
b. Sets priorities and chooses goals based on calculated costs, anticipated benefits, and improvement of
performance.
c. Aims at exceptional performance; setting out to achieve a unique standard.
d. Constantly analyses outcomes to ensure the achievement of business goals.
e. Identifies short-term opportunities or potential problems aiming to achieve better outcomes.
2. Customer Service Orientation
a. Tries to understand the underlying needs of customers and matches these needs to available or customized
products and services.
b. Adapts processes and procedures to meet on-going customer needs.
c. Utilises the feedback received by customers, in order to develop new and/or improve existing services/ products that relate to their on-going needs.
d. Thinks of new ways to align DBSA’s offerings with future customer needs.
3. Integrity
a. Is willing to end a business relationship because it was associated with unethical business practice.
b. Is capable of challenging senior management (in an appropriate and respectable manner) in order to act on
espoused values.
4. Leading and Empowering Others
a. Creates the conditions that enable the team to perform at its best (e.g., setting clear direction, providing appropriate
structure, getting the right people, obtain needed resources).
b. Monitors performance against clear standards, and addresses performance issues promptly and takes action to
get performance back to desired levels.
c. Proactively asks for feedback on own performance from team members, aiming to become more effective.
5. Self-awareness and Self Control
a. Withholds effects of strong emotions in difficult situations.
b. Keeps functioning or responds constructively despite stress.
c. May apply special techniques or plan of time to manage emotions or stress.
6. Strategic and Innovative Thinking
a. Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range
of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA.
b. Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.
c. Experiments with new approaches, tests scenarios, questions assumptions and challenges conventional thinking.
d. Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to
build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.
7. Teamwork & Cooperation
a. Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
b. Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
c. Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.