Community Liaison Officer Vacancy

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA

COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICER

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The Government of St. Lucia (GOSL) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of the Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued.  Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement.  The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or any import of goods, if such payment or import to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than WASCO shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

GOSL through its Executing Agency, the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO) now wishes to procure a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) to ensure that community engagement requirements are adhered to during the construction phase of the Caribbean Development Bank financed project implemented by the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO). The CLO will report to Head, Project Management Unit (HPMU).

The CLO will promote constructive partnerships and communication between WASCO and the communities on issues relating to project implementation and will be responsible for implementing community engagement activities as set out in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP).  Among other activities, the CLO will:

• Review SEP with a view to identifying and documenting any gaps in the (i) stakeholder identification and analysis that were undertaken; (ii) stakeholder engagement programme (e.g., information to be disclosed, format and communication methods; stakeholder consultation methods); and (iii) schedule for the various stakeholder engagement activities. The SEP must be updated to address any gaps identified;

• Maintain updates to the SEP as necessary, based on issues arising during implementation that may include inter alia, community disruption implementation resulting from increased noise and dust nuisance. Any major changes to the Project activities and/or schedule will be duly reflected in the updated SEP; 

• Provide timely feedback to WASCO on concerns raised by community leaders;

• Provide timely feedback to community members on project implementation, concerns raised or important decisions taken by WASCO in accordance with agreed protocols;

• Identify potential grievances or project risks and/or opportunities;

• Assist WASCO with management of, and timely responses to grievances lodged through the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) of the SEP;

• Manage stakeholder engagement logistics such as soliciting suggestions/grievances from suggestion boxes, placing communication materials on notice boards and via social media, and arranging community meetings;

• Facilitate stakeholder participation at all relevant levels in accordance with the identified needs of the different categories of stakeholders, particularly women. This may include other activities – participatory assessments and problem-solving of issues, concerns and opportunities, focus group discussions, information-sharing, and community meetings;

• Assist in evaluating the social, environmental and economic impacts of Project activities on the well-being of community members using participatory approaches;

• Assist in organising stakeholder meetings for the Team of Consultants who will be undertaking the Impact Evaluation of the Project; and

• Promote and conduct awareness training on health and safety risks directly associated with the Project. These should include but not be limited to mitigating potential conflicts between foreign workers and local communities that may arise from an influx of workers to the various sites during construction, increased risks of harmful practices such as sex work, gender-based violence and the use of illegal drugs.

The CLO is expected to possess the following minimum qualifications:

• A Graduate Degree or commensurate qualifications in Sociology, Rural Development, Anthropology, International Development, Community Development or other relevant discipline.

• A minimum of five (5) years’ relevant practical experience encompassing stakeholder engagement practice, community development, and/or social research using participatory methodologies.

• Fluency in English. Knowledge of the local language (kweyol) will be essential.

• Proficient computer skills and good written and oral communication skills are required. Administrative and management competence would be an asset

The qualifications and experience of any person subsequently assigned to the position of CLO shall be acceptable to CDB.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be twenty-four months in the first instance.

WASCO now invites interested eligible individual consultants to submit Expressions of Interest for this Consultancy.

Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

• the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and
• in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.

Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of CDB’s Guidelines for the Selection and Engagement of Consultants (2011), setting forth CDB’s policy on conflict of interest.

In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to qualifications and experience and local and regional experience on similar assignments. The Expressions of Interest must include a detailed curricula vitae and all information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 08:00 and 16:30 hours Monday to Friday.

Four (4) hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the second address below no later than 16:00 hours June 8^th 2021 and one soft copy must be sent simultaneously by email to CDB at the third address below. Clarifications can be sought from the first address.  The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest: Community Liaison Officer – Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Project”.  The subject line of the email to CDB shall also be entitled “Expression of Interest: Community Liaison Officer – Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Project” and the body of the email shall confirm the name and address of the applicant.

Following the assessment, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to interview for the post and, if successful, to then negotiate a contract to provide the consultancy services.

WASCO reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety.  It will not be bound to assign any reason for not selecting any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.

Addresses:

1.

Mr. Gordon Wyke

Head – Project Management Unit

Water and Sewerage Company Inc.

Sans Souci

Castries

1. LUCIA W.I.

Tel: + (758) 453-2790

Email: gordonwyke@wascosaintlucia.com

2.

The Secretary,

Central Tenders Board

Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and

Social Planning

2nd Floor Financial Centre

Point Seraphine

Castries

1. LUCIA W.I.

Tel: + (758) 468-5524

3.

Procurement Officer

Caribbean Development

Bank

1. O. Box 408

Wildey, St. Michael

BARBADOS W.I. 11000

Tel: + (246) 431-1600

Fax: + (246) 426-7269

Email:procurement@caribank.org