Senior Social Safeguards & Resettlement Specialist

About the role

ESL Company Limited is seeking an experienced Senior Social Safeguards & Resettlement Specialist to support its environmental and social consultancy assignments across mining, hydropower, energy and infrastructure projects in Lao PDR. The role focuses on land acquisition, compensation, resettlement, livelihood restoration, and compliance with Lao regulations and international standards.

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical advice on social impact assessment, land acquisition, compensation, resettlement and livelihood restoration.
• Review and support the preparation or update of Resettlement Action Plans (RAP/LARP), livelihood restoration plans, census/SES, DMS/IOL and related safeguards documentation.
• Conduct field monitoring and verification of resettlement, compensation, livelihood restoration, stakeholder engagement and grievance redress mechanisms.
• Assess project implementation against Lao regulatory requirements, IFC Performance Standards and lender conditions, identifying gaps, risks and corrective actions.
• Prepare and review social safeguards and compliance reports; support technical discussions with project owners, contractors, government authorities, lenders and affected communities.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to ESL’s social safeguards and field teams.

Required profile

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Sociology, Anthropology, Development Studies, Land Management, Environmental and Social Safeguards or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in social safeguards, social impact assessment, land acquisition, resettlement and compensation.

Required skills

• Social Impact Assessment
• Resettlement Action Plan (RAP/LARP) development
• Livelihood restoration planning
• Application of IFC Performance Standards
• Field monitoring and verification
• Stakeholder engagement and grievance redress mechanisms