Umtata: Social Practitioner (Infrastructure Projects): Umtata – Eastern Cape

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Social Practitioner to join our team in Umtata, Eastern Cape. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing the project’s social strategy, facilitating community engagement, and ensuring adequate social monitoring. This is a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of local communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement the project’s social strategy
• Facilitate education and awareness of the project area’s social environment in relation to the project activities
• Ensure adequate social monitoring is undertaken
• Coordinate implementation of social strategy and provide leadership to stakeholders
• Fast-track processes to obtain social approvals (e.g., land zoning for Resettlement purposes, agreements for servitudes on communal land)
• Prepare operational plans for the implementation of social strategies and budgets
• Supervise the implementation, impacts, and effectiveness of social mitigation measures
• Establish and maintain a relationship between all project key stakeholders
• Development and maintenance of a stakeholder database
• Records keeping, address and provide prompt feedback if issues are raised by stakeholders
• Complete record of all projects interested and affected Persons (including interested parties, stakeholder groups, and stakeholder sectors), their contact details, and all interactions
• Develop and sustain good relations with internal and external stakeholders
• Proactively engage with project-specific interested and affected parties
• Develop and maintain social dialogue with stakeholders (through structured meetings and normal communication) throughout the project life cycle
• Develop contingency plans and standing protocols for crisis management on site
• Strengthening Social Compliance
• Monitor the compliance of the project against social aspects identified in the Environmental Authorisation, Environmental Management Programme, Socio-Economic Development, Baseline, Health and Safety plans, legislation, and best practices
• Document lessons learnt in relation to the social aspect of the project
• Support and provide Input to land acquisition processes
• Identify social risks related to land acquisition and resettlement requirements
• Facilitate meetings required by land acquisition specialists for information disclosure to the landowners, affected parties, and communities
• Assist in the facilitation of consultation processes with affected parties
• Facilitate processes relating to compensation queries and finalisation of claims and acquisition agreements with landowners and affected community members
• Arrange required follow-up meetings to clear off any queries/concerns that may arise from affected parties
• Support the implementation of Community development (CSI Legacy) Projects
• Mobilise and coordinate stakeholders involved in the community development projects

Requirements

• B Degree: Social Sciences, Community development, Communications, Public Relations & Environmental Management, and related fields
• Minimum 5 years of Experience as a Social Practitioner
• Experience in dealing with social matters
• Experience in engaging communities, Traditional Councils, municipalities, service providers, contractors, consultants, and donors in a project environment
• Experience with environmental and health & safety aspects in infrastructure or mining projects

Qualifications

• Formal education/certifications (Bachelor’s degree is required)

Salary & Benefits

• Salary details not specified