DFC ranked a Best Places to Work in 2022. This position is part of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Office of Development Policy (ODP), Social Risk Assessment Division. As a Social Specialist, you will be responsible for appraising potential and previously-approved DFC-supported investments to identify environmental and social risks and ensure compliance with applicable standards.

Duties

Identifies, collects, and provides in-depth analysis of relevant information concerning the potential impact of proposed projects on the environment of the host country and globally and the potential impact of proposed projects on neighboring communities and workers. Reviews project-specific environmental and social policies and procedures and provides gap analyses between corresponding national and international legal and regulatory frameworks. Conducts environmental and social assessments for projects under consideration for DFC support in debt finance, insurance, and equity finance. DFC's social assessments consider issues - such as socioeconomic status, vulnerability, gender, human rights, cultural heritage, labor and working conditions, resettlement, health and safety, security, and stakeholder engagement - pertaining to individuals, communities and workers potentially affected by projects. Provides guidance and support to prospective and existing clients on appropriate methodologies for assessing and managing environmental and social risks particularly related to social, labor, and human rights issues. Reviews policies, plans, reports, analyses, and other documentation from DFC clients and provide specific and constructive feedback for improvements to meet international standards. Monitors the actual social (and, as assigned, environmental, health and safety) impacts of previously approved DFC projects through analyses of third party monitoring reports and through site visits. Prepares reports identifying issues of non-compliance with DFC contract conditions and makes recommendations for appropriate corrective action on social risk topics. Monitors emerging policy changes in World Bank, IFC and other development finance institutions' social and environmental standards. Keeps track of current events relevant to human rights, environmental and social risks, and labor rights. Disseminates to staff and DFC clients good practices and lessons learned related to the environmental and social aspects of DFC supported investor operations. Represents DFC's social policies, including on labor and human rights, and DFC's overall environmental and social review and oversight processes to external stakeholders. Supports management with responses to comments by external stakeholders regarding potential social impacts of prospective projects and reported impacts of existing DFC-supported projects. Supports senior-level analysts and managers with the above duties on more complex, socially sensitive projects receiving DFC support or under DFC consideration. Please Note: This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE, local 1534.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Must submit resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance
• This position will require foreign travel to developing countries

Qualifications

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level). Applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements no later than the closing date of this announcement. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill one of the following qualification requirements: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability to conduct research or analysis on social sustainability/social sustainable development topics in an international context; OR B. A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of a LL.M. degree, if related. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position; OR C. A combination of education and experience as listed above. You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability to analyze and apply international frameworks or standards related to social sustainability and social performance, such as those from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) or an international organization like the United Nations or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Note: Education is not substitutional at this grade level. Please Note: Applicants may be asked to produce a writing sample during the interview stage. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement 23-ODP-DE-12067816-KS using Delegated Examining (DE) procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet DE requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both. This announcement may be used to fill similar positions, if additional vacancies occur.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY?

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

PASS/FAIL COURSES:
If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address International Development Finance Corporation 1100 New York Ave. NW Washington, DC 20527 US
• Name: Kirstin Showalter
• Email: [email protected]