About the Organization
The International Potato Center (CIP) is a CGIAR research center focused on root and tuber crops, working to address challenges in food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.
Job Summary
The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking an experienced ESG & Environmental and Social Management Consultant to strengthen our institutional framework across Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Environmental and Social Management (ESM) standards. In this remote consultancy role, you will lead Phase 1: Diagnose and Frame, conducting a comprehensive maturity assessment and gap analysis to align CIP’s decentralized operations with ISO 14001 readiness, Green Climate Fund (GCF) safeguards, and broader multilateral donor expectations.
Key Responsibilities
Maturity & Baseline Assessment: Evaluate CIP’s current institutional ESG posture, enterprise risk management, and project-level safeguards against international standards.
Integrated Gap Analysis: Identify operational and structural gaps regarding ISO 14001 alignment, GCF environmental and social safeguards, and major donor requirements.
Policy Development: Draft a comprehensive CIP ESG / Environmental & Social Management Policy tailored to international agricultural research operations.
Strategic Roadmap: Provide executive management briefings with evidence-based recommendations for Phase 2 and Phase 3 implementation sequencing.
Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate discussions with senior leadership to integrate safeguards into existing project management and partner workflows.
Core Deliverables (Phase 1 – 4 to 6 Weeks / 25 Days)
D1.1: Inception Report & Requirements Crosswalk
D1.2: CIP Current-State & Maturity Assessment
D1.3: Integrated Gap Analysis (ISO / ESG / GCF Safeguards / Multilateral Donors)
D1.4: Draft CIP ESG / Environmental & Social Management Policy
D1.5: Senior Management Briefing & Phased Implementation Roadmap
Required Qualifications & Experience
Education: Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Environmental Management, ESG, Sustainability, Climate Finance, International Development, or a related discipline.
ESMS & Safeguards Experience: Minimum 10 years of substantive experience designing and assessing Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS), with deep knowledge of IFC Performance Standards or MDB safeguard frameworks.
ISO Expertise: Proven track record conducting ISO 14001 readiness assessments and designing compliant management systems.
Climate Finance Knowledge: Strong technical familiarity with GCF environmental, social, institutional, gender, and grievance mechanism requirements.
Communication: Exceptional written and spoken English with proven ability to present complex standards to executive stakeholders.
Desirable Criteria
Prior experience with CGIAR, international agricultural research networks, MDBs, or decentralized international NGOs.
Contract Details
Duration: 25 working days over a 4–6 week period (Phase 1).
Expected Start Date: On or around September 21, 2026.
Work Arrangement: 100% Remote.