Head of Land Access

Role: Head of Land Access
Location: Basra, Iraq
Status: Rotational 28/28
Duration: 12 months renewable 
Rate: Competitive

Land acquisition and involuntary resettlement is the singular most significant social impact that an infrastructure project can have on people. It involves the physical, economic, cultural, and spiritual displacement of people from their home and livelihoods. This is sometimes temporary or permanent.

Temporary & permanent land access and right of ways for the projects includes a footprint of 100 km2 to deploy 4 projects and a 3D seismic survey. Several villages & agricultural lands are located within the Project area of influence with populations highly dependent on land and natural resources for their livelihoods, impact on land is mainly economical.

ACTIVITIES

Stakeholders engagement:

• Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement strategy and one or more Stakeholder Engagement Plans for Land acquisition and Livelihood restorations.
• Maintains an updated landowners and land users’ mapping.
• Propose a communication strategy for the land subjects in coordination with the communication team and supervise the production and distribution of appropriate communication tools about the Projects and its activities, adapting methods to communicate effectively with different stakeholder groups.
• Works closely with ESIA, RAP and other consultants on their field level community engagement and if necessary, participates in Stakeholder Engagement activities.
• Engage with relevant regional and local authorities to identify their roles in the land acquisition and compensation process, engage them and keep them informed, integrate their guidance and ensure their support.
• Identifies the presence of vulnerable stakeholders including indigenous people (ex. marsh arabs) and ensures appropriate and adapted engagement methods are used.
• Identify weak signal and develop related action plan to anticipate conflicts.
• Mediates conflict resolution and contribute to managing and resolving community grievances related to land and livelihoods.

Land acquisition & resettlement, livelihood restoration:

• Manage and lead the Project’s Land Acquisition and resettlement activities in Iraq Basra Region including the development of one or more Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP).
• Engage relevant Project departments and staff in the successful creation and implementation of plans to the address permanent and temporary land acquisition & compensation issues.
• Engage with relevant key governmental stakeholders on agreeing Resettlement Policy Framework and action plans; including involving them and keeping them informed of progress and seeking solution for problems or issues putting the Project schedule or activities at risk.
• Develop and implement a strategy and management plan(s) for permanent and temporary land acquisition, compensation and livelihood restoration required by the Project within the set timeline.
• Ensure the proper implementation of procedures and processes for permanent and temporary land acquisition, compensation, and livelihood restoration.
• Develop a multi-stakeholders Compensation committee governed by a formalized TOR in line with Iraqi regulations, Company Standards & IFC PS5 and coordinate it.
• Manage the data needed to ensure that any Project’s induced economic resettlement is compliant with international standards and that affected households and communities are not negatively impacted by the process in economic and social terms off.
• Develop and implement other relevant management plans such as the Compensation Action Plan, Vulnerable People Management Plan, Sustainable Livelihood Management Plan for the different project LARs. Ensure that the plans accurately reflect local conditions and are fair for the impacted communities.
• Coordinates implementation of relevant studies including land and asset inventory, socio-economic census to identify PAPs, assets and fair compensation rates.
• Coordinates internal and external working groups for land acquisition and resettlement with support from hierarchy.
• Ensure the design of appropriate livelihood restoration programs and their implementation.
• Liaise with the company's security department and local authorities in ensuring encroachment is actively managed and minimized as much as possible.
• Ensure compliance of land management processes with affiliate compliance standards, local laws & regulations, IFC standards and Company Codes of Conduct.

Monitoring & Evaluation, Reporting:

• Ensure Compliance of all documents and activities with Iraq legislation, company and IFC Standards.
• Oversees record keeping and data management at the community level to ensure appropriate tracking of all activities including grievances. Ensure the database of engagements results/outcomes are up to date and regularly analyzed and utilized in resettlement and livelihood planning.
• Monitor and evaluate implementation of RAPs versus projects final footprints and timelines.
• Monitors any land use potential issues and their relevance for project implementation. Identify risks and solutions for land related issues that could put the Project schedule or activities at risk.
• Evaluates program results and implements continuous improvement processes.
• Provide adhoc, weekly and monthly reports to ensure land access implementation is done timely, within standards and with minimum grievances.

Management

• Recruit and supervise a team of staff with appropriate experience and competencies able to deliver land acquisition and livelihood restoration requirements.
• Build capacity and understanding within the team of the relevant standards required for land acquisition and compensation, and the key elements of the process that may impact on activities.
• Ensure staff development needs are met either through training or mentoring programs developed in house or externally according to Project needs;
• Compute and manage the land access and compensation budget;

ACCOUNTABILITIES

To contribute to the successful implementation of the Project through:

• Effective delivery of land acquisition and livelihood restoration
• Effective engagement with people affected by land acquisition, fair compensation and timely resolution of grievances to achieve and maintain Project Social License to Operate

HSE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Comply with the Activities described within the HSE Management System. Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts at work.
• Know their responsibilities to environmental issues in their work areas
• Each employee, at his level of responsibility, must observe all Company Rules, Procedures, and instructions in the performance of his own task.
• Reporting any anomaly, abnormal conditions and near miss to his supervisor
• Participating actively in HSE meetings, safety talks, toolboxes, training sessions and drills.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Post graduate degree in the social sciences such as international relations, economics, demography, sociology, socio-cultural studies, agronomy etc.
• A minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience, in community relations and social development in an extractive industry in developing economies; of which 10 years professional experience in land acquisition and resettlement and 5 years working in the application of IFC Performance Standard 5 to lender financed private sector industrial projects and.
• High integrity, capacity to listen, to dialogue essential, superior negotiation and communications skills.
• Creativity, open-mindedness, leadership skills, flexibility essential, excellent analytical skills.
• Strong team player with maturity to build effective partnerships across corporate and cultural divides.
• Strong focus on delivery of results, ability to work to deadlines.

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