Chief Technical Specialist

The Chief Technical Specialist will lead and coordinate the implementation of environmental and social safeguards compliance and risk management for a project focused on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and hazardous chemicals management in Iraq. The role includes technical quality assurance, assessment of POPs, hazardous chemicals, PCBs, obsolete pesticides, chemical hotspots, contaminated sites, laboratory and data quality assurance, and capacity development. Responsibilities Lead and coordinate implementation of World Bank ESF, project ESCP, UNDP Social and Environmental Standards, and relevant national requirements. Establish and maintain project-level environmental and social safeguards compliance and assurance system. Review project activities and procurement packages for environmental and social risks and advise on safeguards instruments and mitigation measures. Review and provide technical clearance on Environmental and Social Management Plans and related safeguards instruments. Ensure safeguards requirements are incorporated into procurement and contract documents. Monitor compliance of consultants, contractors, laboratories, and hazardous-waste operators and recommend corrective actions. Provide safeguards oversight for handling and disposal of hazardous wastes including obsolete pesticides and PCB-contaminated equipment. Ensure environmental and social due diligence for chemical hotspot investigations and remediation planning. Support incident and accident reporting and safeguards reporting to UNDP, Ministry of Environment, and World Bank. Maintain safeguards records and prepare periodic compliance reports. Provide technical guidance and capacity development on safeguards and hazardous-chemicals risk management. Establish and lead project technical quality assurance system with defined review gates and acceptance criteria. Review and advise on technical adequacy of Terms of Reference, scopes of work, technical specifications, and technical reports. Validate scientific and technical soundness of project deliverables against requirements and standards. Verify achievement of technical milestones and advise on acceptance or revision of deliverables. Provide written technical review notes and recommendations for corrective action. Support technical evaluation of specialized environmental procurement. Promote harmonized methodologies and QA/QC systems across project components. Provide senior technical review of national inventories and assessments of POPs and hazardous chemicals. Assess inventory methodologies and ensure consistency with Stockholm Convention guidance. Review characterization and prioritization of POPs stocks and ensure reflection in risk-reduction measures and National Implementation Plan. Provide technical quality assurance for updated National Implementation Plan. Review uPOPs assessments and application of UNEP Toolkit. Provide technical oversight and review of PCB inventory and management plans. Review technical arr