Environmental & Social Manager M/F

Voltalia South Africa is seeking an Environmental & Social Manager in Cape Town. The role involves leading local teams, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations, and managing project documentation. Responsibilities include mentoring staff, participating in industry work groups, conducting audits, and improving internal processes. The aim is to position Voltalia as a leader in the South African renewable energy market while maintaining high standards of environmental and social governance.
At Voltalia we are passionate about renewable energies! We are an electricity producer from wind, solar, hydro, biomass and storage and also a service provider to 3rd party clients such as Development, EPC, O&M and Distribution.Today we are in 20 countries, split among 4 continents, and offering a global operating capacity to our clients. We are listed on the regulated Euronext market in Paris since July 2014.

Within multidisciplinary project teams managing renewable energy development projects, in addition to leading the local Environmental & Social teams, you will be the reference for quality and regulatory compliance of projects on the environmental and social side.
To do this, you will participate in the qualification of projects in the upstream phase, in the definition of issues and realistic commitments in the development phase, in the environmental and social monitoring in the construction phase and in the respect of the commitments made throughout the life of the project.
Your objective is to position Voltalia among the leading players in the South African market, with a pragmatic and practical approach to obtain concrete results. To do this, you will strengthen your links with the players in the environmental and social “sphere" (consultancy firms, associations, administrations, federations, etc.) and supervise these very important project workstreams.

The main tasks of this role will be:
• Lead the local team in resource allocation, ensuring high quality of output and deliverables;
• Provide advice to the team to ensure that the company complies with current local environmental and social regulations and legislation;
• Be an active participant in South African work groups related to the renewable energy industry;
• Provide guidance and mentorship to all in-country E&S resources;
• Supervise and maintain the legal and contractual environment, social and ED documentation such as permits, licenses, authorizations and other relevant documentation, according to the legal requirements, as well as lenders / banks during Development, Construction and Operation & Maintenance;
• Implementation of the Voltalia Environment and Social Risk Assessment Procedure;
• Draft, Modify and Implement the HSES Management System (ESMS) for all projects in South Africa;
• Training of workers, from Voltalia or Subcontractors in the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) including other Voltalia tools and systems;
• Guide the local offices in Voltalia’s standards, including lenders' standards as applicable;
• Perform inspections & audits, by issuing relevant reports; follow-up and management of the environmental, social and ED performance of all projects in country;
• Review and approve the relevant documentation produced by subcontractors;
• Report Environment KPI´s on a monthly basis, prepare the necessary monthly reports;
• Search for continuous improvement through audits and monitoring of internal processes, ensuring the implementation and effectiveness of the action plans;
• Contribute to the development of the skills of all the teams on environmental, social and ED issues through the sharing of experience and specific internal training;
• Implement appropriate monitoring mechanisms to oversee all manpower used at site, especially with subcontractors, to guarantee that they are complying with social commitments and obligations of the project, as well as Voltalia’s social management plans;
• Contributions and managing the timely preparation of necessary reports for the project’s environmental, social and ED reporting to internal Management, local authorities, lenders and Clients, when applicable;
• Actively contribute and manage the E&S team (both in-house and contracted positions) through the different project phases including prospecting, development, construction and operational phases.

REQUIREMENTS
• Higher scientific education (MSC, or higher, education);
• Experience in team management, project management, monitoring of external service providers and relations with the administrative departments;
• A good working knowledge of environmental and social topics, allowing you to critically review study protocols and provide support or advice to the teams;
• Knowledge of local legislations linked to the authorization and permits for renewable energy projects;
• Working relationships with key project stakeholders;
• Good knowledge of the energy sector, passionate about renewable energy
• Ability to analyse environmental, social, administrative and regulatory issues
• Recognized within the industry in South Africa;
• Demonstrate familiarity with the local regulatory context applicable to renewable energy projects through the application of your expertise in the E&S field;
• Fluency in a second recognized local language is beneficial;
• Drivers Licence.

KEY SKILLS
• Strong people management experience;
• Dynamism;
• Proactivity;
• Pragmatism;
• Rigor;
• Autonomy;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Good writing and presenting skills in English are essential;
• Commitment to Voltalia’s Values, Principles, Policies and Procedures.

Voltalia is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all individuals, including those from underrepresented groups. To ensure a secure hiring process, background checks are conducted to verify the identity and eligibility of new hires. All qualified candidates will be considered without discrimination based on any legally protected characteristic, in full compliance with applicable laws.

COMPANY
Voltalia South Africa

BUSINESS LINE
EAI - GC - Development

CONTRACT TYPE
Permanent Contract

CONTRACT DURATION

LOCATION
South Africa, Cape Town

STARTING DATE
Feb 25