Social Manager

Acwa; Karaman Merkez; On-site; TRY 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

ACWA is seeking an experienced Social Manager to support projects in Sivas and Taşeli, Türkiye. This site-focused role oversees social performance, community relations and stakeholder engagement, ensuring commitments under ESIA/ESAP/ESMS are implemented.

You will interface with local communities, contractors and authorities, lead grievance management, resettlement and livelihood programs, and coordinate social budgets and reporting to senior management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Economics, Rural Development or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years' experience in community relations, social performance, stakeholder engagement or similar field.
• At least 3 years' experience supporting heavy industrial, infrastructure, energy or major construction projects in a community relations or social management capacity.
• Minimum 2 years' project-based experience in stakeholder engagement, resettlement and/or livelihood restoration.
• Strong knowledge of ESIA/ESAP, RAP, LRP, Stakeholder Engagement Plans, grievance mechanisms and ESMS frameworks.
• Fluent Turkish and English are required.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate project social commitments per ESIA, ESAP, RAP, LRP, CDP, ESMPs and ESMS.
• Develop and implement Stakeholder Engagement Plans with stakeholder mapping and meaningful consultation.
• Build and maintain relationships with local communities, authorities and project stakeholders.
• Manage the project's grievance mechanism and ensure concerns are recorded, investigated and closed.
• Support resettlement, livelihood restoration and community development programmes.
• Coordinate community investment, local employment and social initiatives with project teams.
• Lead planning and budgeting of community relations and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Monitor emerging community issues and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Ensure compliance with Turkish regulations, IFC, EBRD, Equator Principles and lender requirements.
• Maintain ESMS records and monitor contractor social performance.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Community relations

Leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Turkish and English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Economics, Rural Development

Tools

ESIA/ESAP

RAP

LRP

ESMS

Grievance mechanism

Job description

About the Role

ACWA is looking for an experienced Social Manager to support our projects in Sivas and Taşeli, Türkiye.

This is a site-focused role responsible for managing the project's social performance, community relations and stakeholder engagement activities, ensuring commitments made through the project's environmental and social frameworks are effectively implemented.

The Social Manager will act as a key interface between the project, local communities, contractors, authorities and other stakeholders, with particular responsibility for stakeholder engagement, grievance management, resettlement and livelihood restoration, community development and lender compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate project social commitments in accordance with the ESIA, ESAP, RAP, LRP, CDP, ESMPs and wider ESMS.
• Develop and implement Stakeholder Engagement Plans, maintaining stakeholder mapping and ensuring meaningful and ongoing consultation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local communities, authorities and other project stakeholders.
• Manage the project's grievance mechanism, ensuring community concerns and complaints are properly recorded, investigated, addressed and closed.
• Support implementation of resettlement, livelihood restoration and community development programmes.
• Coordinate community investment, local employment and other social initiatives in collaboration with project teams and local partners.
• Lead the planning and budgeting of community relations and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Monitor emerging community issues, concerns and stakeholder interests and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Turkish regulations, IFC Performance Standards, EBRD Performance Requirements, Equator Principles and lender requirements.
• Maintain accurate social and ESMS records, including grievance registers, incident records, NCRs and corrective action reports.
• Monitor contractor and subcontractor social performance and ensure compliance with project ESMP and ESMS requirements.
• Conduct regular social and ESMS audits and coordinate corrective and preventative actions.
• Deliver social induction, awareness and toolbox training to project personnel and subcontractors.
• Coordinate and support external consultants undertaking social, community relations or stakeholder engagement activities.
• Prepare social performance reports and provide regular updates to Project and Senior Management.
• Monitor social investment budgets, expenditure and associated reporting.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Economics, Rural Development or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years' relevant professional experience within community relations, social performance, stakeholder engagement or a similar field.
• At least 3 years' experience supporting heavy industrial, infrastructure, energy or major construction projects in a community relations or social management capacity.
• Minimum 2 years' project-based experience in stakeholder engagement, resettlement and/or livelihood restoration.
• Strong practical experience working with ESIA/ESAP, RAP, LRP, Stakeholder Engagement Plans, grievance mechanisms and ESMS frameworks.
• Previous experience implementing an ESMS on at least one internationally financed project aligned with IFC Performance Standards or equivalent lender requirements.
• Strong knowledge of IFC Performance Standards and/or EBRD Performance Requirements, Equator Principles or similar international lender standards.
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with local communities, authorities, contractors and other external stakeholders.
• Experience managing or supervising teams and reporting to senior management.
• Strong organisational, reporting and Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability and willingness to work in a project-site environment.
• Fluent Turkish and English are required.
• Stakeholder and community relationship management
• Collaboration and influencing
• Leadership and team development
• Accountability and ownership
• Results orientation
• Strong communication and conflict-resolution skills
• Ability to operate effectively across project, contractor and community environments

Why Join ACWA?

ACWA is a leading developer, investor and operator of power generation, renewable energy and desalinated water projects across multiple international markets.

This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in ensuring major infrastructure projects in Türkiye are delivered responsibly, maintaining strong relationships with local communities while meeting international environmental and social standards.