An opportunity has arisen for a Principal social consultant to join our office in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and work alongside highly experienced colleagues on a wide range of social performance services for high-profile projects in the energy, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. The successful candidate’s duties and responsibilities will include: Lead the delivery of comprehensive social consulting services, including stakeholder engagement, social impact assessments, land acquisition and resettlement planning, cultural heritage protection, and implementation of social management plans. Prepare key reports such as Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessments (ESHIAs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEPs), Gender Action Plans, Social Management Plans, Socio-economic Baseline Studies (SBS) and Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) reports. Coordinate and oversee socio-economic baseline surveys, including site visits and data collection, analysis, and reporting. Advise clients on compliance with local and international regulations, including that of the World Bank Group, ADB, Equator Principles, EBRD etc. Develop monitoring frameworks and performance indicators to measure the social impacts of regionally and internationally significant projects. Able to deliver technical deliverables in line with the requirements applicable to the project, taking a pragmatic approach where required. Manage projects' financial and technical aspects, including tenders and proposals. Coordinate with internal cross-functional and external teams/consultants on resourcing and task allocation to achieve operational efficiencies while delivering projects on schedule and within agreed-upon costs. Build and maintain strong client relationships and liaise with multidisciplinary project teams. Drive business development through client engagement, thought leadership articles, and participation in industry events and conferences. Mentor and develop junior team members, fostering technical expertise and professional growth. Desired experience: Degree or Master in a relevant discipline (social science, social studies, anthropology, environmental policy) 12-15 years of demonstrated work experience, including experience in social consulting work gained in an international consultancy/lender or a mix of consulting and project implementation. Thorough knowledge of current legislation, standards and guidelines relating to social and sustainability issues Thorough understanding of international financing institutions' social standards (such as World Bank Group, ADB, Equator Principles, EBRD, etc.) Thorough understanding of human rights and gender issues Experience in major energy, industrial and infrastructure development projects. Organized, detail-oriented high energy team player, creative thinker and problem-solver Desire to work independently and take on wide variety of roles in a fast-paced environment Excellent English skills, both verbal and written Additional language skills, especially Arabic and/or Kurdish, a distinct advantage Ability to interrogate, analyse and present data Willingness to travel within the region, including travel to Iraq and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for short missions Full driving license Salary and benefits: This is a full-time post with an employment package commensurate with experience Regular training and development will be provided We operate an open and relaxed management culture that nurtures continuous improvement and innovation. This also enables us to achieve a staff turnover rate that's consistently below the industry average. Adopting a proactive growth strategy helps us to run a sustainable and profitable business while providing new and exciting career opportunities for all. All candidates applying for this position must be eligible for a work visa in the UAE.