Social Impact & Economic Empowerment Lead (m/f/d)

About us

From climate crisis to regenerative transformation. Bauhaus Earth is an interdisciplinary and international think-and-make tank, with over 50 team members based in Berlin. The non-profit organisation is dedicated to the regenerative transformation of the built environment. Our vision is a future in which buildings, cities and landscapes proactively contribute to climate restoration and have a positive impact on the planet and its inhabitants.

Key facts

Location: Berlin

Start Date: 1st January 2027 or by arrangement

Application Deadline: 15th November 2026

Employment Type: Full-time, limited contract (2 years depending on final grant agreement)

Seniority Level: Professional / Mid-Level

Pay Scale: TV-L EG 13 (Step 3) - 5.360,00 €

Languages: English (C1 required), German (B2 desirable)

Travel Requirements: Occasional field travel to partner regions in South and Southeast Asia (approx. 15–20%)

Reporting to: Strategic Project Lead / Programme Director

Programme Team: 20+ members

Note: Filling this position is subject to final contractual grant approval by the funding agency.

Project description

#### Scaling Regenerative Construction
This programme aims to make building with bamboo, earth, timber and fibres a mainstream, low-carbon choice that restores ecosystems instead of degrading them. One third of the world's residential building stock is still to be built by 2050, mostly in the Majority World, so the coming decade is decisive.

Building on the findings and partner networks of a 2026 scoping and feasibility studies, sub-projects in countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Bangladesh will develop and implement strategies to scale nature-based materials in local housing and construction markets. Together with local partners, they address natural systems management, value chains, building practices, social justice, market readiness, policy and regulation.

Key deliverables are stakeholder action groups, advances in building codes, locally adapted building typologies and pilot demonstration buildings in government or private development programmes. The result: actionable implementation models and scalable blueprints that strengthen regional supply chains and embed robust socio-ecological safeguards.

Your responsibilities

As Social Impact & Economic Empowerment Lead, you will be leading on Bauhaus Earth’s efforts to ensure that scaling nature-based construction goes hand-in-hand with human rights, just transition, and the building of community resilience. You will be working closely with the in-house team and local implementation partners to develop and implement frameworks that strengthen social safeguards and economic empowerment. You bring quantitative and qualitative research methods to assess local livelihoods and to determine where actions are most effective. Your tasks include implementing socio-ecological safeguard frameworks in local policy contexts focusing on regional supply chains and pilot building projects in South and Southeast Asia to help make regenerative transformation just and lasting. You help the interdisciplinary project teams to not lose sight of the socio-economic dimension and you initiate specific measures in the field that contribute to the development of safe and fair local supply chains, resulting in a positive measurable impact on local communities.

Safeguard Framework Implementation: Translate international socio-ecological safeguard standards (e.g., IFC Performance Standards, World Bank ESF) into actionable, low-threshold guidelines tailored to local nature-based supply chains (bamboo, timber, earth, fibers)

Social Impact Assessments (SIA): Lead Social Impact Assessments and human rights due diligence to proactively identify and mitigate risks related to land rights, labor conditions, and community safety across regional project sites

Local Community Rights & FPIC: Operationalize Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) protocols and participatory stakeholder engagement strategies alongside local partner NGOs and local community representatives

Fair Supply Chain Management: Monitor social compliance across supply chains, ensuring fair compensation, non-discriminatory labor practices, and strict Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards at harvesting and processing sites

Feedback Mechanism Management: Co-design, roll out, and maintain transparent, locally accessible, and culturally appropriate feedback channels for field activities and pilot sites

Field Capacity Building: Facilitate practical workshops and ongoing advisory support for regional teams, local partners, suppliers, and local authorities to build safeguards capacity on the ground

Impact Monitoring & Reporting: Track socio-ecological KPIs, carry out regular field compliance checks, and synthesize findings into structured safeguards documentation for project leadership and institutional funders.

Your profile

You bridge the gap between global safeguard standards and ground-level reality. You bring solid practical experience in social risk management and mitigation, and a deep commitment to climate justice and community-led development.

Experience: 3–5 years of professional experience in social safeguards, Social Impact Assessments (SIA), human rights due diligence, and/or sustainable supply chain monitoring within international development, infrastructure, or NGO contexts

Field Experience: Proven hands-on experience conducting field assessments or supporting project implementation in the Majority World, ideally with direct exposure to South and/or Southeast Asia

Research Competencies: Experience of leading on or working in topic-related applied research projects with a track record of papers published

Standards Knowledge: Practical working knowledge of major international safeguard standards (e.g., IFC Performance Standards, World Bank ESF, or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights)

Education: Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in Social Sciences, International Development, Human Rights, Environmental Management, Urban Design, or a related field

Cultural Diplomacy: Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills with the ability to build eye-to-eye trust across diverse groups –from local communities to government representatives

Pragmatic Execution: Ability to turn complex policy requirements into simple, practical workflows that local partners can realistically execute without bureaucratic fatigue

Languages: Business-fluent English (C1 required); German (B1 or above) is desirable

Nice to have

Familiarity with the concept of regenerative construction: understanding the differences to sustainability, key assumptions, and literature in the field

Experience in agriculture, forestry, or nature-based construction supply chains (e.g., bamboo, timber, natural fibers)

Language skills in regional Asian languages (e.g., Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hindi, or Bengali)

Practical experience with land tenure, land use rights, or community-based resource management (CBNRM).

Benefits & Perks

High-Impact Work: Drive social equity, economic empowerment, and human rights integration within the just transition towards a regenerative built environment across South and Southeast Asia

Strategic Ownership: Co-lead the socio-ecological integrity of a major international climate initiative with high visibility among global partners and funders

Professional Growth: Unique position at the intersection of climate action, international development, regenerative materials, and human rights safeguards

Collaborative & International: Work alongside a diverse team of researchers, architects, climate scientists, and regional local partners across Berlin and South/Southeast Asia

Mission-Driven: Purpose-led institute dedicated to circular building solutions and systemic socio-ecological climate action

Competitive Salary: Remuneration based on TV-L EG 13 (Step 3), reflecting your experience level and responsibilities

Paid Leave & Bonus: 30 days of paid annual leave plus a 13th-month annual special payment (Jahressonderzahlung)

Flexibility & Mobility: Hybrid work model (2 days home office/week, up to 10 remote days/year) and subsidised public transit (BVG / Deutschlandticket)

Diversity

At Bauhaus der Erde we are committed to an inclusive, diverse and equitable working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified people, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age.