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Project Manager - Enhanced Climate Change Resilience of Food Production Systems Location: Suva, Fiji

Secretariat of the pacific community

POSITION DESCRIPTION

PROJECT MANAGER – ENHANCED CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE OF FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS – USAID PROJECT

BACKGROUND

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) is an international organisation that provides technical and policy advice and assistance, training and research services to its Pacific Island members. SPC works in a wide range of sectors with the aim of achieving three development outcomes – sustainable economic development, sustainable natural resource management and development, and sustainable human and social development.

SPC was established in 1947. It has 26 member countries and territories and its working languages are English and French. SPC’s headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia. It has regional offices in Suva, Fiji, and Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and country offices in Honiara, Solomon Islands and Port Vila, Vanuatu. Additional information on SPC can be found on its website: www.spc.int.

SPC is implementing a multi-year project with the support of the United States Aid Agency (USAID) to deliver services to selected Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) with a focus on vegetation and land cover mapping and improving food security in order to contribute to building resilience to a changing climate.

This project will entail inputs from several of SPC’s divisions and programmes, especially the Land Resources Division (LRD) and the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC).

LRD’s core business is to improve the food and nutritional security of the Pacific Community through the sustainable management and development of land, agriculture and forestry resources. This is accomplished through the delivery of technical support, training and advice to island members in the areas of plant protection, conservation and use of plant genetic resources, animal health and production, agroforestry, sustainable systems for agriculture, forestry and land management, and biosecurity and trade facilitation.

SOPAC’s core business is to apply geoscience and technology to realise new opportunities for improving the livelihoods of Pacific communities. This is accomplished through the delivery of technical support to assist PICTs to monitor and assess natural resources, systems and processes; develop, manage and govern their natural resources; and manage vulnerability and risks. SOPAC hosts the core SPC geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing capability which utilises state-of-the-art assessment and monitoring of resources, their status and their use. GIS/remote sensing services are delivered using modern technologies such as satellite imagery and global positioning systems, underpinning mapping and modelling of natural resource systems.

Project Goal

The goal of the project is to enhance the climate resilience of food production systems in selected PICTs (Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu), in particular, to carry out vegetation and land cover mapping and improve food security to build resilience to a changing climate.

The project will do this by promoting integrated agricultural production systems based on assessments of the climate resilience of existing systems at selected sites, and guided by improved land-system data and analysis tools, such as vegetation and land use mapping and the application of GIS. It will build the capacity of participating countries to utilise GIS tools and techniques to help identify key areas of food supply vulnerability, and to monitor vegetation and land cover change overtime. It has to build the capacity to sustainably monitor changes. These assessments will be based on the most up-to-date country level climate change projections available. The project outputs will also be used to help inform the development of national and agriculture sector climate change adaptation response strategies in the recipient countries and other PICTs.

The project will also work closely with other ongoing climate change projects in the target countries in the land resources and coastal marine sectors to ensure an integrated approach to climate change and food security issues.

Project Manager Position

The Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing and managing the implementation and delivery of project outputs to SPC members; ongoing project planning, budgeting and reporting; and managing of project staff. He/She will also be required to: work as part of SPC’s broader climate change programme delivery team across the organisation; ensure that project activities are integrated with ongoing SPC programme activities in member countries and with those of other regional programmes; and represent SPC at relevant national and regional meetings.

The Project Manager will be responsible to the Director of the Strategic Engagement, Policy and Planning Facility (SEPPF).

Project Manager Position Key Result Areas

The Project Manager will oversee and manage the implementation of the project, delivering the following major functions or Key Result Areas:

  • Overall project management, including ensuring the delivery of project activities and ensuring quality control;
  • Project planning, budgeting and administration and ensuring activities are delivered, consistent with work plans and budgets;
  • Monitoring annual project work plans and budgets, monitoring TORs for short- and medium-term project technical assistance providers, and monitoring contractor selection;
  • Monitoring and reporting according to the terms and conditions contained in the SPC/USAID grant agreement;
  • Ensuring the integration of project activities with related activities elsewhere in SPC, especially other climate change-related activities, and contribute to ongoing national and other regional related initiatives;
  • Overseeing the production of project communications materials that highlight the contribution the USAID project is making to building the capacity of selected PICTs to build resilience to a changing climate.

Selection Criteria

  • Degree in a relevant discipline including but not limited to natural resource management, resource economics, agriculture science and preferably with a good understanding of climate change and / or remote sensing.
  • At least seven years’ relevant working experience, preferably with direct experience in PICTs.
  • Experience in managing multi-country development projects/programmes, and working within a regional or international institutional environment.
  • Proven ability to work as part of a broader team delivering technical assistance to developing countries.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills in the multicultural environment of the Pacific region.
  • Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
  • Excellent computer skills across necessary applications.

SALARY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SALARY AND ALLOWANCES

The position is in Band 11 of SPC’s salary scale.

Salaries for staff recruited internationally are set in SDR (special drawing rights) and paid in the local currency (i.e. the Fiji dollar, FJD, in Fiji). As per SPC’s 2011 salary scale, the salary range for this band is SDR 2,553–3,830 per month. At prevailing exchange rates, these amounts convert to approximately FJD 7,498–11,248 per month (USD 4,200–6,300; € 2,900–4,400).

An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications.

The organisation subsidises housing. A housing allowance of 75 per cent of the total rental, up to a limit of FJD 2,625 per month, will be provided. The minimum housing allowance payable is FJD 1,170 per month.

In addition, an establishment grant will be payable to non-residents of Fiji. Where appropriate, other allowances, such as an education allowance, may be payable.

While SPC emoluments are not subject to income tax in Fiji at the present time, this status is currently under review by the Government of Fiji. Any change in this status will apply to Fiji nationals.

PROVIDENT FUND

The appointee will be eligible for membership in SPC’s Staff Provident Fund. Staff members contribute eight per cent of their base salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution.

TENURE

The appointment is for a period of three years, with the possibility of renewal for a further period depending on performance and continued funding availability.

DUTY STATION

Suva, Fiji.

LEAVE

Annual leave will accrue at the rate of 25 working days per annum. For expatriate staff members, home leave fares are payable after 18 months of service.

Sick leave is 30 working days per annum.

MEDICAL BENEFITS

SPC’s Staff Medical Insurance reimburses doctor fees, cost of prescribed medicines, surgical and hospital costs, etc. up to certain percentages and limits. Supplementary medical insurance is available to increase these percentage reimbursements and limits.

FARES AND REMOVAL EXPENSES

For an appointee recruited outside of Fiji, the cost of air fares by the most direct and/or economic route for the appointee and recognised dependants, and reasonable removal expenses by sea of personal and household effects, will be met by SPC on appointment and termination.

COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

SPC has a standardised computing environment based on Microsoft Office running under Microsoft Windows.

SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT

Smoking is not permitted in the work place.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

SPC is an equal-opportunity employer. Recruitment is based entirely on merit, but in cases where two short-listed candidates are ranked equal by the selection committee, preference will be given to Pacific Island nationals.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES


The closing date for applications is 20/01/2012

Applicants are asked to use SPC’s online recruitment system.


Only those applicants residing in a Pacific country or territory who cannot access the online recruitment system are allowed to send their documents to: Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, P.O. Box D5, 98848 NOUMEA CEDEX, New Caledonia or submit them by fax (+ 687 26 38 18) or email (spc@spc.int, preferably as an electronic attachment in Microsoft Word format).

All other applicants must use the on-line recruiting system or their applications will not be considered.

Applicants should provide their curriculum vitae and specifically address how their qualifications, knowledge and experience demonstrate their ability to successfully undertake the duties and responsibilities of the position in their cover letter. They should also provide names and contact details of three referees.