WATER SERVICES COORDINATOR

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’s headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia. It has regional offices in Suva, Fiji Islands, and Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and country offices in Honiara, Solomon Islands and Port Vila, Vanuatu. Additional information on SPC, particularly regarding its work in specific sectors, can be found on its website: www.spc.int. APPLIED GEOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SOPAC) DIVISION SPC’s SOPAC Division is based at its Suva Regional Office, Fiji and has approximately 100 staff and an annual budget of around FJD 30 million (USD 15 million). Over almost 40 years, SOPAC has attained a reputation for excellence by placing an emphasis on applying scientific and technical knowledge to improving the livelihoods of Pacific people. Initially the focus was on mineral and hydrocarbon resource assessment in offshore areas. With over 90% of the region being ocean, the economic potential of these resources was, and remains, very large. Today, despite the global economic crisis, there is a well-established renewed interest in seabed mineral resource assessment in many Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). A crucial part of SOPAC’s work is to provide guidance to PICTs, not only on the scientific and technical aspects of these potential resources but also on establishing sound national policy and regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, in this context the surveying and subsequent legal work to complete the establishment and declaration of sovereign maritime boundaries for all PICTs is most urgent. The contribution of SOPAC to the scientific and technical – particularly geoscientific and geotechnical – understanding of the underlying root causes of environmental vulnerability remains critical. As vulnerability increases, particularly with respect to climate change and other natural hazards, sound knowledge-based adaptation strategies are needed in the context of coastal and nearshore environments, water and sanitation, and disaster risk reduction. In the generally small communities throughout PICTs, awareness raising, capacity building especially at the technical level and capacity supplementation particularly at the professional level will remain important across all the SOPAC work programmes. WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAMME SPC is the regional agency responsible for coordinating water and sanitation in the Pacific region and provides support to members through capacity building, awareness and advocacy related to the management of water resources and the provision of water supply and sanitation services. PICTs have uniquely fragile water services due to their small size, lack of natural storage, competing land use and vulnerability to natural hazards. Pollution of fresh water resources, unsafe drinking water supplies and inadequate sanitation can have a significant impact on public health, quality of life, the environment and economic development. Urbanisation, rural development, growing populations, climate change and increased demand from industry and agriculture is putting further pressure on the region’s freshwater resources, threatening the long term viability of communities and islands. Natural disasters exacerbate water issues and can compromise the safety of drinking water supplies and increase the risk to public health. In supporting PICTs to address these issues the SOPAC Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) is structured to deliver its services in the areas of Water Resources Management, Water and Sanitation Services and Water Governance. The Water and Sanitation Services Component of the programme is responsible for supporting PICT governments, water and wastewater providers to ensure access to a reliable supply of clean water and proper sanitation. It provides technical support to members through capacity building, awareness and advocacy through the following programmes. Water Quality Monitoring Programme helps build national capacity to monitor the quality of drinking water, surface water, ground water and coastal waters. Countries are provided with basic water testing equipment and in-country training on best laboratory practice. An electronic water quality database assists countries in managing and analysing water quality data and linking these results to a regional database. Drinking Water Safety Planning Programme promotes a risk management approach for the provision of safe water supplies through collaboration amoung water utilities, regulators and resource managers. The programme supports country efforts to implement system specific improvements for urban and rural water supplies and supports the involvement of communities in water safety awareness and advocacy. Water Demand Management Programme seeks to improve the capacity of Pacific urban water utilities to deal with unaccounted-for-water. In-country support is provided to establish System Loss Management Plans and assist countries to acquire training, community education materials, technical expertise and equipment such as water meters, leak detection equipment and bulk water-aving devices for incentive or rebate schemes. Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme promotes the use of appropriate technologies and approaches for domestic water supply and sanitation issues through awareness raising, demonstrating best practice and advocacy. This includes rainwater harvesting and mainstreaming gender and community participation in water supply and sanitation. Increasing interest and support by donors and other organisations on the critical issue of water and sanitation has resulted in a large number of overlapping interventions. Ensuring that work carried out is well coordinated, in order to optimise outputs and avoid duplication, has become increasingly important. Partners have been mobilised to coordinate activities through the Pacific WASH Coalition, including coordinated responses in times of natural disasters through the Pacific Humanitarian Team and WASH Cluster. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Water Services Coordinator is accountable to the Deputy Director for the Water and Sanitation Programme of the SOPAC Division of SPC. The role is responsible for managing an operational budget of approximately FJD1 million and a team of four staff and consultants to provide policy advice and technical expertise, and to coordinate water services projects and programmes across PICTs. KEY RESULT AREAS The position encompasses the following major functions or key result areas. Coordination of Water Services Lead staff and consultants to oversee and implement drinking water safety planning, water quality monitoring, water demand management, WASH and wastewater in order to deliver the objectives of the WSP strategic plan. Coordinate integration across the WSP for effective and efficient delivery of activities. Facilitate requests by member countries for technical advice and guidance on water supply, sanitation and hygiene issues. Support staff in managing consultancies in accordance with SPC protocols. Undertake technical reviews and approve reports and publications related to Water Services. Provide support in the preparation and submission of project concept notes and proposals related to Water Services. Management Facilitate and guide staff in the preparation of annual workplans. Lead, manage and assess staff in the delivery of water services to meet agreed programme objectives. Monitoring and Evaluation of Water Services Monitor and evaluate performance and prepare high quality reports. Develop and annually revise the strategic direction of the WSP to ensure key objectives are met. Networking, Communications and Advocacy Facilitate Pacific WASH Coalition meetings. Build and maintain working relationships with other CROP agencies, local and international Non State Actors (NSA) and regional and international organisations. Represent SPC at national, regional and international meetings, conferences, workshops on water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Support and advocate for the implementation and review of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Sustainable Water Management (Pacific RAP), Pacific Framework for Action (FFA) on Drinking Water Quality and Health and the Pacific Wastewater Policy and Framework for Action. Coordinate the regional water quality focal group. Advocate for improvements to the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) reporting for Pacific countries on access figures on water and sanitation. Advocate for performance benchmarking for Pacific water and wastewater utilities. Advocate for inclusion of water services, especially drinking water safety planning, water demand management, addressing wastewater, water quality monitoring and appropriate technologies into national frameworks. Implementation of Drinking Water Safety Planning (DWSP) Provide technical advice and training to increase the DWSP capacity of member countries. Promote and advocate for the drinking water safety planning approach and safe quality drinking water. Provide technical advice on community-based drinking water safety planning. Develop and deliver resource materials to improve DWSP in SPC member countries. Maintain partnerships with relevant partners for delivery of DWSP. Reporting Prepare annual workplans and annual reports for meetings and sessions, in consultation with the Deputy Director, on the contribution of water services to the WSP strategic plan and KRAs. Support reporting processes for JMP Millennium Development Goals on water and sanitation figures, Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking (GLAAS) and regional water utility benchmarking, utilising internal reports. Ensure country mission reports and technical reports are prepared and made available in a timely manner. Review reports to identify critical issues and areas of improvement and examples of best practice to optimise effective and efficient programme delivery. Contribute to and support regional and national water and sanitation consultation processes and efforts to develop water and sanitation national and regional perspectives. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Essential Tertiary qualification in science (chemistry, environment, microbiology), applied engineering, water supply and sanitation (urban and rural), water resources management, governance, natural resource management or environmental management, preferably at master’s level (and/or equivalent work experience). Six to eight years’ experience in managing and implementing water projects or programmes, including overseeing staff or consultants. Knowledge and experience in drinking water safety planning, water quality monitoring, water demand project management and water, sanitation and hygiene. Knowledge and expertise in standard operating procedures for water quality equipment. Proven organisational and project management skills with the ability to prioritise workload and manage teams to deliver projects on time and within budget. Sophisticated communication, advocacy and representational skills, ideally at regional and international levels. The ability to work effectively as part of a diverse multicultural team, with a high level of interpersonal skills and minimal supervision. Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills in English. Desirable Demonstrated understanding of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues in the Pacific with a good understanding of the working environment in PICTs. A working knowledge of French. SALARY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS SALARY AND ALLOWANCES The position is in Band 11 of SPC’s salary scale. Professional salaries at SPC 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 2012 salary scale, the salary range for approximately FJD 7,173–10,761 per month (USD 4,000-6,100; € 3,400–6,000). An offer of appointment for an initial contract will 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, subject to a six-month probationary period, 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 OPPORTUNITY 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 10 May 2012

Applicants are requested to use SPC’s online recruitment system : http://www.spc.int/job.html. Only those applicants who cannot access the online recruitment system may 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. Applicants should provide their curriculum vitae and specifically address in their cover letter how their qualifications, knowledge and experience demonstrate their ability to successfully undertake the duties and responsibilities of the position. They should also provide names and contact details of three referees.