Description
The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. We are an international development organisation owned and governed by our 26 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 20 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
The Geoscience Energy and Maritime Division provides advice, technical assistance, research and training support to Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). There are three areas of scientific programming and two areas of focus within this division:
- Oceans and Maritime Programme (OMP) – Driving growth in blue economies through well-informed and inclusive action from integrated solutions for ocean and coastal management and maritime and transport.
- Geo-resources and Energy Programme (GEP) – Strengthening the management of the Earth’s non-living resources through responsible harnessing of mineral resources, including metalliferous and development minerals, and clean and renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal for sustainable development.
- Disaster and Community Resilience Programme (DCRP) – Improving resilience and sustainability through the management of disaster risk and assessment of hazards. This includes building resilience through wider support for climate change, disaster risk management (DRM) initiatives, and water and sanitation initiatives. Several regional climate change projects are housed in this programming area.
- The other two focus areas within this division are Programming and Operations, responsible for driving integrated programming excellence and operational support across the division, and Geo-informatics, which is responsible for providing diverse, integrated, and unique and demand-driven services across SPC work programmes, projects and countries. This includes developing, managing, building on and retaining or preserving spatial data and information for the benefit of all scientific areas.
The Managing Coastal Aquifer Project (MCAP) falls under the DCRP. The objective of MCAP is to improve the understanding, use, management and protection of coastal aquifers towards enhanced water security in the context of a changing climate. The project is implemented in Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) and Tuvalu and will be delivered by a team of skilled professional specialists from SPC, in collaboration with national stakeholders and CROP partners, International Organization for Migration, UNDP, IFRC, and other UN agencies and other development partners. National stakeholders will include persons from agencies responsible for climate change, disaster risk management, finance and planning agencies, and sector ministries.
The Community Engagement Officer will provide support to the MCAP technical team to develop and deliver community engagement trainings, including on-going monitoring, relevant to both the improved understanding of the project outcomes and the successful delivery of project activities in the communities.
The key responsibilities of the role include the following:
- Support the development and delivery of community engagement training to the national project managers in Palau, RMI and Tuvalu
- Provide any required assistance to the MCA Chief Technical Advisor and Project team in the successful delivery of the Managing Coastal Aquifers project activities
For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the job description online.
Key selection criteria
Qualifications
- Tertiary degree in a relevant field such as community development, social science, disaster management, climate science, hydrology, and geoscience from a recognised tertiary institution
Knowledge and experience
- At least 2-3 years’ experience in community and/or social development and demonstrated experience with remote communities and complex project activities
- Knowledge of Human rights, GESI, PCA and GRM approaches and processes
- Knowledge in community engagement and Pacific Islands water resources challenges
Essential skills
- Proven track record of working with teams and producing high quality results with minimum supervision
- Advanced computer skills in applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Language skills
- Excellent English communication skills (oral and written)
Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness
- Ability to work in a multicultural, inclusive and equitable environment
Salary, terms and conditions
Contract Duration – until 31 December 2021
Remuneration – This is a full-time Band 7 position in SPC’s 2021 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of 2,232-2,790 per month, plus local staff benefits. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews.
Recruitment principles – SPC’s recruitment is based on merit and fairness, and candidates are competing in a selection process that is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. SPC is an equal-opportunity employer, and is committed to cultural and gender diversity, including bilingualism, and will seek to attract and appoint candidates who respect these values. Due attention is given to gender equity and the maintenance of strong representation from Pacific Island professionals. If two interviewed candidates are ranked equal by the selection panel, preference will be given to the Pacific Islander.
Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s Privacy Policy.
How to apply
Application procedure
Closing Date – 4th July 2021 – 11:45pm Fiji time
Applicants must apply online at: http://careers.spc.int/
Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.
To be considered for this role, you must provide us with:
- an updated resume
- a cover letter detailing your skills, experience and interest in this position
- responses to all screening questions
Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.
Applicants should not attach copies of qualifications or letters of reference. These documents may be requested at a later stage.
Please ensure that you respond to all of the screening questions. If you do not respond to the screening questions, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage.
Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.
Screening Questions:
- Delivering on-the-ground climate change adaptation measures, such as addressing food and water security in communities in the Pacific, brings many challenges. Based on your experience, identify the two most important challenges and how you would go about addressing them.
- What is your understanding of Human rights, GESI, PCA and GRM approaches and processes, relevant to delivering on an improved water supply system in the Pacific?
- What do you think are the skills of a Community Engagement officer that one can capitalize on to deliver the job very satisfactorily?