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. It works in a wide range of sectors, including natural resources (agriculture, fisheries and forestry), health, statistics, human development, human rights, information and communication technology and social issues. SPC was established in 1947. It has 26 member countries and territories and its working languages are English and French. The organisation has been expanding rapidly and now has approximately 400 staff and a total annual budget of XPF (French Pacific francs) 8 billion (approximately USD 90 million). 

SPC's headquarters is in Noumea, New Caledonia. It also has regional offices in Suva, Fiji Islands and Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia and national offices in Honiara, Solomon Islands as well as Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The organisation has gained a reputation for providing real solutions to real problems in the Pacific (SPC Corporate Review, 2005) and strives to maintain professionalism, integrity and pragmatism in delivering its services. Additional information on SPC can be found on its website: www.spc.int. 

PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION 

SPC's Public Health Division (PHD) supports the development of healthier Pacific Island communities through four broad objectives. 

1. Combat and reduce the overall impact and burden of diseases.

2. Increase the capacity of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to address non-health-sector determinants of health.

3. Contribute to strengthening national health systems.

4. Increase the efficiency and impact of intervention. 

After a period of very rapid growth, PHD now has over 60 staff based in Noumea, Suva, Pohnpei, Honiara and Port Moresby. 

Information on PHD and the division's strategic plan is available at www.spc.int/php.

As the future organisation of PHD is currently under review, the communication and management lines of the positions may be reviewed to reflect the new organisational structure.  

PHD GRANTS MANAGEMENT 

The PHD budget reached a total of XPF 2.7 billion (USD 31.8 million) in 2009, with most activities financed by development partners such as national and international aid agencies, and about 50 per cent of the funds directly channeled into countries in addition to the technical assistance delivered in country. 

Though in the past we primarily provided technical assistance, the 'business model' for PHD has expanded substantially in recent years. An increasing amount of our work now involves grant management as we become more and more a conduit to channel funds to countries, including to government and civil society organisations. Grants to countries in 2009 were budgeted at more than USD 15 million, with the main funding stream being the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in addition to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) HIV & STI grant, and the Pacific Islands HIV and STI Response Fund, the Pacific Regional Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Project and the Pacific NCD Framework 2-1-22 Grants supported by Australia and New Zealand. 

The Manager - Grants Management Unit is responsible to the Manager, Public Health Division and will join the team of senior advisers to the PHD management. 
 

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY RESULTS AREAS 

The position is a senior member of the PHD team and is responsible for overseeing standardised strategic and pragmatic grant management practices (including risk management strategies) across the whole of PHD to maximise grant utilisation, implementation and impact while improving the alignment of funds and reporting processes with national systems. 

The position leads and manages all aspects of the work of the Grant Coordination, Finance, and Procurement Teams within the PHD Grants Management Unit, including recruitment, planning, and making and implementing decisions to best achieve the overall purpose of the unit. The appointee will be accountable for organising, supporting, managing and evaluating PHD's grants management functions in a manner that supports and furthers the PHD strategic objectives for 2010-2014. 
 

KEY RESULT AREAS 

The main duties and responsibilities of this position encompass the following major functions or key result areas aligned with PHD Strategic Plan.

1. Overall burden and impact of diseases
   1. National and regional strategies: Ensuring that donor agreements to provide funding for SPC and PICTs have terms and conditions that are appropriate to the grant implementation context.
2. Strengthened national health systems
   1. Country capacity: Strengthening grant implementation capacities amongst implementing partners, with a primary focus on PICTs.
   2. Quality and compliance: Promoting and managing the achievement of quality assurance policies and processes across PHD's grant profile.
3. Capacity of PICTs to address the non-health-sector determinants of health
   1. Gender sensitivity: Enlarging PHD's capacity to act, collect, analyse and report on gender and human rights issues as a key influence on access to health services.
4. Scope, efficiency and impact of interventions
   1. Knowledge sharing: Contribute to initiatives to increase awareness of cross-cutting skills and systems as a means of reducing common barriers to accessing funding or services.
   2. Optimised investments: Manage a diverse portfolio of donor grant financing contributed through PHD for the benefit of achieving improved health and health systems outcomes for PICTs.
   3. Alignment and harmonisation: Achieve increased alignment and harmonisation within PHD, as well as regionally and at the national level. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

External

• Managing a complex, large and diverse range of grant portfolios across multiple implementers
• Managing tensions between the need for achievement of performance and time-bound targets vis a vis due process with all recipients or sub-recipients of the grants
• Building consensus between multiple internal and external stakeholders to support strong performance-based service delivery to implementing partners
• Providing technical advice and assistance to partner organisations and member PICTs in the design and development of funding proposals
• Assisting PICTs in developing quality, realistic and well targeted funding proposals, while seeking to achieve increased alignment and harmonisation in the funding of national strategies
• Encouraging increased country leadership and domestic contributions to national programme needs
• Supporting independent grant oversight mechanisms to strengthen overall governance frameworks to meet donor standards
• Contributing to the harmonisation and simplification of these mechanisms through work with donors, PICTs and technical partners
• Ensuring an ongoing focus on supporting and respecting PICT ownership and sovereignty issues. 

Within SPC and PHD

• Managing decision-making on the funds with the PHD Manager and the PHD Director and ensuring technical staff members are managing their grants budgets properly
• Developing functional relationships with SPC corporate and support services
• Providing support to the colleagues and teams in charge of the programmes funded through the grants
• Providing technical advice and assistance to PHD management and PHD teams
• Contributing to the support and secretariat functions provided to the various grants governing bodies and mechanisms
• Contributing to the PHD Senior Advisers Team and to the process of change within PHD
• Contributing to the implementation of SPC joint country strategies and PHD country teams.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE 

Qualifications 

Essential

• Post graduate qualification in a field relevant to the position (business administration, law, finance or accounting - LLB, MBA, accounting degree) or a minimum of 10 years of work experience at a senior level in one of these fields 

Desirable

• Degree in public health or related field
  

Knowledge and experience 

Essential

• At least seven years of experience in a senior-level management position in a mid- to large-sized organisation or business with significant staff and financial management accountability
• At least five years of experience in the area of grants portfolio management, contracting, and/or accounting and financial management
• Previous experience in validation, design, oversight, monitoring and / or implementation of major development projects
• Previous experience in developing, adapting and implementing procedures and templates to be used for formulating, negotiating, executing, monitoring and closing grants according to donors' regulations
• Recent knowledge of major donors' grant-making policies, procedures and reporting requirements
• Demonstrated high-level knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools and systems
• Previous experience in developing countries
• Excellent organisational skills
• Demonstrated high-level negotiation skills
• Demonstrated skills in cross-cultural communication (written and oral)
• Teamwork and ability to work with people from different ethnic, cultural and educational backgrounds
• Willingness to travel and undertake overseas assignments in SPC countries and beyond
• Fluency, both oral and written, in English.

Desirable

• Recent experience in dealing with donors involved in the Pacific region (e.g. AusAID, NZAID, Global Fund to fight Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria, ADB, etc.)
• Experience in managing large grants in multiple countries in the Pacific region or in the context of small island states
• Experience working on a public health project or programme in either a government department or civil society, ideally in a Pacific Island setting
• Recent experience in dealing with senior-level officials on issues requiring tact and diplomacy
• Working knowledge of French.

SALARY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary and allowances 

The starting salary will depend on experience and qualifications. The position is currently in Grade K 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 French Pacific Franc (XPF) in New Caledonia. The salary range for this grade is SDR (5,501-7,274) per month. At prevailing exchange rates these amounts convert into approximately XPF (711,395-940,560) per month (Euros 5,962-7,882 / USD 8,271-10,937). 

In addition, an establishment grant will be payable to non-residents of New Caledonia. Where appropriate, other allowances such as child and education allowance will be paid. 

The organisation subsidises housing. An SPC-owned or SPC-rented house or flat will be made available, with the staff member contributing 25 per cent of the normal rental. 

SPC emoluments are not subject to income tax in New Caledonia at the present time.

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. 

Leave 

Leave will accrue at the rate of 25 working days per annum of active duty. 

Sick leave is 30 working days per annum. 

Medical benefits 

SPC's Staff Medical Insurance reimburses doctors 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. 

Provident fund 

The appointee will be eligible for membership in SPC's Staff Provident Fund. Staff members contribute 8 per cent of their base salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution. 

Fares and removal expenses 

For an appointee recruited outside New Caledonia, 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 expenses 

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 on merit. If two short-listed candidates are judged to be equally qualified, preference will be given to Pacific Island nationals. 

ADDRESS AND CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS 

Applications should be addressed to the Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, PO Box D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia, to arrive by 15 March 2010. 

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 covering letter. They should also provide names and contact details of three referees. Applications that do not specifically address the selection criteria will not be considered. 

Applications may be submitted by fax (+687 26 38 18) or email (spc@spc.int This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , preferably as an electronic attachment in Microsoft Word format).