• Noumea, New Caledonia or Suva, Fiji based position
• Attractive expatriate package
• Join the principal development organisation in the region

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 27 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, education, public health, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Operations and Management Directorate (OMD) provides corporate services to all SPC Divisions and Programmes. It consists of three key departments: Finance, Human Resources and Information Services. OMD is focused on improving the effectiveness of systems, policies and management to provide high-quality customer-oriented services.

The role – ICT Project Manager x2 will be responsible for planning, coordination and execution of ICT innovation projects and leading cross-functional teams, drawing on project resources from departments and divisions. The role will also lead and implement project management practice improvement initiatives for SPC’s ICT Team.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Project Management Practice Improvement

• Regularly review and refine project management strategies, processes and tools to ensure their effectiveness.
• Encourage innovation and creativity in project planning and execution across the Operations and Integrations teams.
• Use of adaptive management and agile methodologies, user-centric design, and data-driven decision making to increase collaboration, deliver working solutions, drive stakeholder engagement and enhance understanding of user needs.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing within project teams and with project stakeholders.

Project Planning and Execution

• Effectively manage and communicate project budget, scope and schedules.
• Effectively communicate approvals for project variances and changes to project plans.
• Establish and maintain a shared understanding of project success criteria with project team members and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate project activities with project stakeholders to increase engagement, trust and confidence in the delivery of projects across the organisation.
• Provide effective project management leadership and support across the Operations and Integrations teams project portfolio.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Communication

• Develop and implement project monitoring and evaluation frameworks, performance indicators and date collection methods.
• Monitor progress against performance indicators and provide regular reporting for the ICT Team and project governance groups.
• Identify, document and share project achievements, lessons learned and best practices with relevant stakeholders.
• Promote effective knowledge management practices by documenting, storing, disseminating, and integrating project learnings into current and new initiatives.

Financial Management

• Manage project expenditure and ensure project activities are implemented within budget.
• Deliver timely reporting on expenditure and budget variances to relevant stakeholders.
• Develop and regularly update accurate and complete project budgets and financial reports.
• Ensure project execution is compliant with financial and reporting requirements.

For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.

Key selection criteria 

Qualifications 

• Degree in project management, engineering, computer science, information technology or related field; or equivalent combination of degree and work experience. 

Technical expertise 

• At least 10 years of experience in project management, preferably in the development sector.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, including the development of theories of change, logical frameworks, performance indicators, monitoring and reporting against progress, and facilitating reflection, learning and adaptation with project stakeholders.        

Language skills 

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written) with a working knowledge of French being an advantage. 

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness 

• Ability to work in a multicultural, inclusive and equitable environment.

Salary, terms and conditions 

Contract Duration – Until 31 December 2027 – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – The ICT Project Manager is a band 10 position in SPC’s 2024 salary scale.

For Noumea – a starting salary range of 3,568–4,364 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately XPF 527,770–645,547 (USD 4,745–5,804; EUR 4,423–5,409).

For Suva – a starting salary range of 2,575‒3,218 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 7,672–9,591 (USD 3,424–4,280; EUR 3,191–3,989).

An offer of appointment for an initial contract will normally 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. Remuneration of expatriate SPC staff members is not subject to income tax in Fiji; Fiji nationals employed by SPC in Fiji will be subject to income tax. SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in New Caledonia.

Benefits for international employees – SPC provides a housing allowance (or subsidised housing in Noumea). Establishment and repatriation grant, removal expenses, airfares, home leave travel, health and life and disability insurances and education allowances are available for eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 working days of annual leave per annum and other types of leave, and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a 10% contribution).

Languages – SPC’s working languages are English and French.

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.

Application procedure 

Closing Date: 27 October 2024 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JM000769

Applicants must apply online at http://careers.spc.int/

Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.

For your application to be considered, you must provide us with:

• an updated resume with contact details for three professional referees
• a cover letter detailing your skills, experience and interest in this position
• responses to all screening questions

Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage if all the above documents are not provided. Applicants should not attach copies of qualifications or letters of reference. Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

For international staff in Fiji, only one foreign national per family can be employed with an entity operating in Fiji at any one given time. SPC may assist on a case-by-case basis with submissions to Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their consideration and final approval. SPC cannot and does not make any guarantee whatsoever of approval for such applications to Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs and where an application is approved, the spouse or partner will subject to such terms and conditions as may be set from time to time by the Ministry.

SPC does not charge a fee to consider your application and will never ask for your banking or financial information during the recruitment process. 

Screening Questions (maximum of 2,000 characters per question):

1. Describe a complex project you successfully managed from start to finish. What were the key challenges you encountered, and how did you address them to achieve the project's objectives?
2. Can you share strategies that you have used to ensure effective communication and collaboration among project team members and stakeholders? Please provide an example of a project where your communication approach led to positive outcomes?
3. Can you describe your experience with how you have effectively managed project deadlines, scope changes and scope creep?