Lead Quality and Impact

• Noumea, New Caledonia or Suva, Fiji based position
• Attractive expatriate package
• Join the principal development organization in the Pacific 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, public health, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Strategy, Performance & Learning (SPL) unit is a specialized unit within the Office of the Director-General, with responsibilities for co-developing SPC Strategic Plan and the necessary methodology, capability and practice for monitoring and reporting against the Strategic Plan. SPL has staff based at our headquarters in Noumea, as well as our regional office in Suva. We provide whole of organization service (Secretariat and member) through i) Strategy and Planning; ii) Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning; iii) Programming and Design. Our work is focused on creating the conditions for change, grounded in contextually relevant and culturally responsive practice.

The role – Lead Quality and Impact will lead the quality and impact of SPC work through monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and related planning across the organization. The role will also lead OneSPC methods and practices for the strategic results framework of the Strategic Plan, 2022 – 2031 including evaluative evidence for improvements and adaptation, portfolio wide results monitoring and reporting and coordinating the SPC-wide MEL Community of Practice (MELnet) and Strengthening Pacific MEL project and associated initiatives. The Lead Quality and Impact will provide pillar team leadership and management, and strategic advice and executive support.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Lead and coordinate MEL and related planning across the organization

• Provide technical leadership and oversight to SPCs approach to monitoring, evaluating, and learning and related planning across its portfolio of work.
• Lead the development, regular review, and implementation of SPC’s Strategic Results Framework (SRF) for the Strategic Plan.
• Coordinate with MEL focal points across the organisation to support consistency, data quality, capacity, and availability of evidence for organisation-wide MEL. Currently there are 35 MEL focal point members.
• Lead the development, regular revision and implementation of policies, processes, and systems to support MEL and planning for SPC’s Strategic Plan.

Provide high level evaluative thought leadership, insight from monitoring and lead knowledge integration from reporting and learning products

• Lead the annual calendar of PMEL activities (mid-year and end of year) and contribute to other sharing of insight within the Secretariat, with members and stakeholders.
• Lead authorship and coordination of the SPC-wide Annual Results Report and other efforts to monitor systematically and coherently, measure and report across the breadth and depth of the organisation.
• Commission and manage strategic-level evaluations and strategic research to provide insight and evidence of SPC’s impact in the region.
• Communicate results and MEL information to high-level officials including the Subcommittee of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA) and SPC’s Executive and Senior Leadership Team.

Create, sustain and grow communities of practice and peer to peer exchanges for PMEL capability strengthening and the PacMEL initiatives

• Lead SPC’s internal MEL Community of Practice (MELnet) of 90 staff, including coordination of the annual MELnet workshop.
• Regional Oversight of Strengthening Pacific MEL project. The project is jointly delivered with the Statistics Division at SPC, with the SPL team managing EUR$1.5 million over 4 years.
• Advocate and support ongoing sustainable funding for strengthening Pacific MEL across the region.

Staff leadership, management, mentoring and contributions to OneSPC and OneCROP transformation

• Provide technical leadership, coordination, and managerial support to the Director and ultimately the Office of the Director General.
• As Officer in Charge of the relevant SPL office, manage day to day responsibilities of personnel and operations.
• Create and maintain an environment that fosters effective working relationships, staff development and wellbeing and a high performing team.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as evaluation, international development, public sector policy and administration.

Technical expertise

• At least 15 years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, on donor/grant-funded projects or programmes, with good understanding of international best practices in development effectiveness.
• Experience working on development sector MEL in the Pacific.
• Experience in the design, leadership, and management of programmes and projects.
• Experience managing and leading staff including staff appraisal and performance management.
• Experience training, mentoring and coaching staff and stakeholders in MEL.
• Strategic thinker with well-developed analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Skilled user of databases for entering processing/cleaning and extracting data.       

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 – 3 years – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – The Lead Quality and Impact is a band 13 position in SPC’s 2023 salary scale.

For a Noumea based position - a starting salary range of 5,438–6,701 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately XPF 823,681–1,015,022 (USD 7,286–8,979; EUR 6,902–8,506).

For a Suva based position - a starting salary range of 4,087‒5,109 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 12,057–15,071 (USD 5,477–6,846; EUR 5,188–6,485).

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.

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 matching 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: 28 January 2024 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JM000534

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. What do you see as the 3 most challenging aspects to encouraging and maintaining an organisational culture towards evidence, quality and impact? Why?
2. How do you approach the balance between MEL work being accessible and understandable across the breadth and depth of an organisation while also encapsulating the complexities of a multi-disciplinary / multi context organisation?
3. Describe a situation where you had to lead your team through a significant change. How did you approach it, and what steps did you take to ensure a smooth transition?