Grants and Collaborations Officer

• Suva-based position (Fiji)
• 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, 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 – Grants and Collaborations Officer will support the Grants and Collaborations Team in ensuring the effective and timely delivery of high-quality grant management services across SPC. This position will be responsible for providing essential support on a wide range of grant-related activities, assisting in the enhancement of stakeholder capacity and understanding of grants management processes, and contributing to the continuous improvement of grant systems and practices. The Grants and Collaborations Officer will work closely with their respective Team Leaders to foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that grant activities meet the standards expected by SPC and our funders while aligning with SPC’s strategic objectives.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Operations: Grants and Collaborations

• Ensure quality customer service is provided to SPC’s divisions undertaking grant and collaboration activities, and divisional relationships are maintained.
• Carry out pre-award processes, ensuring high-quality grant and collaboration proposals are awarded and consistent service provided across SPC.
• Carry out monitoring, reporting, and closure processes for grants and letters of agreement (LOAs) awarded ensuring consistent services provided to Divisions across SPC in successfully implementing grants and collaboration activities.
• Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of grants management by streamlining procedures, ensuring compliance with policies, and integrating best practices.

Advice and Guidance

• Provide informed advice to decision-makers (including relevant committees) on complex grant and collaboration matters, ensuring that all stakeholders' requirements are considered to deliver value outcomes.
• Offer advice and solutions to decision-makers on managing contractual and ethical considerations in grant and collaboration activities, ensuring integrity and adherence to SPC’s framework and standards.
• Identify and escalate risks.

Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to reporting for internal and external stakeholders.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with all SPC stakeholders, ensuring alignment and support for grants and collaborative activities.

Outreach, Education and Training

• Support with the development and delivery of training programs to internal and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and management of grants and collaborations, including pre-award and post-award processes, and as part of SPC’s performance enhancement work.
• Maintain open lines of communication with key stakeholders, building strong relationships to support the effective implementation of grants and collaborative initiatives.
• Publish regular updates online (and in person) with SPC’s divisions, including regular intranet news stories and other internal communication with key stakeholders.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in law, finance, procurement, administration or international development or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 5 years of experience providing advice on grants, collaborations, project management or stakeholder engagement, financial or legal management in a public sector or not-for-profit environment.
• Strong ability to engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including internal teams, external partners, and funders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively to different audiences.
• Commitment to upholding ethical standards and ensuring transparency in all activities.
• Familiarity with grant management, donor compliance, or collaboration processes.          

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

Remuneration – The Grants and Collaborations Officer is a band 9 position in SPC’s 2024 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 2,284‒2,856 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 6,808–8,509 (USD 3,038–3,798; EUR 2,832–3,540). 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 based in Fiji – SPC provides a housing allowance of FJD 1,350–3,000 per month. 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: 5 January 2025 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JM000803

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. How do you approach developing and maintaining relationships with internal stakeholders (e.g., program and finance teams)
2. Can you provide an example of how you have worked with a finance department to ensure financial compliance for a grant?
3. What systems or tools do you use to track and manage grant data, and how do you ensure accuracy and accessibility for stakeholders?