Deputy Director, Climate Change & Sustainability

• Noumea or Suva-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 unique organisation works across more than 25 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 Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme (CCES) was established to enable SPC to strengthen and streamline its actions on climate change by bringing together work already undertaken by the organisation under a coherent strategic and technical leadership. In addition, it leads the actions of SPC on climate change and environmental sustainability, works with the Organisation’s regional and international partners and promotes the integration of these issues into all development activities conducted by the Organisation’s divisions.

The role – the Deputy Director, Climate Change & Sustainability will provide support to the Director of Climate Change and Sustainability in the effective management of the Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Division and associated leadership role in the SPC Climate Change Flagship.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

Leadership and management

• Ensure the Director is accurately informed of critical management and leadership issues and propose solutions.
• Provide guidance and support that informs and address SPC’s agenda on climate change.
• Promote a corporate SER culture of environmental and social responsibility and sustainability.
• Contribute positively to collective decisions at the management and executive level as needed, ensuring that issues of climate change and environmental sustainability are taken on board and mainstreamed in the organisation.
• Provide climate change and/or sustainability leadership positions and pieces of advice in high level, donor coordination or multi-agency meetings as required.

Planning and Operational Excellence

• Oversee the human resource workforce development, succession, and planning of the CCES team.
• Provide people leadership, engagement, and operational guidance to contribute to the effective delivery of all activities within the CCES team.
• Oversee coordination, and operations of the SPC Climate Change Flagship, and foster cross divisional business systems to support through oversight and guidance to the relevant staff in CCES and SPC.
• Ensure adequate reporting as well as monitoring & evaluation of the Flagship’s results and achievements.
• Support and monitor the preparation, elaboration, implementation and closure of initiatives and projects within the Flagship and division, minimizing risks for the organisation, communicating on results, ensuring stakeholders; participation and adequacy to the needs of SPC members.

Resource mobilisation and effective Financial management

• In close collaboration with the Director and relevant stakeholders develop and pursue climate change programme and multi-agency funding opportunities as needed.
• Facilitate sound budgetary planning for CCES, and work with Team Leader Finance, to monitor spending and disbursement, identify financial risks and opportunities, and ensure proper financial accountability and literacy.
• Maintain close and strong engagement with the GCF and other climate finance partners.
• Oversee the development of project and programme proposals in line with donor requirements and members’ needs.

Planning, Reporting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Oversee Flagship and CCES reporting and MEL.
• Maintain strong links with Climate Change ministries, NDAs and officials in member governments and territories.
• Maintain strong linkages with other CROP agencies and accredited entities and partners that deliver results to members.
• Participate in useful coordinating arrangements and multi-donor/partners programmes for effective delivery of services to the countries and territories.
• Ensure alignment of the CCES work programme with the SPC Strategic Plan ad relevant SPC activities including the Flagship programmes.

Support Integrated Programming and joint initiatives

• Support Director in leading change in the organisation, developing corporate policies and plans, enhancing overall performance and promoting a culture of sharing and learning.
• Representing SPC at regional and international fora, as appropriate, and communicate effectively to media and partners.
• Support new approaches or partnerships to enhance results by improving organisational culture, systems, and/or division programmes and services.
• Constructively support better understanding of the connections between climate change and other regional and international issues that SPC works across.
• Support and promote communities of practice, participatory workshops, learning events on programming policies to absorb the programming design approach into all potential opportunities across the technical programme.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a recognised institution (and/or equivalent work experience) in a discipline relevant to project/programme management, science, resource management, climate change, sustainable development or related or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 15 years in a public sector or development leadership and/or management position ideally in the Pacific Islands region.
• Demonstrated experience in relationship building and working with a wide variety of donors and development partners with awareness of their policies and procedures.
• Proven history of successfully building and leading multi-disciplinary teams, including people of different national and cultural backgrounds, and demonstrated ability to manage professional, technical, and programme support staff in a team environment, ensuring everyone’s role contributes to successful team outputs.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategically with a solid understanding of Programme Management, preferably in the development sector.
• Demonstrated experience of leading and coordinating high level strategic consultation processes for regional positioning across a relevant sectoral agenda.
• Proven ability to influence work collegially and in partnership with stakeholders and internal partners towards an agreed outcome.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in continuous improvement and facilitating innovation across teams.
• Proven ability in project design, management, and reporting.
• Ability to work constructively to resolve issues, concerns, or differences of opinion. Demonstrated skills and experience in continuous improvement and facilitating innovation across teams.

Language skills

• High –level verbal and written communication skills and the capacity to represent SPC at regional and international forums.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Knowledge of Pacific Island countries and territories is an advantage.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – This vacant position is budgeted for 3 years and is subject to renewal depending on performance and funding.

Remuneration – The Deputy Director, Climate Change & Sustainability is a Band 14 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale.

For a Noumea based position a starting salary range of SDR (special drawing rights) 6,299-7,777 per month, which converts to approximately XPF 920,650-1,136,756 (USD 8,378-10,344; EUR 7,715-9,526). SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in New Caledonia.

For a Suva based position – a starting salary range of SDR (special drawing rights) 4,784-5,980 per month, which converts to approximately FJD 14,399–17,999 (USD 6,362–7,953; EUR 5,859–7,324). 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.

An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews. SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in New Caledonia.

Benefits for international staff 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).

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 bilinguism, 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 begiven to the Pacific Islander. Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s private policy.

Application procedure

Closing date:  23 February 2025 – 11:00 pm (Noumea time)

Job Reference: CR000370

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.

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. Briefly outline your most relevant organisational leadership and strategic experience in roles relating to Climate Change and Sustainability.
2. Briefly outline some of your experience in using business systems that support integration across a range of disciplines?
3. How would you develop climate change capacity in PICT’s while based at a regional institution like the Pacific Community (SPC)?
4. What would be your resource mobilisation strategy to develop Climate Change and Sustainability at a regional level?
5. Describe briefly key indicators you would use to monitor and evaluate progress of Climate Change and Sustainability efforts in SPC and in the region more broadly.