Executive Office Assistant

Description

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, proudly supporting development since 1947, with a membership of 22 Pacific Island countries and territories and four metropolitan countries. SPC supports sustainable development by applying a people-centred approach to science, research and technology across all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We serve our members by interweaving and harnessing the nexus of climate, ocean, land, culture, rights and good governance; through trusted partnerships; investing in Pacific people; and understanding Pacific contexts.

The Executive is made up of the Office of the Director General (DG) based in Noumea and the Offices of the two Deputy-Director Generals (DDGs). The DDG, Science and Capability based in Suva has oversight of the six technical divisions (Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems – FAME, Geoscience, Energy and Maritime – GEM, Human Rights and Social Development – HRSD, Land Resources Division – LRD, Public Health Division – PHD, and Statistics for Development – SDD) and two programmes (Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability – CCES and Education Quality and Assessment Programme – EQAP). The DDG, Operation and Integration has oversight of the Operations and Management Directorate (finance, human resources, IT, publications, property & facilities management, translation and interpretation, legal services, travel, library and administration) and for all regional offices based outside of the Noumea headquarters and the Suva campus.

The Executive Office Assistant will provide finance, administration and partnerships support primarily for the Executive Office and Facilities team and on occasions partnerships support for HR.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Support the Executive Office and Facilities teams administration tasks

• Ensure timely and efficient services are provided to the Executive Office and Facilities team
• Provide logistical support for trainings/workshops, in terms of travel and accommodation logistics for all participants
• Assist in the preparation of workshop/training/verification materials

Provide financial management and support

• Coordinate procurement and fixed asset management in line with SPC’s policies and procedures
• Verify all payments before payment is made
• Assist in facilitating project audits in line with necessary requirements

Travel, workshop, and conference support

• Make travel arrangements, input purchase orders in Navision for ticketing and where required, make accommodation reservations for official travels and inform staff accordingly
• Organise procurement of quotations for stationery and provision of payments
• Organise stationery orders and provision of stationery to staff members

Lead role in managing specific partnerships with utility companies and some government agencies

• Be the first point of escalation from Executive office to internal teams and divisions to key external partners for follow up of delayed or complex cases – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration Department, Utilities
• Escalate matters to Principal Adviser and / or DDG as required
• Support organizing appointments for DDG with key external partners as required

Driver

• Driving for executive team, directors, visiting dignitaries, including new staff members
• Assist with dispatch and collection of work-related documentation to and from relevant Ministries
• Support for workshops and conferences

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Must have successfully completed a high school certificate
• Have a valid driving license

Technical expertise

• At least 10 years of experience performing finance and administration and coordination functions in a regional inter-governmental organisation
• Have a wide range of contacts among relevant partner organisations in Fiji
• Be proficient with the use of Navision
• Advanced computer literacy, especially with Microsoft office applications
• Have excellent organising, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as a team member in a collaborative work environment
• Ability to work under pressure in a demanding work environment

Language skills

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written)

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds 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 Executive Office Assistant is a Band 7 position in SPC’s 2023 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of FJD 2,287-2,859 per month, plus local staff benefits. 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.

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 – 20 July 2023 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: MC000029

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.

Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.

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

1. Can you provide examples of how you have successfully handled financial and administrative tasks in previous roles?
2. In what ways do you believe your personal values align with the Pacific values, and how would you bring those values into your role as an executive assistant?
3. Share an example of a challenging situation you encountered as an executive assistant and how you effectively managed the associated risks or conflicts.