Pacific Community
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 surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
The vision of the Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP) is to be ‘The agency for educational quality in the Pacific region’. Its mission is to enhance the quality of education and training for Pacific learners, so they realize the benefits of lifelong learning. EQAP seeks to promote the following core values within the context of SPC’s corporate values:
- a culture of quality;
- a culture of continuous improvement;
- cultural and political sensitivity;
- respect for the autonomy and priorities of the education system in each Pacific Island country and territory (PICTs); and
- assimilation of the expressed needs of countries in its delivery of technical services.
The role – Junior Analyst Programmer will create and modify computer programs by converting project requirements into code and providing ICT support to other EQAP teams and member countries.
The key responsibilities of the role include:
Software Development and Maintenance Support
- Support the design and implementation of an application for online interactions through short courses, training, and management of learning in schools.
- Write and test a manual for the application.
- Maintain and enhance existing core applications and website.
- Participate in the development and use of endorsed SPC/EQAP project guidelines and standards and apply those techniques to manage, implement and deploy approved ICT projects.
Software Customization for online courses and training
- Program rules in EQAP software to enable specified purpose.
- Customize software to enable the offer of short courses, training programs and learning management for schools in the region.
- Provide access and training for EQAP staff who use customized software.
Provide External and Internal Programming Support and Advice
- Support members of other EQAP sections to use software that are customized for their purposes.
- Support EQAP member countries to facilitate national training and assessment processes
- With the support of Analyst Programmers, provide basic and technical ICT training.
Helpdesk Support
- Provide support for helpdesk issues.
- Maintain effective communication with users.
- Follow up with users, provide feedback and see problems through to resolution.
For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.
Key selection criteria
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree from a recognized university preferably in IT and or programming.
Technical expertise
- 2 years of experience in applications programming.
- Developed web applications using .NET framework.
- Experience working with C#.
- Good understanding of database architecture.
- Has a strong SQL experience.
- Excellent problem-solving and organizational skills.
- Ability to work to a high degree of accuracy.
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 – Until 31st December 2027 – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.
Remuneration – The Junior Analyst Programmer 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.
How to apply
Application procedure
Closing Date – 19 November 2023 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)
Job Reference: MC000084
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.
Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.
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):
- Can you describe your experience with programming languages and tools relevant to this position or any other specific languages or frameworks you are familiar with?
- Could you provide an example of a challenging programming problem you’ve encountered in a previous role or project? How did you approach and solve it? What was the outcome?
- Effective collaboration is crucial in our development team. Can you share an example of a time you had to work with a cross-functional team or communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders? How did you handle it, and what was the result?