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 26 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 20 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.
SPC is committed to bringing together our deep sectoral expertise, research, relationships, and implementation experience into Flagship Programmes. These programmes accelerate our efforts to address the challenges and opportunities facing the Blue Pacific in the 21st century, and work together with our members and achieve impact for Pacific people. They support a transformation in our institutional effectiveness as part of SPC’s Strategic Plan 2022-2031 and the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific.
The threat of climate change demands SPC take a whole of organization response to this critical regional challenge. SPC is in the process of developing and strengthening a more strategic and integrated approach of climate change, through a Climate Change Flagship Programme (CCFP). This flagship seeks to enhance climate change services and capability in a more wholistic, strategic, and cohesive way.
The CCFP aims to bring greater visibility to the breath of SPC’s climate change action and related resilience work, progress this in a manner consistent with the demand for ambition and support from members and leverage the commensurate resources to support this. This aligns directly to the implementation of KFA 1: “Resilience and Climate Action” which is at the center of the new SPC Strategic Plan and should also help to define SPC’s value add more clearly to the region in the climate change space and its complementarity with the capability and services of other regional architecture supporting our members. The Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme (CCES) is charged with facilitating its development and implementation, however all divisions, teams, and programmes of SPC are also contributing.
The CCFP will be informed by SPC’s Strategic Plan, the FRDP, climate change and health priorities espoused by the Heads of sector meetings convened by SPC, its Governing Council, the 2050 Strategy, Pacific priorities in climate change negotiations and national policies.
The Climate Change and Health (CCH) Adviser will lead the provision of technical and strategic advice and support PICTs and SPC divisions in climate change and health programme activities. This includes strengthening the health sector’s participation in the Climate Change Agenda by placing human health issues at the center of climate discussions at the regional and global fora. The incumbent will support the coordination and development of SPC’s overall strategy for enhancing climate change and health related activities in collaboration with the Directors of Public Health and Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability and with the CCES/public health team and coordinate with relevant CROP and regional stakeholders.
The key responsibilities of the role include:
Lead the provision of technical and strategic advice and support in enhancing the role for the health sector in climate change related to diseases and premature deaths worldwide e.g., communicable disease surveillance, food system and security
- Lead in providing technical and strategic advice and support in enhancing climate change related diseases surveillance, monitoring, early warning systems and response to climate change related disasters.
- Support the coordination and development of SPC’s overall strategy for climate change and health and its links to the CC Flagship.
- Provide advice and analysis on the alignment between domestic and regional policy and international climate change negotiations related to climate change and health.
Lead the provision of technical strategic advice, coordinate, and guidance to PICTs on options for preventing climate change and minimizing health risks
- Serve as the technical focal point on climate change and health for SPC internally, members and external partners, ensuring a high level of coherence and coordination.
- Work with relevant divisions in SPC to identify, document and develop knowledge products and briefings on examples of climate change, health challenges and recommendations.
- Lead and consult with key stakeholders to inform SPC’s work in climate change and health.
Support PICTs through expanding public health services that address climate change e.g., improving infrastructure, public health practise, analysis on health costs of climate change where required
- Engage with local and foreign media ensuring messaging on climate change and health is appropriate and relevant to PICTs context.
- Provide advice to relevant SPC divisions ensuring they are well-informed of developments around climate change and health and are well briefed to engage with members and external stakeholders.
- Assist the Director CCES and executive in leading, developing and implementing inter-divisional programmes that mainstream climate change and health across the whole organisation, including supporting implementation of the Paris Agreement’s objectives by SPC’s programmes and operations.
Facilitate and support PICTs program and activities by leveraging opportunities available through climate finance for the health sector
- Identify health-specific climate change needs drawing from relevant national and regional documents (e.g., Country Programmes; NDCs; National Communications; NAPAs, NAPs, sectoral policies, regional frameworks) in coordination with SPC’s Climate Finance Unit (CFU) and the CCFP coordination arrangement.
- Engage with line ministries, sector specialists and government focal points on climate change and climate finance (e.g., NDAs) to identify national priorities for accessing climate finance, in consultation with CFU and the CCFP coordination arrangement.
- Map climate change priorities in health against funding sources to identify opportunities for accessing climate finance in collaboration with CFU and the CCFP.
Contribute as an active member of the OOD/HSS programme regarding programme planning, budgeting, reporting and publication
- Contribute to annual work plan development, budget management and funding application.
- Monitor to meet work plan target indicators and evaluate outcomes when required.
- Contribute to development of PHD resources, conducting operational research, producing technical reports and publications.
For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.
Key selection criteria
Qualifications
- Master level qualifications in environmental management, climate change and public health or relevant expertise in the health sector, disaster management or early warning systems.
Technical Expertise
- At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in climate change and/or environmental in relation to the health sector
- Highly developed planning skills.
- Demonstrated experience in representing in regional or international meetings.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in climate change and health and environmental sustainability at international, regional and national level relevant to the Pacific.
- Demonstrated experience with the development of policy and the provision of policy advice.
- Demonstrated experience supporting country delegations in international climate change and/or environmental negotiations.
- Demonstrated effective communication, knowledge product development, networking and coordination skills.
- Extensive knowledge of the Pacific region’s climate change and health strategies and positions and that of SPC’s Member States and territories.
Language skills
- Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness
- Cross-cultural skills and the ability to work with team members from different cultural backgrounds.
Salary, terms and conditions
Contract Duration – Until 31 December 2026 – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance
Remuneration – The Climate Change and Health Adviser is a Band 11 position in SPC’s 2023 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 3,091‒3,864 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 9,118–11,397 (USD 4,142–5,177; EUR 3,923–4,904). 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 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.
How to apply
Application procedure
Closing Date: 24 August 2023 – 11:59pm (Fiji time)
Job Reference: JM000460
Applicants must apply online
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
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):
Briefly describe (400 words or less):
- Climate change is affecting the health of people globally with extreme weather events having direct and indirect impacts on the physical, natural, and social systems on which health depends. Describe your experience in designing, developing, and implementing a tracking system with identification of appropriate indicators that can track health hazards, exposures and impacts of climate change.
- With the rapid rise in incidences of climate-related health hazards there is need for transformative, proactive, and effective adaptive measures to manage the health threats. Provide a relevant example and experience in planning and implementing adaptation plans and strategies addressing healthcare professionals and facilities and outline some of the lessons learnt.
- Despite the health vulnerabilities brought about by climate change placing health in the centre of climate change discussions remains an ongoing challenge. How would you ensure that climate change and health become standing agenda items in national, regional, and international fora.
