Economist – Fisheries

• Noumea-based position
• Attractive expatriate package
• Join the principal development organisation in the region

The Pacific Community (SPC) invites applications for the position of Economist – Fisheries within its Coastal Fisheries Programme located at its headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia.

Description

The Pacific Community 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 unique organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are renowned 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 Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division includes the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) and Coastal Fisheries Programme (CFP). CFP’s goal is to ensure that inshore fisheries, nearshore fisheries and aquaculture in Pacific Island countries and territories are managed and developed sustainably. The programme assists governments and administrations to develop scientifically informed and socially achievable coastal fisheries management policies and systems (national and community-based). It provides a regional framework for sustainable aquaculture, including planning, research and development, and trade, for Pacific Island governments, the private sector and other stakeholders. It assists in developing sustainable nearshore fisheries in Pacific Island countries and territories to provide food security, sustain livelihoods, promote economic growth and assist climate change adaptation.

The role – The Economist - Fisheries will provide economic advice, analysis and assessments of fisheries and aquaculture data and project proposals to government fisheries departments, stakeholders and the private sector, as well as providing training in regards to economics, cost-benefit analysis and business skills in the 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

1. Development & implementation of technical monitoring programmes for fisheries & aquaculture development initiatives

• Design and implement surveys and data collection systems for nearshore fisheries and/or aquaculture projects, appropriately utilizing current systems if they exist, while working closely with the Coastal fisheries Information and Database Manager.,
• Utilizing and developing new collection and analysis methodologies and new technology as required by the context.

2. Economic analysis & modelling of fisheries & aquaculture

• Lead CFP’s economic analysis and economic input. Providing, as appropriate, cost benefit analysis, economic modelling and evaluations of nearshore fisheries and aquaculture,
• Use economic modelling, theory and analysis to provide fisheries policy advice and information to SPC member countries. Where appropriate working with other SPC divisions and beyond.

3. National & community capacity development in support of fisheries & aquaculture development

• Formal, on-the-job training and mentoring of country counterparts including technical analysis, data collection and report writing as well as supervision of economic attachments to SPC,
• Provide community training on data collection, record keeping, financial skills and business management to enhance profitability and chance of business success for fisheries and aquaculture businesses.

4. Inter-agency networking and cross-sectoral collaboration

• Identify opportunities, develop and promote economic related projects within SPC and other regional and international organisations.
• Liaise and network with new projects, such as MFAT and the EU-PEUMP programme to provide economic input and assistance where needed.

5. Section administration & communication

• Manage the budgets of economic projects effectively to ensure value for money and all audit and other donor and SPC internal requirements are met,
• Keep abreast of economic context and development aspirations of PICTs and assist the DD CFP to build these into work programme.

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

Key selection criteria

1. Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in economics, resource/environmental economics, finance or a related field.

2. Technical expertise

• At least 8 years’ experience in economic data collection, analysis and advice for development projects, government policy or/and proposals.
• Knowledge and experience in preparing and running in-country data collection programmes, preferably experience of running programmes remotely via email, telephone or other forms of indirect communication.
• Knowledge and experience of data analysis, including cost-benefit and related analysis, descriptive analysis and statistical analysis.
• Ability to translate economic analysis into easily understood terms for non-experts.
• Experience providing economic advice to governments, senior officials and fishers or community members.

3. Language skills

• Excellent communication skills in English (oral and written) with the capacity to engage scientific, government, public and community audiences.
• A good level of French will be considered as an advantage.

4. Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Good interpersonal skills and good at working to deadlines.
• A team player, with the ability to network and work effectively in a multicultural setting.
• Cultural sensitivity and a demonstrated understanding of developing country environments.
• Knowledge of Pacific Island countries and territories is an advantage.

Salary, terms and conditions

Required start date – as soon as possible.

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

Remuneration – The Economist - Fisheries is a Band 11 position in SPC’s 2018 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 4,022–4,931 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately XPF 593,469–727,634 (USD 5,550–6,805; EUR 4,973–6,098). 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 based in New Caledonia – SPC provides subsidised housing in Noumea. Establishment and relocation grant, removal expenses, airfares, home leave, medical and life insurance, and education allowance are available for eligible employees and their recognised dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 days of annual leave and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution).

Equal opportunity – SPC is an equal opportunity employer. Recruitment is based entirely on merit; in cases where two short-listed candidates are judged to be of equal rank by the selection committee, preference will be given to Pacific Island nationals.

Child protection – SPC is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. SPC’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Police clearance – Successful candidates will be required to provide a police clearance certificate.

Languages – SPC’s working languages are English and French.

Application procedure

Closing date: 20^th of January 2019

Job Reference: AL000134

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

Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

All positions at SPC have specific screening questions. If you do not respond to all of the screening questions, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage.

Screening questions

1. Briefly describe a time where your analysis suggested a different approach to that expected by the stakeholders, how did you communicate this to your stakeholders, and what was the outcome?
2. With reference to your experience, describe how you would approach a community-based monitoring project.
3. What is the economic rationale for government intervention within a market?
4. SPC Child Policy question: have you been involved in any child-related legal convictions/offences?