Procurement and Grants Assistant

• Attractive local package
• Friendly and supportive team environment
• Join the principal development organisation in the Pacific region

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 20 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 Operations and Management Directorate (OMD) provides corporate services to all SPC divisions and programmes. It consists of three key teams: Finance, Human Resources and Information Services. OMD is focused on improving the effectiveness of systems, policies and management so as to provide high-quality customer-oriented services.

The Procurement and Grants Assistant will support procurement and grants activities. This role will also provide high quality advice and customer service that will contribute to the Procurement and Grants Team reforms.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Operations: Procurement and grants

• Supporting divisions with procurement and grants planning
• Assisting with drafting tender documentation for Request For Proposal processes
• Assisting with developing call for proposal documentations for grants processes
• Assisting with operational capacity assessments

Teamwork

• Contributes to the Procurement and Grants Team
• Risks and any ethical issues identified and escalated

Advice and client service

• Provide high quality customer service on procurement and grants issues
• Provide professional and sound service to the divisions, and assist with providing service to the Procurement Committee to assist with procurement and grants decisions
• Respond to queries through Helpdesk

Record Keeping

• Support reporting and ensure dashboard is accurate and up to date
• Record keeping is accurate

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in procurement, finance, administration or a related field

Knowledge and experience

• At least 2 years’ experience in providing administrative support
• Strong research skills
• Knowledge and experience with procurement processes       

Essential skills

• Customer service and teamwork
• Demonstrated organisational skills with ability to prioritise workload and complete work within deadlines
• Excellent PC-based computer skills, including sound knowledge of Microsoft Office products (MS Word, Excel, Sharepoint)
• Meticulous attention to detail

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 – 3 years – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance

Remuneration – The Procurement and Grants Assistant is a Band 6 position in SPC’s 2022 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of 1,846-2,308 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 – 23 May 2022 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JR000039

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.

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

1. Please describe your past experience in supporting procurement and/or grants activities.
2. What are the key elements for delivering good quality customer service? Please provide an example of how you have applied these in the past.
3. Please provide an example of when you have actively contributed as part of a team to deliver high quality results.
4. What interests you about this role at SPC?