Grant Coordinator

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) is an international organisation that provides technical and policy advice and assistance, training and research services to its Pacific Island members. SPC works in a wide range of sectors with the aim of achieving three development outcomes – sustainable economic development, sustainable natural resource management and development, and sustainable human and social development.

SPC’s headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia. It has regional offices in Suva, Fiji Islands, and Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and country offices in Honiara, Solomon Islands and Port Vila, Vanuatu. Additional information on SPC, particularly regarding its work in specific sectors, can be found on its website: www.spc.int.


PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION

SPC’s Public Health Division (PHD) supports the development of healthier Pacific Island communities through four broad objectives:

1. Combat and reduce the overall impact and burden of diseases
2. Contribute to strengthening national health systems
3. Increase the capacity of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to address non-health sector determinants of health
4. Increase the efficiency and impact of interventions

After a period of very rapid growth, PHD has staff based in Noumea, Suva, Pohnpei, Honiara and soon in Port Vila.

The primary focus of PHD is to provide technical assistance and implement programmes in support of countries’ priorities and plans.

PHD is undergoing a period of organisational restructuring, with the changes being progressively implemented during early 2011. The change in the PHD organisational structure supports the implementation of the new PHD strategic plan 2010–2014 and strengthens PHD’s ‘whole-of-health’ approach.

PHD’s new organisational structure will consist of three functional units: 1) Disease Surveillance, Research, and Control; 2) Health Advancement; and 3) Grant Management. It will also include two support teams under the Office of the Director: 1) Management Support and 2) Monitoring and Evaluation.

Information on PHD and the division’s strategic plan is available at www.spc.int/php.


PHD GRANT MANAGEMENT UNIT

In recent years the business model for PHD has changed substantially. Previously the division primarily provided technical assistance, but an increasing amount of PHD work now involves grant management. PHD has increasingly become a conduit to channel funds to countries, including to government and civil

society organisations. In 2011, grants to countries are budgeted at around USD 15 million, with the main funding streams being the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Pacific Islands HIV and STI Response Fund; the Pacific Regional Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Project and the Pacific Non-Communicable Disease Framework 2-1-22 grants supported by Australia and New Zealand.

The Grant Management Unit (GMU) is a facility within PHD set up to manage public health-related grants to sub-recipients including PICTs, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), regional organisations and civil society organisations in a harmonious and coordinated way. The unit will adopt and advise on best grant management practices and enhance overall PHD capability for harmonised and high quality management of programmes and projects.

GMU will begin with the harmonisation and standardisation of grant management processes and procedures for two of PHD’s largest donor projects, the Multicountry Western Pacific project (managing Global Fund grants) and the Pacific Response Fund, to deliver high quality, performance based funding services to member countries and regional partners.

GMU comprises three teams: 1) the Grant Coordination Team, 2) the Finance Team and 3) the Procurement and Supply Management Team.

The Grant Coordination Team has the responsibility for the day-to-day operational, strategic and pragmatic management (including risk management strategies) of the PHD grant portfolio. This includes maximising grant utilisation, grant implementation, and impact as well as verification to ensure compliance with donor requirements, while improving the alignment of funds and reporting processes with national systems. The team contributes to the ‘whole-of-health’ approach of PHD. Within the team, expertise on the management of specific disease grants or funding streams will be gathered so as to ensure coverage of all issues under a team approach.

The position is a member of the GMU Grant Coordination Team. All Grant Coordinators and Grant Officers bring grant management, project management and systems improvement expertise to GMU and PHD.

Working under the leadership of the Grant Coordination Team Leader, the position will handle a country portfolio in line with the country-based approach that PHD is moving into. This will bring to the role grant management responsibilities across the whole of the PHD portfolio, including disease surveillance, control and response, as well as health advancement funding frameworks.

The overall scope of the role, and in particular the internal and external working relationships at SPC, may be affected as a result of ongoing organisational reform.


KEY RESULT AREAS

The position of Grant Coordinator encompasses the following major functions or key result areas under the PHD strategic plan objectives:

Overall burden and impact of diseases

1. National and regional strategies
• Provide oversight and make sure grant implementation is in line with agreements and funding and aligned with national plans and priorities.

Strengthened national health systems

2. Country capacity building
• For the countries under the position’s responsibility, develop the capacity, in particular human and financial, and systems of implementing partners to transparently and systematically utilise donor funding to achieve national programme outcomes.
Determinants of health

3. Gender and human rights sensitivity
• Contribute to initiatives to increase country and partner planning for, and evaluation of, efforts to reduce gender- and sexual orientation-based barriers to achieving universal access to services.

4. Multi-sectoral approaches
• Develop activities with partners, governments, administrations and other regional organisations to foster multi-sectoral approaches to public health and health determinants.

Scope, efficiency and impact of interventions

5. Optimised investments
• Ensure timely completion of grant signature, commencement, and grant-renewal documentation by country and other implementers in Vanuatu.

6. Quality and compliance
• Verify and monitor grant recipients’ programmatic performance and financial reporting on the implementation of health programmes and recommend appropriate actions and financial disbursements based on performance-based programme management.
• Under the leadership of the Team Leader, contribute to the establishment and/or strengthening of controls by SPC and country and regional implementing partners to ensure routine compliance with donor requirements.

7. Information sharing
• Contribute to build national capacity (both government and civil society) in effective financial and programme management tools and methods.

8. Alignment and harmonisation
• Provide proactive, strategic contributions to regional efforts to increase overall value for money in common procurement and supply management needs for PICTs under donor-funded programmes.


QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential
• Graduate qualification in a field relevant to the position (public health, management or international development), or a minimum of 8 years of prior work experience in roles that demonstrate professional equivalence.
• Background knowledge in public health (specifically malaria knowledge based on academic and/or work experience).
• At least 5 years of previous experience in grant management or project management in a developing country setting that includes contracting, accounting and financial management responsibilities.
• Previous experience in design and evaluation of major development projects.
• Demonstrated skills in cross-cultural communication (written and oral) and teamwork with people from different cultural and educational backgrounds.
• Experience dealing with senior level officials on issues requiring tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills.
• Willingness to travel and undertake overseas assignments in SPC countries and beyond.
• Computer skills using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Professional fluency, both oral and written, in English.


Desirable
• Experience working on a public health project or programme in either a government department or civil society, ideally in a Pacific Island setting.
• Grant making/grant management experience.
• Financial management experience.
• Experience working with development partners.
• Knowledge of disease areas such as TB, HIV/STIs, non-communicable diseases, and vector borne diseases.
• Training experience.
• Demonstrated work experience in developing countries, especially in the Pacific region and working with vulnerable and at-risk groups.
• Working knowledge of French.


SALARY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS


SALARY AND ALLOWANCES

The position is in band 11 of SPC’s salary scale.

Professional salaries at SPC are set in SDR (Special Drawing Rights) and paid in the local currency (i.e. the Vatu, VUV, in Vanuatu). The salary range for this grade is SDR 3,273–4,769 per month. At prevailing exchange rates these amounts convert into approximately VUV 499,577–727,920 per month (USD 5,400–7,800, Euros 3,900–5,600).

An offer of appointment for an initial contract will made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications.

SPC subsidises housing. A housing allowance equal to 75% of the rental value will be provided, subject to certain restrictions and limits as specified in SPC’s housing policy.

In addition, an establishment grant is payable to non-residents of Vanuatu. Where appropriate, other allowances, such as an education allowance, may be payable.

Salaries are not subject to income tax in Vanuatu at the present time.


PROVIDENT FUND

The appointee will be eligible for membership in SPC’s Staff Provident Fund. Staff members contribute 8 per cent of their base salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution.


TENURE

The appointment is for a period up to 30 June 2013, with the possibility of renewal for a further period depending on performance and continued funding availability.


DUTY STATION

Port Vila, Vanuatu.



LEAVE

Annual leave will accrue at the rate of 25 working days per annum. Sick leave is 30 working days per annum.


MEDICAL BENEFITS

SPC’s Staff Medical Insurance reimburses doctor fees, cost of prescribed medicines, surgical and hospital costs, etc. up to certain percentages and limits. Supplementary medical insurance is available to increase these percentage reimbursements and limits.


FARES AND REMOVAL EXPENSES

For an appointee recruited outside of Vanuatu, the cost of air fares by the most direct and/or economic route for the appointee and recognised dependants, and reasonable removal expenses by sea of personal and household effects, will be met by SPC on appointment and termination.


COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

SPC has a standardised computing environment based on Microsoft Office running under Microsoft Windows.


SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT

Smoking is not permitted in the work place.


EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

SPC is an equal-opportunity employer. Recruitment is based on merit. If two short-listed candidates are judged to be equally qualified, preference will be given to Pacific Island nationals.


APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The closing date for applications is 15 April 2011.

Applicants are asked to use SPC’s online recruitment system by following the link http://www.spc.int/job.html.

Applicants who cannot access the online recruitment system may send their documents to: Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, P.O. Box D5, 98848 NOUMEA CEDEX, New Caledonia or submit them by fax (+687 26 38 18) or email (spc@spc.int, preferably as an electronic attachment in Microsoft Word format).

Applicants should provide their curriculum vitae and specifically address how their qualifications, knowledge and experience demonstrate their ability to successfully undertake the duties and responsibilities of the position in their cover letter. They should also provide names and contact details of three referees.