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Post Description:  Biodiversity Adviser (BA)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Biodiversity Adviser is a key position within SPREP, providing advice and guidance to Pacific Island countries and territories in the delivery of national and regional programmes and projects to support their priorities for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The position is responsible to the Director, through the Programme Manager – Island Ecosystems, for the performance of the following primary duties:

•  Convention on Biological Diversity and other Partnerships

•  Provide technical and policy advisory support to Pacific island countries (PICs) on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) processes (e.g., CBD Island Biodiversity Programme of Work and the Programme of Work on Protected Areas) and other biodiversity related Convention and International Agreements.

•  Support PICs in the development and implementation of national biodiversity strategies and actio n plans and compilation of national reports to the CBD, and provide other technical backstopping, support and guidance to PICTs on biodiversity matters.

•  Assist PICs to develop regional positions in preparation for convention-related meetings, including the organisation and convening of regional preparatory meetings for CBD Conference of the Parties, and support at SBSTTA and COP meetings as required.

•  Develop new partnerships and maintain and strengthen existing partnerships to support PIC and territory policies and activities to conserve biodiversity, including existing agreements and collaboration with partners, including BirdLife International, Conservation International, IUCN, TNC, Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum and the Global Island Partnership.

•  Advise PICTs on the linkages between biodiversity and climate change and seek and secure funding opportunities that support initiatives aimed at enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and species to the predicted impacts of climate change.

•  Represent SPREP and liaise with sub-regional programmes such as the Micronesia Challenge and the Coral Triangle Initiative, to strengthen cooperation and coordination.

•  Provide advice to PICs on matters pertaining to developing and implementing projects funded by the GEF under the biodiversity Operational Programmes.

•  Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands Region

•  Facilitate PICT participation in the implementation of the Action Strategy in its current iteration for 2008-2012.

•  Participate in, and provide guidance to, the Roundtable (RT) for Nature Conservation and relevant working groups of the RT.

•  Collaborate with RT partners to support efforts to ensure that the RT, and implementation of the Action Strategy, achieves its objectives and is monitored and evaluated – including reviews and updates as required.

•  Assist partners to secure funds to support the maintenance of the Roundtable process and Action Strategy monitoring and evaluation.

•  Coordinate the planning, organizing of, and fund raising for the 9 th Conference on Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands region scheduled for 2012.

•  Programmatic coordination on biodiversity issues

•  Advise SPREP Management and POs on matters pertaining to prioritizing Secretariat’s resources to support biodiversity work in countries.

•  Collaborate with and advise other work areas of the Island Ecosystem Programme and the Pacific Futures Programme on biodiversity issues to ensure a coherent organisational approach, including biodiversity-related climate change, capacity building and education and social communication issues and initiatives.

•  Collaborate with all programme areas in the development and design of funding initiatives that support biodiversity objectives in the region.

•  Provide advice to the Secretariat and Members on conservation targets in the Pacific Plan and NBSAPs and their implications for programmatic and project delivery and how they can be monitored and achieved.

•  Staff management

•  Supervise and guide the delivery of outputs of the Invasive Species Officer and the Island Biodiversity Officer; and other short term contractors and programme staff that may be appointed to implement biodiversity priorities of SPREP Members from time to time.

•  Other duties as may be directed from time to time by the Director or his designated representative

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential:

•  Masters degree in biodiversity-related environmental science, environmental management, resource management or related natural science discipline; or Bachelor degree in lieu, with applied relevant work experience in excess of the minimum required relevant work experience.

•  At least 10 years relevant work experience with at least 5 years work experience at a senior level.

•  Proven strategic advisory, coordination, analytical, communication and facilitation skills.

•  Proven ability to establish effective partnerships to achieve successful outcomes.

•  Proven knowledge of nature conservation related conventions relevant to the region and

conservation issues in the Pacific island countries and territories.

•  Proven ability to develop policy strategies and programme proposals and have them implemented effectively.

•  Ability to undertake work programme planning and budgeting, deliver on agreed work programme outcomes and work as part of an interdisciplinary and multicultural team.

•  Familiarity with GEF and other multilateral and bilateral funding arrangements for biodiversity in the Pacific region.

•  Proven knowledge of and working experience with the Convention on Biological Diversity and familiarity with other relevant multi-lateral environment agreements; understanding of the work of the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation and other regional conservation initiatives would

be an advantage.

Highly desirable:

•  Experience working in the Pacific islands region

Terms and Conditions

Duty Station : Apia , Samoa .

Duration :   Appointment is for a term of 3 years initially with possible renewal up to a maximum of 6 years.

Grade :   Appointment will be at the Grade J of SPREP’s authorised salary scale for professional staff.

Salary : The basic salary range for this position is expressed in International Monetary Fund Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). The salary range is from 38,610 SDRs to a maximum of 51,441 SDRs (including COLDA), depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications and experience. Currently, the equivalent salary in Samoan Tala is $166,127 to a maximum of $221,336 per annum (including COLDA).

Adjustments : Professional staff salaries and appropriate allowances are paid in Samoan Tala and adjusted every month based on the monthly average in the value of the SDR relative to the Samoan Tala (SAT) at the time the salary payment is processed. SDR movement however is limited to within 5% above or below a reference point set annually. Remuneration is paid monthly in SAT equivalent. The international currency exchange rate at the time of writing is approximately USD1.00 = SAT2.70

Term : For those recruited from outside Samoa , the term begins from the day the appointee leaves his or her home to take up the appointment. Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical examination, as well as a 6 months’ probationary period. An appointment is terminated by (i) completion of term of contract (ii) one month’s notice by either party (iii) without notice by either party paying one month

alary in lieu of notice or (iv) dismissed with or without notice as a disciplinary measure.

For staff recruited from outside Samoa , the following applies:

Relocation Expenses : SPREP will meet certain appointment and termination expenses for professional staff recruited from outside Apia , Samoa, including transport and accommodation en-route for the appointee and accompanying dependent(s) between home and Apia , and return, by the shortest and most economical route. This includes:

•  economy class airfares;

•  reasonable cost of packing, insuring, shipping and transporting furniture, household and personal effects as follows:

•  6m 3 for the staff member;

•  2m 3 for dependent spouse;

•  1m 3 for each dependent child; and

•  up to 20 kilos of excess baggage for the appointee and family.

Establishment Grant : A lump sum, of SDR1,100 is payable upon taking up appointment and arrival in Apia .

Temporary Accommodation and Assistance : On arrival in Apia , the appointee and dependant(s) are entitled to temporary accommodation at a suitable hotel or other fully furnished accommodation for up to 6 working days. The appointee will be assisted to settle into Apia . This will include help in finding suitable rental accommodation.

School Holiday Travel : One return economy class flight each year between the place of education (taken to be recognised home) and Apia by (i) each dependant child being educated outside Samoa or (ii) the staff member or spouse to visit the child, providing the journey is not made within the final 6 months of the contract.

Home Leave Travel : Return economy class airfares between Apia and the recognised home for the staff member and dependants after completing 18 months of service for 3-year contracts providing no travel is undertaken within the final 12 months of the contract.

Privileges and Immunities : SPREP remuneration is tax-free for non-citizens or non-residents of Samoa , including duty-free importation of household and personal effects which have been owned and used by them for no less than six months, within 6 months of taking up appointment.

Repatriation allowance: The appointee is entitled to a repatriation allowance equivalent to two week’s salary, upon successful completion of contract, provided the contract is not extended or renewed.

For ALL professional staff, the following applies:

Cost Of Living Differential Allowance (COLDA) : Cost-of-living differential allowance reflects the comparative cost of living difference between Suva and Apia . This allowance is reviewed periodically based on data determined by an independent reviewer.

Education Allowance: Education expenses maybe reimbursed against actual receipts for dependant children, to cover up to 75% of the actual cost of tuition and boarding fees only. Currently the allowance is up to a maximum of Samoan Tala $15,600 per annum per dependant child, with an overall maximum of Samoan Tala $46,800 per annum per family of 3 or more eligible children.

Housing Assistance : Professional staff shall receive housing assistance of 75% of the typical rent payable in Samoa for expatriate executive furnished housing. The current rate is SAT$2,138 per month.  This assistance shall be reviewed annually and adjusted on relative movement in the local rental market.

Annual Leave : 25 working days a year (up to a maximum accumulation of 50 days).

Sick Leave: 30 working days a year (up to a maximum accumulation of 90 days).

Other Leave : Provisions also exist for maternity, family (compassionate and paternity) and special (without pay) leave.

Duty Travel : SPREP meets travelling expenses at prescribed rates necessarily incurred by staff required to travel away from Apia on official business.

Personal Accident Insurance : All employees are covered by SPREP’s 24 hour Life and Personal Accident Insurance Policy.

Medical Benefits : All employees and their dependants are entitled to have all reasonable medical, dental and optical expenses met, as determined by the Director, under the terms and conditions of the SPREP in-house Medical Treatment Scheme.

Superannuation : An expatriate contract staff member will receive a superannuation allowance of 7% of basic salary. For local contract staff, SPREP will pay 7% of basic salary to the Samoa National Provident Fund.

Definitions :

'Dependant' means the financially dependent spouse or dependent child of an employee.

'Dependent child' means an employee’s unmarried, financially dependent, natural or legally adopted child ho is:

(i) under the age of 16 years; or

(ii) under the age of 19 years if undertaking full-time study at a   secondary school; or

(iii) under the age of 22 years if enrolled and undertaking full-time study at a university or other tertiary institution; or

(iv) mentally or physically incapacitated. 

'Expatriate' means a professional staff member, not a citizen or permanent resident of Samoa, who resides in Samoa only by virtue of employment with SPREP.

Equal Opportunities : SPREP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Men and women are equally eligible for all posts in SPREP.

General : Appointment will be under the terms and conditions of SPREP’s Staff Regulations, a copy of which will be made available to the successful applicant.

Applications

Applications should include:

•  A detailed curriculum vitae containing full personal details (birth date, gender, nationality, marital status, number of dependents and age/s, health status, home address, and full contact numbers); qualifications and experience relevant for the position; previous and current appointments with salaries, names and contact addresses/numbers/E-mail of three professional referees who are prepared to provide testimonials.

•  A statement to address how each Essential Selection Criteria is met.

•  Available references from at least three recent employers and/or supervisors.

•  Indication of possible starting date if successful.

 

All applications to be clearly marked “Application for Biodiversity Adviser” and addressed to:

The Acting Director

SPREP                                                       Telephone:    (685) 21 929

P O Box 240                                                Fax:     (685) 20 231

Apia                                                             Email:           SPREP@sprep.org

Samoa

Closing date and time is close of business on Friday, 24 July 2009. Late applications will not be considered.

For further enquiries, the Personnel Officer can be contacted on telephone (685) 21929 ext 230 or Email: luanac@sprep.org