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Post Description:  Environmental Officer (EO)

Background

Applications are invited for the above position with SPREP in Samoa. Appointment would be for a 3-year term initially with possible renewal up to a maximum of 6 years.

SPREP is an Intergovernmental Organisation that assists Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to protect and manage their environment to ensure they achieve sustainable development for present and future generations. SPREP’s membership comprises 21 Pacific Island countries and territories, together with 4 developed countries . It has a total staff of about 70 professional and support staff.

The SPREP Strategic Programmes is delivered through two programmes; Island Ecosystems and Pacific Futures. The Island Ecosystems Programme includes components of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems management, species of special interest and people and institutions. The Pacific Futures programme includes components of waste management and pollution control, climate change and atmosphere, environment planning, monitoring and reporting, multilateral environmental agreements and regional coordination mechanisms.

The IRCM has dual responsibilities – as Librarian and head of the Information Resource Centre and also a project officer to the EC funded Pacific Environmental Information Network (PEIN) project due to expire in June 2008.

To deliver on this mandate, SPREP is seeking a suitably qualified Environmental Officer to provide technical expertise in the area of environmental policy, planning, monitoring and reporting.

American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Sates of America, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

The Environmental Officer (EO) will be responsible to the Director, through the Pacific Futures Programme Manager, primarily to undertake the following responsibilities:

•  Develop and deliver a coherent programme of work for the Secretariat in relation to environmental policy, planning, monitoring and reporting;

•  Be a source of expertise within SPREP, and for the Pacific Region, with respect to technical aspects of this work programme;

•  Provide expert advice to SPREP member countries on key environmental policy, planning, reporting and monitoring across the region; and

•  Ensure that best practice in these technical areas is reflected, where appropriate, across the whole of SPREP’s Strategic Programme activities.

Specifically, the EO is expected to perform the following principal duties:

•  Provide advice within the Secretariat and to SPREP members in relation to the following issues: environmental assessment, state of environment monitoring and reporting, and environmental policy and planning;

•  Identify and implement ways of enhancing the national and regional capacity for State of The Environment Reporting

•  Identify and implement ways of improving access to and use of strategic environmental planning tools and mechanisms (including Environmental Impact Assessments) in the region

•  Identify and implement means for mainstreaming environmental issues into national planning and development processes

•  Develop assessment tools and provide technical advice to SPREP members in relation to approaches and techniques for environmental assessment, monitoring and reporting and integrated planning systems;

•  Provide technical inputs to national and regional environmental governance initiatives and processes;

•  Provide input into projects and activities related to the Pacific aspects of the Global Environment Outlook process,

•  Ensure effective coordination of relevant SPREP activities with donors, international and regional organisations and collaborating institutions working in the region;

•  In conjunction with other programme staff and Management identify and secure funds and other support for the work program; and

Any other duties consistent with the above as assigned by the Director and/or Management from time to time.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Essential

•  Appropriate tertiary qualifications (a post-graduate qualifications would be an advantage) from a recognised institution in a relevant discipline;

•  Sufficient understanding to be considered a source of expert advice across the region on or more of the following: environmental assessment, environmental monitoring, environmental reporting, environment policy, environmental planning; and

•  Five years' work experience, preferably at a senior level and within the Pacific islands region, in a field related to environmental governance.

Highly Desirable

•  Proven project management experience and ability to prepare proposals and reports;

•  Ability to manage the work of consultants and to meet project deadlines, often under difficult circumstances; and

•  Proven ability to lead and work as part of an inter-disciplinary and/or multi-cultural team; and to live and work within Pacific island communities.

Terms and Conditions

Duty Station: Apia, Samoa.

Duration:   Appointment is for a term of 3 years initially with a possible renewal for a further 3 year period depending upon the officer’s performance during the first term, continuity of related programme activities and availability of funds.

Grade:   Appointment will be at the Grade I 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 26,885 SDRs to a maximum of 36,771 SDRs (including COLDA), depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications and experience. In March 2006, the equivalent salary in Samoan Tala is SAT$110,471 to a maximum of SAT$151,092 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 = SAT2.95.

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.Termination is by way of either (i) completion of term of contract or (ii) by way of one month’s notice by either party.

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 unpacking furniture, household and personal effects as follows:

     - 6m3 for the staff member;

     - 2m3 for dependent spouse;

     - 1m3 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 dependent(s) are entitled to temporary accommodation at a suitable hotel or other fully furnished accommodation for up to 6 working days.  Appointee will be assisted to settle into Apia. This will include help in finding suitable rental accommodation.

School Holiday Travel: One return economy class airfare between the place of education or recognized home and Apia each year (except the last) to enable a dependent child being educated outside Samoa to visit parents, or either parent to visit the child.

Home Leave Travel: One return economy class airfare home after completing 18 months of service (for a 3-year term) except the last year, for the appointee and dependent(s).

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.

For ALL professional staff, the following applies:

Cost of living differential allowance: Cost-of-living differential allowance reflects the difference in the cost of living 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 dependent 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 dependent child, with a maximum of Samoan Tala $46,800 per annum per family of 3 or more eligible children.

Housing Assistance: A rental assistance of 75% of the rent payable in Samoa for expatriate executive furnished housing is a component of remuneration for all professional staff. This supplement is currently under review.

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 Insurance: All employees and their dependents are entitled to have all reasonable medical, dental and optical expenses met by SPREP or by SPREP’s medical insurance 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:

“Dependent” means the financially dependent spouse or dependent child of an employee.

“Dependent child” means an employee’s unmarried legally and financially dependent natural or legally adopted child who is:

- under the age of 16 years; or

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

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

- 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 opportunities 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 must address selection criteria and be accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae containing full personal details (birthdate, sex, 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. References, if available, are to accompany your application from three recent employers and/or supervisors. In addition, application should include copies of academic qualifications. Application should also indicate how soon you are available to start if successful, and must be addressed to:

The Director
SPREP                      Telephone: (685) 21 929
PO Box 240                Fax: (685) 20 231
Apia, Samoa               E-mail: SPREP@sprep.org

Closing Date: 19 May 2006.  Late applications will not be considered.