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Post Description:  Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) Coordinator

The position is responsible to the Programme Manager, Island Ecosystems through the Biodiversity Adviser.

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Network development & coordination

•  Help to consolidate and maintain existing PILN country and territory teams and invasive species committees, by encouraging the continued comprehensive inclusion of relevant agencies and regular team/committee meetings;

•  Continue the expansion of the Network by facilitating the formation of new committees or teams in additional Pacific countries and territories;

•  Secure finance for Network activities, including preparing funding proposals and reports;

•  Coordinate PILN activities with other regional invasive species programmes through the Pacific Invasives Partnership (PIP) and by contacts with individual agencies (CROP agencies, NGOs etc)

•  Engage PIP partners in the Network and its activities;

•  Organise and manage Network meetings;

•  Participate in and assist with the organisation of PIP meetings;

2. Technical assistance & training

•  Help individual teams and national invasive species committees to develop and implement their priority invasive species projects;

•  Address needs common to several countries by coordination with other agencies through PIP;

•  Identify opportunities for, and administer, learning exchanges, training workshops and similar events;

•  Provide specialist technical advice and respond to requests for information from participants, donors and other interested parties;

3. Communication & reporting

•  Maintain regular communication with Network members, including preparing and distributing to the Network the monthly email newsletter PILN Soundbites on invasive species issues in the region;

•  Formulate and disseminate lessons learned from invasive species management projects;

•  Share lessons learned and promote the learning network approach with partners and other agencies both within and outside the Pacific region.

•  Produce an annual work plan in close collaboration with the SPREP Invasive Species Officer and the Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII), and in consultation with other PIP partners and PILN members;

•  Write reports on specific activities as required.

•  Report twice per year on progress, activities and lessons learned, and on a practical set of indicators to monitor the progress and impact of PILN.

4. Other relevant duties as required from time to time.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

1. Minimum qualifications of a Bachelor degree in Ecology, Conservation, Natural Resource Management or a related field from a recognised tertiary institution (a postgraduate qualification would be an advantage);

2. At least 5 years relevant work experience particularly in one or more of the following: network design, management or coordination; invasive species research or management and biodiversity conservation;

3. Sound understanding of conservation and invasive species issues;

4. Excellent and demonstrated experience in the following areas:

•  Facilitation and communication skills, including writing skills, for a variety of audiences of varied educational and cultural background;

•  Project and programme management;

•  Fund-raising and budgeting skills;

•  Preparation of project proposals and reports and meeting tight deadlines;

5. Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment

6. Fluent in English with excellent inter-personal skills

Desirable

7. Demonstrated personal commitment to the overall goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable environmental management;

8. Demonstrated interest or involvement (including professional experience) in environmental, economic and social issues in the Pacific, particularly as they relate to invasive species management and biodiversity conservation;

9. Fluency in French.

Terms and Conditions

Duty Station : Apia , Samoa .

Duration :   Appointment is for a term of 3 years initially with a possible renewal for another 3 year term.

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 36,771SDRs (including COLDA) depending on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience. Currently, the equivalent salary in Samoan Tala is SAT$112,855 to SAT$154,354 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 = SAT2.79

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 salary 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 dependant(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.

Life & 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:

•  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 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 should include:

1. 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.

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

3. Names and contacts of at least three recent employers and/or supervisors.

4. Indication of possible starting date if successful.

All applications to be clearly marked “Application for Pacific Invasives Learning Network Coordinator” and addressed to:

The Acting Director, SPREP

P O Box 240

Apia

SAMOA

or alternatively to email address: sprep@sprep.org

Further information on this post can be obtained by contacting the Personnel Officer on telephone: (685) 21929 Ext. 230, Fax: (685) 20231, or direct Email: luanac@sprep.org

Closing date: Friday, 28 August 2009 (Samoan time) : Late applications will not be considered.

SPREP is an Equal Opportunity Employer