Fisheries and Livelihoods Adviser - Polynesia

Job Description

Description

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 unique organisation works across more than 25 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.

SPC Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division is composed of three programmes: the Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (CFAP); the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP); and the Marine Ecosystems Programme (MEP). The Director’s Office provides implementation support and strategic direction across the programmes and cross-cutting projects. Working with all 22 PICTs, SPC FAME has strong partnerships with regional, sub-regional and national entities working in the marine sector. SPC FAME staff are based in New Caledonia, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tonga, with most of the 165 plus staff being based in New Caledonia.

The role – the Fisheries and Livelihoods Adviser will provide expert guidance and support to strengthen, manage, and implement the anchored Fish Aggregating Device (aFAD) and nearshore fisheries livelihood components of the work programme of the Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme. This includes close collaboration with national and sub-national staff in Pacific Island Countries and Territories to strengthen national aFAD programmes, encompassing key areas such as aFAD fabrication, deployment, maintenance, training in effective aFAD-fishing methods, safety at sea, monitoring and data collection, post-harvest improvements, and market access opportunities.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

Provide technical support, practical guidance and logistical assistance to SPC Members to strengthen their national aFAD programmes based on SPC’s guidelines

• Assisting with the audit of progress already made in scaling-up of national aFAD programmes.
• Supporting the development of workplans for scaling-up national aFAD programmes based on the audit.
• Assisting with the review of national policies and regulations to identify barriers to the equitable, sustainable and safe use of aFAD
• Providing technical advice and hands-on training for national staff to implement sustainable aFAD programmes.
• Supporting national fisheries agencies to implement gender-responsive consultative stakeholder engagement processes to assist coastal communities to identify suitable sites for deploying aFADs.
• Assisting national fisheries agencies to procure aFAD materials and nearshore fishing equipment.
• Providing technical advice and hands-on training in aFAD fishing techniques, ensuring the integration of traditional knowledge.
• Supporting the establishment of nearshore catch and effort data monitoring and reporting by both fisheries agencies staff in SPC Members assigned to estimate the average annual catch per aFAD, and by SPC staff.

Provide support to strengthen national safety-at-sea initiatives

• Providing inputs to efforts to improve vessel design and sea safety for small-scale fishers.
• Assisting national fisheries agencies to procure sea safety equipment.
• Providing train-the-trainer courses in the use of boating safety equipment.

Assist in the delivery of training and support to specified SPC Members for post-harvest practices and improve market opportunities for aFAD-caught fish.

• Assisting with training of both national fisheries staff and communities in improved on-board fish handling and post-harvest methods for aFAD-caught fish (e.g. spike, bleed, ice, fillet, drying, smoking, etc.).
• Assisting national fisheries agencies to procure basic post-harvest equipment, including practical options for improving the cold chain.
• Supporting SPC Members to identify market opportunities for aFAD-caught fish.
• Supporting the development and dissemination of communication campaigns to raise awareness of climate change impacts on coral reef fisheries and the option to target nearshore pelagic species.

Contribute to effective administration, communication, and collaboration within CFAP, FAME and across SPC divisions, programmes, members, and partners

• Supporting the Principal Fisheries Adviser (Management and Livelihoods) and the Nearshore Fisheries Development & Livelihoods Specialist (FDLS) to prepare the CFAP annual work plans, budgets and reports.
• Complying with all SPC procedures for all activities undertaken.
• Contributing, where applicable, to programme, divisional, and corporate publications, such as fisheries newsletters, annual reports, and divisional reports for Heads of Fisheries and the Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture.
• Preparing inputs for all required donor reports using the appropriate templates, and SPC trip reports.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships between colleagues, key project partners, actors and stakeholders.
• Fills in for Management and Livelihoods Section staff when they are on leave or duty travel, when required.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• A recognised degree in fisheries development, fisheries training, seafood technology, nautical science or a related discipline or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 7 years’ experience in anchored Fish Aggregating Device (aFAD) (management, design, construction, site surveys, deployment, maintenance and/or monitoring).
• Knowledge and experience in a range of small-scale and medium-scale nearshore fishing methods, gears and techniques, e.g. midwater fishing, pole and line fishing, bait fishing, longline fishing, and/or night fishing techniques.
• Experience in seamanship, safety at sea, and fishing technologies training.
• Experience in nearshore fisheries on-board and/or post-harvest handling, value-adding, non-extractive livelihood activities.
• Experience in managing and/or implementing development assistance issues in a small island context, with experience working with a Polynesia government and with communities.
• Experience working with PC systems and MS Office/365 and Teams software.

Language skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written) in English, with the capacity to engage effectively with government, public and community audiences.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Willingness and demonstrated capacity to travel and undertake assignments in a number of SPC member countries, sometimes under difficult physical conditions.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – This vacant position is budgeted for 3 years and is subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – the Fisheries and Livelihoods Adviser is a band 10 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 3,142–3,886 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately USD 4,179–5,169 (EUR 3,848–4,760). An offer of appointment for an initial contract will normally be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale is based on annual performance reviews. SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in Tonga. Tonga nationals employed by SPC in Tonga will be subject to income tax.

Benefits for Staff in a position advertised internationally (EPAI) whose duty station is Nuku’alofa – SPC provides a housing allowance of USD 1,000–2,000 per month. Establishment and repatriation grant, removal expenses, airfares, home leave travel, health and life and disability insurances and education allowances are available for eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 working days of annual leave per annum and other types of leave, and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a 10% contribution).

Languages – SPC’s working languages are English and French.

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 bilinguism, 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 begiven to the Pacific Islander. Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s private policy.

Application procedure

Closing date: 19 October 2025 – 11:00 pm (Noumea time)

Job Reference: KK000100

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.

SPC does not charge a fee to consider your application and will never ask for your banking or financial information during the recruitment process.

Screening questions (maximum of 2.000 characters per question):

1. Can you describe technical or logistical support that you have engaged in to strengthen a national fisheries aFAD programme, and how you identified key implementation issues and used data to inform decision-making or improve programme outcomes?
2. Please describe your experience contributing to national safety-at-sea initiatives for small-scale fishers. Specifically, how have you supported safety equipment procurement and/or the delivery of train-the-trainer programs and or vessel design improvements? What approaches did you use to engage stakeholders and ensure practical uptake at the national level?
3. Can you share an example of working with national agencies, NGOs, or private sector partners to strengthen or encourage post-harvest initiatives or market linkages for marine products.

About the Organization

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 unique organisation works across more than 25 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.

SPC Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division is composed of three programmes: the Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (CFAP); the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP); and the Marine Ecosystems Programme (MEP). The Director’s Office provides implementation support and strategic direction across the programmes and cross-cutting projects. Working with all 22 PICTs, SPC FAME has strong partnerships with regional, sub-regional and national entities working in the marine sector. SPC FAME staff are based in New Caledonia, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tonga, with most of the 165 plus staff being based in New Caledonia.

More information