Programme Manager - Operations and Integration

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.

The role – the Programme Manager - Operations and Integration will serve as a pivotal anchor for the Operations and Integration pillar and will be responsible for embedding cross-functional coordination and sustainability outcomes into business operations and programme support. The Programme Manager in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team will drive integration across centralized functions: Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, Procurement, Grants, Travel, Facilities, Programme Support, and Enabling Services.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

Operations and Integration Portfolio Management

• Lead the planning, coordination, and day-to-day management of the O & I portfolio, including updates to the Business Plan – synchronising resources, programme key result areas (KRAs), and governance reporting requirements across functions.
• Co-develop and implement an integrated planning framework and performance dashboard that synchronizes objectives, resources, and timelines across business and programme support functions (Finance, HR, Information Systems, Procurement, Grants, Travel) and Regional/Satellite Offices, enabling implementation of the O &I Business Plan and OTP Change Roadmap
• Contribute to governance meetings and processes for effective cross-functional and regional decision-making and reporting.

Strategic Engagement and Communications for Integration

• Design and lead a co-created stakeholder engagement and communication strategy focused on building a shared understanding and ownership of the O & I Business Plan and OTP goals across all levels and locations, fostering a culture of collaborative integration.
• Co-create sustainability pathways and narratives with Directors, mobilizing staff to embed gender equitable, socially inclusive, and environmentally responsible knowledge 05and practices into O& I workflows.
• Proactively engage and build strong collaborative relationships with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure buy-in, address concerns, and facilitate joint working.
• Coordinate initiatives and communications to promote a shared understanding of the portfolio’s integration and sustainability actions, and results across the organisation.

Knowledge management, MEL, and Sustainability Performance

• Co-design, implement, and manage the O &I MEL plan to monitor performance, sustainability, and integration milestones, results, and lessons learned.
• Coordinate the O & I contributions to knowledge management practices to capture, document, share, and utilise insights, best practices, and operational learning for organisational improvements and reporting.
• Collaborate with the communications and science, and technical teams to coordinate training and awareness of organisation-wide learning sessions for O & I initiatives, policy instruments, SOPS, including mainstreaming tools.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in business management, commerce, law, international relations, or a related field, or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• A minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in programme management or a related role within business or operations teams.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of programme planning and design, technical cooperation, adaptive MEL, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience in knowledge management.
• Good research and analytical skills.
• Able to apply sound judgment in the context of assignments given.
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Word and Excel).

Language skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to work self-sufficiently and self-motivate.

Salary, terms and conditions

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

Remuneration – The Programme Manager - Operations and Integration is a band 12 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale with a starting salary range of SDR (special drawing rights) 5,012-6,169 per month, which converts to approximately XPF 732,625-901,722 (USD 6,667-8,205; EUR 6,139-7,556). SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in New Caledonia. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will normally be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews.

Benefits for Staff in a position advertised internationally (EPAI) whose duty station is Noumea – SPC provides housing support in Noumea. 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: 31 August 2025 – 11:00 pm (Noumea time)

Job Reference: CR000469

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. Describe an instance where you designed or led the integration of operations across centralized functions (e.g., Finance, HR, Procurement, Grants) within a developing country or regional context. What challenges arose due to the context, and how did you ensure sustainability outcomes were embedded?  
2. How have you developed and utilised MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning) frameworks to track and improve the sustainability performance (e.g., operational efficiency, environmental/social impact, resilience) of integrated operations in a developing or regional setting? Provide a concrete example of an adaptation made based on MEL data.  
3. Share an example of how you established or significantly enhanced a knowledge management system to support cross-functional coordination and sustain integrated operations/sustainability practices in a challenging environment. How did you ensure accessibility and usability for diverse teams?

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.