Statistics Adviser (Demography)

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 organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Statistics for Development Division (SDD)’s goal is to help the Pacific Island Countries and Territories achieve “highly competent and sustainable national statistics systems that meet national and international statistics needs for evidence-based policy, planning and monitoring.” SDD has a regional statistical system leadership and coordination role; and also supports the region directly in data infrastructure, collection, statistical methodology, analysis and dissemination.

The role – the Statistics Adviser (Demography) will support Pacific Island Country and Territory members to estimate and project populations and related demographic statistics. This includes analysis of census, vital statistics and immigration, advice, training and other forms of support.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Ways of working

• Contribute as an individual and team-member to the organisational or ‘ways of working’ objectives in the division business plan.
• Ensure SPC’s support for demographic estimates and projections is well planned with a rolling multi-year work program that is well coordinated with the rest of the team and division’s activities and ways of working as well as regional frameworks and priorities.
• Actively engage other divisional staff in demography activities through means such as peer review, shared projects, coordinated missions and tasks, and joint authorship, support professional development of junior staff.

Strategic demographic analysis for the region

• Keep up to date the 30-year projections of population distribution by age and sex for all SPC member countries and territories including all dissemination products.
• Ensure production of at least one knowledge product every six months on a demography-related topic and evidence they are being used.
• Ensure SPC is recognised as a successful leader promoting good practice in the Pacific with regards to demography.
• Regularly updated demographic indicators in PDH.Stat.

Country-level demographic analysis

• Ensure census analytic reports and other demographic analyses are supported by SPC and is completed to a high quality and in a timely fashion.
• Undertake analysis of vital statistics, and cause of death data and ensure SPC meets a reasonable portion of the demand for direct support in this space.
• Support the rest of statistics collections team to a high standard on data processing and analysis of surveys and censuses as it relates to demographic issues.

Technical assistance, training and support

• Train Staff from national statistics offices and relevant staff in line ministries in how to produce standard demographic measures
• Identify Opportunities for collaboration and south-south capacity building.
• Support countries in census questionnaire design to ensure the data collected meets the needs of users, and delivers the indicators required for demographic analysis and reporting.
• Ensure relationships with key stakeholders – in member countries, donors, and implementation partners – are positive.
• Identify opportunities for progress on issues relating to population registries and use of administrative data for census purposes.
• Make a tangible contribution to progress in the countries SPC is working with towards regular estimates of population change based on administrative data (births, deaths, immigration).

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in demography, statistics, or other academic discipline related to the role, or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• 10 years of relevant experience in demography, statistics or related area.
• Applying data analysis and statistical methods with specialist software for reports and presentations for a range of audiences.
• Experience in designing and delivering training for professionals.
• A good understanding of the challenges that developing countries (particularly small island states) face, in the management of census collections, civil registries and the collection, production and use of official statistics.

Language skills

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written) with a working knowledge of French being an advantage.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to work in a multicultural, inclusive and equitable environment.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – 3 years – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – The Statistics Adviser (Demography) is a band 11 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale, with a starting salary range of SDR (special drawing rights) 3,245-4,057 per month, which converts to approximately FJD 9,768–12,211 (USD 4,316–5,395; EUR 3,975–4,969). 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. Remuneration of expatriate SPC staff members is not subject to income tax in Fiji; Fiji nationals employed by SPC in Fiji will be subject to income tax.

Benefits for Staff in a position advertised internationally (EPAI) whose duty station is Suva – SPC provides a housing allowance of FJD 1,500–5,200 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 bilingualism, 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 be given to the Pacific Islander. Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s Privacy Policy.

Application procedure

Closing Date: 9 November 2025 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JM000907

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.

For international staff in Fiji, only one foreign national per family can be employed with an entity operating in Fiji at any one given time. SPC may assist on a case-by-case basis with submissions to Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their consideration and final approval. SPC cannot and does not make any guarantee whatsoever of approval for such applications to Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs and where an application is approved, the spouse or partner will subject to such terms and conditions as may be set from time to time by the Ministry.

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 your experience analysing census data to calculate indicators and monitor population trends.
2. What would be the best advice for a Pacific Island government on long term investments to improve quality of its population estimates and projections?
3. What are some of the recent trends in demography, statistics or data science that could be useful for demographic analysis in the Pacific and how does your experience show you could apply these?

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