Executive Office Manager - Suva

Country: Fiji Organization: Pacific Community Closing date: 20 Sep 2026 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 Executive is made up of the Office of the DG based in Noumea and the Offices of the two DDGs. The DDG Science and Capability based in Suva has oversight of the eight technical divisions (Climate Change and Sustainability – CCS, Education Quality and Assessment – EQAP, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems – FAME, Geoscience, Energy and Maritime – GEM, Human Rights and Social Development – HRSD, Land Resources Division – LRD, Public Health Division – PHD, and Statistics for Development – SDD), SPC’s Flagships (Climate Change, Digital, Food Systems, Gender, and Oceans) and Suva-based operations. The DDG, Operation and Integration has oversight of the Operations and Management Directorate (finance, human resources, IT, publications, property & facilities management, translation and interpretation, legal services, travel, library and administration) and for all regional offices based outside of the Noumea headquarters and the Suva campus. The role – Executive Office Manager – Suva will have a key role in the Deputy Director-General’s Office. The role will coordinate and is responsible for the overall management of the Executive Deputy Director-General Office in Suva. The Executive Office Manager Suva is expected to manage the daily activities of the office and liaise with all internal and external clients, ensuring a professional level of service and support to the Deputy Director-General and other members of the Executive when in Suva. The role will work under direct supervision of the Deputy Director-General and in close collaboration with the Suva-based senior leadership team for Divisions, Projects and Programme Support. The key responsibilities of the role include: Executive Office Administration and Executive Support • Manage the daily operations of the Suva Executive Office and acting as the focal point for information concerning Executive Office activities. • Provide administrative and secretarial support to the Deputy Director-General and other members of the Executive Office, screening and redirecting inquiries where appropriate. • Draft routine correspondence, which may include undertaking desk or file research as required. • Maintain a calendar of appointments, meetings, travel missions and other events for members of the Executive Office, and implementing all associated organisational arrangements, including the provision of briefs. • Arrange programme of visits for consultants and high-level dignitaries when requested. Correspondence, Information and Records Management • Monitor incoming requests to the Executive Office and ensuring a trackable system of necessary responses. This should be as automated and streamlined as possible to allow performance measurement of response times. • Manage all official correspondence to SPC member countries and territories, including circulars, recruitment notices and meeting announcements. • Control correspondence and office records using computerised, modern office systems. • Examine and recording incoming papers and correspondence and determining required action, including proper handling of the confidential correspondence and information that regularly pass through the office. • Ensure smooth communication flow to and from the Executive Office with internal and external clients, with a particular focus on the link between Suva hub and Noumea headquarters plus the Pohnpei, Port Vila and Nukuʻalofa Regional offices. Governance, Meetings and Stakeholder Coordination • Coordinate secretariat and logistics for committee meetings and workshops led by the DDG. • Coordinate the flow of meeting documents with Publications, Translation and Printery and finalising documents for dissemination to member countries within appointed timeframe. • Prepare letters of invite to member countries, CROP and development partners. • Follow-up on all of the above in liaison with official contacts in member countries. • Assist country participants in responding to their needs when attending above meetings. • Manage official functions during CRGA and Conference meetings in collaboration with the Events and Protocol Lead. Financial, Travel and Operational Support • Monitor the Executive Office Suva budget. • Process purchase orders (PO’s), supporting documents and account codes for validity, accuracy and completeness and preparing timely and accurate purchase orders and ensuring commitment lists remain accurate for Suva Executive Office. • Arrange and manage the DDG’s travel, through liaison with travel providers, visa processing, protocol arrangements and facilitate travel reporting and acquittal as needed. • Manage administrative functions relating to meetings. • Work closely with SPC’s Travel team on all requests. For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description. Key selection criteria Qualifications • A degree in a relevant field such as business administration or equivalent body of knowledge and experience. Technical expertise • At least 10 years of relevant experience, including a minimum of 5 years managing an executive office. • Demonstrated ability to identify, analyse and resolve operational issues within an executive office setting. • Ability to prioritise competing demands and manage work schedules effectively to meet strict deadlines and commitments. • Advanced proficiency in the use of computer applications and modern office systems, including Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint) and digital collaboration tools. • Excellent interpersonal, public relations and stakeholder management skills. 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 Executive Office Manager – Suva is a band 9 position in SPC’s 2026 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 2,399‒2,998 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 7,412–9,265 (USD 3,214–4,018; EUR 2,900–3,625). 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. How to apply Application procedure Closing Date: 20 September 2026 at 11:59pm (Fiji time) Job Reference: JM000981 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): • Describe the key skills, knowledge, and experience you believe are essential for success in the Executive Office Manager role. Provide examples of how you have demonstrated these capabilities in previous positions. • Describe two significant professional achievements from the past five years that best demonstrate your suitability for the Executive Office Manager role. For each achievement, outline the context, actions you took, and the outcomes achieved. • Provide an example of your experience supporting the planning and delivery of high-level international meetings, summits, governing body sessions, or conferences (e.g., CRGA or similar events). Describe the approach(es) you used to coordinate stakeholders, manage logistics, mitigate risks and ensure successful outcomes.