Principal Fisheries Scientist (Ecosystem Based Management)

The Principal Fisheries Scientist (Ecosystem Based Management) will lead and develop the Ecosystem-based Management section in accordance with the FAME priority projects and Business Plan to provide the highest possible quality scientific advice and capacity-building support to Pacific Island government fisheries managers and, to the WCPFC.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

Lead and develop the Ecosystem-based Management section in accordance with the FAME priority projects and Business Plan to provide the highest possible quality scientific advice and capacity-building support to Pacific Island government fisheries managers and, to the WCPFC.

• Assists FAME’s Deputy Directors in strategic planning to ensure that the fisheries science work meets the needs of SPC members and other Programme clients and partners.

• Coordinates reporting for projects supervised by the position to associated project management units, steering committees, and other bodies, as appropriate.

• Oversees procurement of goods and services for activities supervised by the position, ensuring compliance with SPC policies.

• Oversee (as required) the disbursement of funds to project partners and sub-grantees and monitor expenditure and associated reporting obligations.

• Develops, in consultation with PMU Coordinators and FAME’s Deputy Directors and other senior FAME staff, the annual fisheries science work plan and work plan reports consistent with the FAME Business and strategic plans and available funding.

• Manages the activities directly supervised by the position consistent with annual work plans and available funding.

• Supervises the implementation of the SPC staff performance planning and management system for direct and indirect reports and facilitates ongoing professional development of staff.

• Contributes to Programme, Divisional and Organisational publications and reports.

• Prepares and review papers for publication in peer reviewed journals, books chapters or other resources, and support the coastal fisheries science staff to publish.

• Present, and support the staff to report, the results and findings of the SPC-FAME work at appropriate fora.

Oversight and promotion of strategic direction of FAME Science to support current and emerging science needs and priorities of member and regional fisheries policy, management and sustainable development

• Consults effectively with SPC member fisheries administrations regarding their fisheries applied science needs and priorities.

• Oversees the strategic direction and focus of FAME Science to support members’ fisheries applied science needs and priorities.

• Ensures the Science team that is supervised provides appropriate and relevant scientific support to other FAME sections.

• Oversees and supports the delivery of the objectives of specific projects which the position is required to implement, either additional to or supporting the regular work programme.

• Ensure that the cross-cutting SPC ‘people centred approach’, appropriate climate resilience, and the Precautionary Approach are incorporated into work.

• Oversee the coordination of communications, MEL, and gender/human rights in all work undertaken and supervised by the position.

Lead the research, development, application, and capacity-building of innovative and appropriate methods and tools in support of SPC member fisheries applied science needs

• Oversee, support and assist the section’s work on developing and implementing methods and tools to support advice on the regional fisheries and stocks.

• Oversee, support and assist in the ongoing application of technical and analytical approaches that maintain high scientific standards.

• Consult and participate in national, regional and organisational processes of relevance to the section to support regional oceanic fisheries management.

• Directly contribute to the fisheries science outputs of FAME in relevant areas of specific scientific expertise and support fisheries science staff to write and publish work as appropriate.

Prepare or support the Director and deputies in the preparation of sustainable financing to build fisheries science and operational capacity to meet increasing SPC member applied science needs for evidence-based fisheries management and sustainable development

• Develops, in consultation with FAME’s Deputy Directors funding and/or cost-recovery proposals to secure funding to support fisheries science work plans.

• Works closely with other FAME staff to develop and enhance science support for their activities.

• Assists the FAME Director, Deputy Director’s, and SPC resource mobilisation staff with the preparation of FAME-wide, and/or cross-Divisional proposal preparation, as required.

Engage in internal and inter-agency and regional networking and collaboration in support of better fisheries science

• Develop and promote collaborations with other programmes and divisions within SPC on issues such as food systems, food security, small-scale livelihoods, climate change adaptation, human rights, gender and social inclusion.

• Develop links with other CROP agencies, universities, NGOs and CSOs in regard to fisheries applied science, to minimise the risk of duplication of work.

• Present, and support staff to report, the results and findings of their work at appropriate forums.

• Advocate at regional and global forums on behalf of the Pacific islands’ region fisheries applied science interests.

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

 Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• PhD degree in natural resource sciences, or a relevant scientific field or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 10 years’ experience in managing scientific staff, strategically leading a team towards a long-term objective, developing and maintaining a client-oriented research programme, and managing projects.

• At least 5 years’ experience in the development and delivery of scientific programmes including sampling design, data collection, analysis, reporting and advising end-users in applying the results to management and sustainable development.

• Demonstrated experience of engaging in collaboration between institutions

• Understanding of Pacific fisheries issues, particularly science aspects.

• Experience in planning and facilitating workshops and training activities.

• Experience in effectively collaborating and working with people from different ethnic, cultural and educational backgrounds.

• Experience working with PC systems, MS Office/365 software, and statistical and mathematical software.

Language skills

• Excellent English language communication ability and demonstrated record of producing written material and reports for fisheries administrations, meetings, donors, training courses etc.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Willingness and ability to travel and undertake overseas assignments in SPC member countries and territories, sometimes under difficult conditions.