National Capacity and Facilitation Adviser, FSM WASH

• Pohnpei based position
• Attractive expatriate package
• Join the principal development organisation in the region

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 Geoscience Energy and Maritime Division provides advice, technical assistance, research and training support to Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). There are three (3) areas of scientific programming and two areas of focus within this division:

1. Oceans and Maritime Programme (OMP) – assists member countries with services that provide applied ocean science and knowledge for evidence-based policy-making and technical solutions for improved ocean and maritime governance, management and capacity development.
2. Georesources and Energy Programme (GEP) – assists member countries by applying technical knowledge in the areas of geoscience and sustainable energy use.
3. Disaster and Community Resilience Programme (DCRP) – assists member countries to demonstrate strengthened resilience through integrated action on disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, natural resource management and increased access to water and sanitation.

The National Capacity and Facilitation Adviser, FSM WASH is the project’s senior technical specialist responsible for stakeholder engagement, multi-level facilitation, institutional capacity building and dialogue at national and state levels. The role coordinates the project’s extensive consultation programme, capacity building for government counterparts and WASH stakeholders, facilitates high-level dialogue to drive governance reform, and supports the design and delivery of the national and state-level workshops and taskforce processes that underpin development of FSM’s first National Water and Sanitation Policy.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

National and state-level facilitation of policy and governance consultations

• Plan, coordinate and facilitate national and state-level inception workshops for the National Water and Sanitation Policy process
• Facilitate detailed stakeholder dialogue with relevant Departments (DoRD, DECEM, DoHSA, DOE), State Utility Corporations, the Association of Micronesian Utilities (AMU), civil society and traditional leaders
• Facilitate GESI-guided public hearings at national and state levels in coordination with the GESI Assistant
• Convene and facilitate taskforce groups to provide guidance on specific WASH issues
• Manage the planning and coordination of the National Water Forum to launch and socialise the National WASH Policy
• Support the Project Manager in facilitating National Water Working Group (WWG) meetings

Capacity building for government and WASH sector stakeholders

• Design and plan delivery of a comprehensive Capacity Building Programme for DoRD, state utilities, AMU and other WASH stakeholders to support effective participation in policy and planning processes
• Develop training materials, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and reference guides that will remain with institutions beyond the project
• Implement a training-of-trainers (ToT) component to build sustainable in-country facilitation capacity
• Coordinate targeted Technical Assistance deployment alongside SPC specialists and external consultants
• Track staff turnover in partner institutions and adapt capacity building approaches to institutionalise knowledge within systems and processes, not just individuals
• Support DoRD in establishing the centralised water and sanitation coordination function, including training for new institutional roles

Support to institutional reform processes

• Support the Project Manager and government counterparts in implementing governance reform recommendations arising from the WASH governance review
• Facilitate inter-departmental dialogue processes to address contested elements of proposed institutional reforms, ensuring that proposed changes are framed as coordinative and complementary, not absorptive
• Support the drafting of legislation, regulations and procedures required to establish new national WASH institutional roles, working with the FSM Attorney General’s Office as required
• Support government in establishing national coordination, monitoring and reporting roles and functions
• Facilitate the development of a formal transition plan for handover of institutional functions to DoRD at project closeout

High-level dialogue and stakeholder relationship management

• Facilitate effective, sustained dialogue among leaders at national and state levels to build will for WASH governance reform
• Maintain strong working relationships with DoRD Secretary, state governors, state utility CEOs and AMU leadership
• Support the Project Manager in preparing and disseminating a new government induction brief when needed
• Coordinate with the Community Engagement Assistant to connect community voices to senior stakeholders
• Identify and support WASH champions at high level to advocate for accelerated governance reform

Knowledge management and quality assurance of facilitated outputs

• Ensure that all facilitation processes produce high-quality, usable documentation — including workshop reports, meeting minutes, consultation summaries and stakeholder feedback registers
• Review consultation outputs and stakeholder submissions for incorporation into policy and planning documents
• Contribute to semi-annual project progress reports covering Outputs 2.1 and 2.2
• Maintain a facilitation knowledge base and document lessons learned to inform future governance programming in the Pacific

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• A postgraduate qualification from a recognised institution in public administration, public policy, development studies, law, social sciences, natural resources management or a closely related discipline, or an equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 7 years of experience in institutional strengthening, governance reform, capacity building or facilitation preferably in a development context
• Experience managing multi-stakeholder consultation processes at national and sub-national levels.
• Experience in the Pacific region.
• Demonstrable experience facilitating sensitive dialogue involving senior stakeholders.
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity building programmes.
• Understanding of GESI principles and their application to governance processes.
• Demonstrable experience working with Pacific Island communities, including outer island and rural populations.

Language skills

• Good communication skills in English.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Knowledge of Pacific Island countries and territories is an advantage.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – This vacant position is budgeted until 31 December 2028 and is subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – the National Capacity and Facilitation Adviser, FSM WASH is a Band 10 position in SPC’s 2026 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 3,405–4,191 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately USD 4,563–5,615. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being 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 Federated States of Micronesia; Federated States of Micronesia Nationals employed by SPC in Pohnpei will be subject to income tax.

Benefits for Staff in a position advertised internationally (EPAI) whose duty station is Pohnpei – SPC provides a housing allowance of USD 1,000–2,000. Establishment and relocation grant, removal expenses, airfares, home leave, medical and life insurance, and education allowance are available for eligible employees and their recognised dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 days of annual 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: 18 October 2026 – 11:00 pm (Noumea time)

Job Reference: CR000628

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. Reforming water and sanitation often means asking one agency to give up a role, or to share it with another. From your experience in the Pacific, how do you help government partners work through that kind of change without people feeling they are losing out?
2. In many Pacific agencies, trained staff move on and the skills leave with them. From what you have seen work in the region, how do you build capacity so it stays with the office, not just the person?
3. Getting things done on water in the Pacific usually means working with government officials and with traditional or community leaders at the same time. Tell us about a time you brought those two worlds together — and what you learned from it.