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 vision of the Education Quality Assessment Programme is to be ‘The agency for educational quality in the Pacific region’. Its mission is to enhance the quality of education and training for Pacific learners, so they realise the benefits of lifelong learning. EQAP seeks to promote the following core values within the context of SPC’s corporate values:

• a culture of quality;
• a culture of continuous improvement;
• cultural and political sensitivity;
• respect for the autonomy and priorities of the education system in each Pacific Island country and territory (PICTs); and
• assimilation of the expressed needs of countries in its delivery of technical services.

The role – Application Developer focuses primarily on technological evolution and improvement of core EQAP- wide applications. Provide specific advice, project management, analysis, development and support for core systems and also contribute to other technical aspects of ICT activities.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Analyse and interpret user ICT requirements, in particular database and programming needs for existing and potentially new value adding applications.

• Arrange project requirements in programming sequence by analysing requirements, preparing a workflow chart and diagram.
• Design and implement an application for analysis and interpretation of results.
• Participate in the development and use of endorsed SPC/EQAP project guidelines and standards and apply those techniques to manage, implement and deploy approved ICT projects.
• Provide ideas for system improvements.

Learning Management System Maintenance and Enhancement

• Designing and building learning management systems based on Moodle.
• Perform design, configure, customize, and implement responsive and effective LMS systems.
• Integrate with plugins when required, write scripts to automate Moodle routines and processes.
• Planning and implementing API integrations with third parties when required.

Present options and recommendations for addressing user needs, with explanation of the implications of each option.

• Review, analyse and document priority business requirements identified by EQAP staff, business users and other essential stakeholders, and provide timely and appropriate recommendations and/or solutions.

Prepare, design and organise and coordinate training for EQAP applications or any other systems for EQAP staff and member countries.

• Participate in the preparation and delivery of training opportunities to enhance the knowledge and efficiency of EQAP staff and authorised guests, through the proper use of installed application systems.

Direct and indirect support of ICT in SPC/EQAP member countries

• Participate in the review, development and deployment of direct or indirect technical ICT support to SPC/EQAP member countries and alliance partners in support of enhanced ICT services in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs).

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from a recognised University with IT/Programming.

Technical expertise

• 8 years’ experience in applications development and in technical project management.
• Developed web applications using .Net framework.
• Experience working with C#, Flutter, Angular, Python, Swift, SSRS, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and later, Postgres, Linux, Azure, .Net, Moodle.
• Good understanding of database architecture.
• Has a strong SQL experience.
• Excellent problem-solving and organisational skills.
• Ability to work to a high degree of accuracy.
• Demonstrated work experience with producing system and user manual documentations for deployed applications.
• Demonstrated ability in the provision of user training and support, particularly for deployed applications.

Language skills

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

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

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – Until 31 December 2027 – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – The Applications Developer is a band 10 position in SPC’s 2023 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 2,575‒3,218 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 7,595–9,494 (USD 3,450–4,313; EUR 3,268–4,085). 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 international employees based in Fiji – SPC provides a housing allowance of FJD 1,350–3,000 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 matching 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: 14th January 2024 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: MC000089

Applicants must apply online via the Apply Now button.

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. Can you describe a recent software project you worked on and the specific programming languages, frameworks, and tools you used to complete it? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
2. Write a program (programming language of your choice) that prints the numbers from 1 to 100. But for multiples of 3, print "Bula" instead of the number, and for the multiples of 5, print "Vinaka." For numbers that are multiples of both 3 and 5, print " BulaVinaka." Explain your thought process as you tackle this problem and explain your solution.
3. Software development often involves teamwork. Can you provide an example of a time when you had to collaborate with team members to solve a challenging technical problem or deliver a project under a tight deadline? How did you contribute to the team's success in that situation?"

A position description is attached.