Job Description

• Attractive local package
• Friendly and supportive team environment
• 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 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 Operations and Management Directorate (OMD) provides corporate services to all SPC Divisions and Programmes. It consists of three key departments: Finance, Human Resources and Information Services. OMD is focused on improving the effectiveness of systems, policies and management to provide high-quality customer-oriented services.

The role – Human Resources Associate will provide HR Advisory and Operations support throughout the SPC staff employee lifecycle. This role is responsible for contract administration, benefits management, supporting HR projects, and a specific HR focus area.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

HR Administration Support

• Drafting routine confirmation and MOFA letters.
• Procure vendors for HR office needs (stationery, water, printer ink).
• Assist Officers during onboarding and induction of new staff.
• File management – carry out internal checks on personnel folders, document invoices and quotes as well as filing of documents on FMIS (storing, scanning, shredding).
• Assist officers with internal/external audit requests.

HR Advisory and Operations  

• Provide support in the induction process for new employees from pre-arrival to confirmation of probationary period.
• Assist in the management of benefit education allowance claims, housing allowance and leave entitlement in accordance with SPC policies and procedures.
• Draft probation, contract extensions letters, internship, and final entitlement agreements.
• Administer end-of-contract process, ensuring repatriation process requirements and final entitlements are delivered prior to departure.

Support HR Projects

• Support the HR Manager or nominee on HR projects and assignments as and when requested.
• Monitor respective trackers for the HR Advisory and Operations team.
• Support the administration of travel benefit process for eligible staff.

Deliver Client-Centered HR Support and Service Excellence

• Undertake web-based approaches to Customer Services as required (e.g) Intranet, Wahoo and the HR Helpdesk response system.
• Ensure requests are in line with SPC policies and process accordingly.
• Respond to all HR Helpdesk queries in a timely manner, seeking assistance from HRO or HR Advisor as and when required.
• Interpret situations that are not covered under existing policy before escalating to the HR Advisor and investigating if there are any precedents.

Administration Support to the Director HR

• Under the direction of the Director HR, schedule and organise meetings, appointments, and events for Director HR’s calendar.
• Assist with coordinating duty travel plans for Director HR.
• Manage logistics for departmental meetings.
• Support assigned special projects and initiatives.
• Handle confidential information discreetly and maintain a high level of confidentiality.

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 human resources management, business administration or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 3 years of human resources or business administration experience.
• Excellent computer skills and proficiency in the use of MS Office, (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word).
• Excellent organisational skills, customer service skills, time management skills, and the ability to manage multiple competing tasks.
• Familiarity with working in a dynamic and challenging environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to liaise with staff at all levels of the organisation.
• Committed to providing excellent service to clients.
• Ability to adhere to high levels of confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to apply human resources rules and regulations in a fair and consistent manner.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, inclusive and equitable environment.

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

Remuneration – The Human Resources Associate is a band 7 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of FJD 2,402-3,002 per month, plus local staff benefits. 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.

Benefits – SPC provides medical and life insurance 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).

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 – 17 August 2025 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: JM000898

Applicants must apply online at

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.

Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.

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. As an HR Associate, you will be the first point of contact for HR queries via the HR Helpdesk, requiring excellent customer service. Can you provide an example of how you handled a complex employee query or concern? How did you ensure that the employee received timely and accurate information while adhering to policies and maintaining confidentiality?
2. This role requires strong administrative and organizational skills in handling HR processes such as onboarding, benefits administration, contract management, and record-keeping. Please describe a time when you successfully managed multiple HR administrative tasks simultaneously. How did you prioritize your workload, and what tools or strategies did you use to ensure accuracy and efficiency?
3. You will be supporting the Director of HR with scheduling, meeting coordination, travel planning, and confidential tasks. Please describe a time when you supported a senior leader or executive. How did you manage competing priorities, and what strategies did you use to maintain confidentiality, focus, and efficiency?

Job Tags

Similar Jobs