Employment opportunities at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Posts in the Forum Secretariat are mainly filled by citizens of member countries. Work is linked to the organisation’s focus areas – economic growth, good governance and security.
There are also opportunities for employment in other occupational fields such as development cooperation, policy coordination, communication, administration, finance, human resources and information technology.
Professional excellence, personal leadership, team spirit, openness to dialogue and responsiveness to stakeholders in an international intergovernmental organisation with a multicultural, caring, inclusive and innovative environment are the values aspired to by all people within the Forum Secretariat.
Employment at PIFS often requires travel to member countries in the Pacific and to meetings and workshops in other parts of the world.
Employees in Positions Advertised Internationally (EPAIs)
As an EPAI you could either be part of the Executive Management team, managing one of the trade or political offices outside the Suva headquarters, an Adviser or a Project Officer.
In any of these roles you would be providing the expertise and coordination necessary for the planning and execution of the Secretariat’s various programmes and projects.
(i.) Executive Management Team
The Executive Management team at PIFS is made up of the two Deputy Secretary Generals and four Programme Directors. The members of this team are responsible for managing their respective programmes and as a collective, provide leadership to the rest of the organisation. The Secretary General, who is appointed by the Forum Leaders, heads and provides leadership to this team.
(ii.) Forum Representatives
The Forum has trade and political representatives in Auckland, Beijing, Geneva, Honiara, Sydney and Tokyo. Forum Representatives carry out technical and administrative responsibilities, manage staff and provide leadership where it is required.
(iii.) Advisers
The role of our Advisers is to provide policy advice to member countries in the area of their technical expertise. Advisers also manage budgets, manage staff performance and mentor junior staff. Like most other staff, all Advisers are expected to carry out their own administrative tasks. Most Advisers are based at the Secretariat in Suva.
(iv.) Project Officers
Project Officers assist with the PIFS advisory role and are more often called upon to facilitate capacity building workshops and providing support relating to Pacific Plan initiatives.
Employees in Positions Advertised Locally (EPALs)
EPALs as the name suggests are recruited from the local market and must be nationals of the host country. They provide logistical and administrative support in the areas of administration, finance, information management and technology, human resources and property.
Young Professional
Each year and subject to funding the PIFS offers up to six young graduates or professionals just starting their career, through its Young Professionals Programme, an internship to gain professional exposure in a field relevant to their chosen career.
Any graduate under the age of 28 who is a national of and resident in a Forum Island Country, can gain up to 18 months of professional experience at the PIFS Headquarters in Suva.
Other Opportunities at the Forum Secretariat
From time to time, PIFS requires extra services provided by persons other than its own staff. These temporary services enable the Secretariat to deal with a short-term overload of work or to bring in ad hoc outside expertise.
Temporary Assistance at PIFS fall within the following categories:
• Temporary Staff: Provide temporary assistance enabling a Secretariat unit to discharge the ordinary responsibilities or duties normally incumbent upon its established staff when it cannot cope with these because of a temporary overload of work due to exceptional circumstances. Applicants for temporary positions must be nationals of the host country.
Opportunities for Temporary Staff are not systematically advertised. People interested in such opportunities may register their resumes via jobs@forumsec.org.fj and will be contacted by Human Resources should suitable openings arise.
• Consultants: High-level specialists employed by PIFS for a specific short period of time in order to provide advice to Member States or the Secretariat. Consultants can also be utilized for specialist functions to cover projects or activities of limited duration. PIFS enlists the services of consultants of all nationalities.
Appointments of Consultants are the responsibility of the contracting unit of PIFS. Throughout the duration of their contract with PIFS they are not considered to be officials or staff members of the Secretariat.
