Procurement and Travel Manager

SPC Pacific Community; Washington; On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing allowance

Insurance (health/life)

Education allowance

Annual leave

Provident Fund

Job summary

SPC Pacific Community in Suva, Fiji, seeks a seasoned Procurement and Travel Manager to lead the ISS procurement and travel functions, driving category-management and a shift to business-partnering. You will implement eProcurement and ensure alignment with donor frameworks, delivering strategic value and risk management.

The role requires 12+ years in procurement leadership, strong analytical skills, and excellent English communication; French is an advantage.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a related field or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.
• At least 12 years of experience in managing a team and providing procurement advice in a public sector environment.
• Excellent analytical and English communication skills; working knowledge of French advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead SPC’s procurement and travel functions, delivering high quality customer service and harmonised processes.
• Drive the implementation of the eProcurement platform and its integration with Business Central.
• Provide strategic advice on procurement policy updates and donor frameworks.
• Manage procurement and travel staff, and oversee training for strategic activities.
• Build robust relationships with senior staff and external stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership experience

Procurement management

Analytical skills

English fluency

Stakeholder management

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Tools

eProcurement systems

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Job description

• 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, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Operations and Integration (O&I) collective delivers essential enabling services that support the organisation’s scientific and technical portfolio. Our key functions include corporate services, programme support, partnerships, resource mobilisation, and strategic engagement. These services are coordinated through our regional and satellite offices across the Pacific and Europe. Additionally, the O&I collective leads a dedicated workstream focused on organisational change and transformation to drive continuous improvement and adaptability.

The role – Procurement and Travel Manager will lead the Procurement and Travel Team under Implementation Support Services (ISS) in providing high quality advice and service for procurement and travel activities; to provide expert and specialist advice to influence the strategic direction of SPC’s procurement and travel activities; to strengthen internal understanding and capabilities of SPC staff in procurement and travel processes; and to drive procurement and travel improvements as part of the ‘One O&I’ workplan, with a particular focus on improvements in processes, procedures and systems and building excellent relationships internally and externally. The role will also lead the digital transformation of SPC’s procurement function under the ISS transformation programme, including implementation of an eProcurement and the shift to a category-management and business-partnering model.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Leadership, Management and Operations: Procurement and Travel

• Lead SPC’s procurement and travel functions to deliver high quality customer service advice.
• Provide harmonised and consistent service across SPC to the agreed service standards and in accordance with SPC’s Procurement Policy and Travel Policy.
• Lead on organisation-wide procurement and travel planning, including strategic planning.
• Lead on the management of organisation-wide procurement and travel risk management.
• Lead the shift to a category-management and business-partnering model.

Systems and Processes Enhancement

• In collaboration with Head of ISS and with participation of key stakeholders (e.g. divisions), drive procurement and travel improvements as part of the one O&I business plan, with a particular focus on improvements in processes, procedures and systems.
• Harmonise processes, systems and procedures across all SPC locations for procurement and travel.
• Lead the implementation and embedding of the eProcurement (source-to-contract) SaaS platform, including its integration with Business Central (requisition-to-pay).
• Establish integrated procurement tracking and management information across the source-to-contract lifecycle.

Advice

• Provide advice to influence the strategic direction of SPC’s procurement processes.
• Provide advice to decision-makers on complex procurement and travel issues (contracts, exceptions, protests, management of COI etc.).
• Provide recommendations on policy and process updates.
• Advise on aligning procurement practice with donor and international frameworks.

People Management

• Manage procurement and travel staff and resources.
• Lead SPC’s training plan for strategic procurement and travel activities.

Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Build robust collaborative relationships with senior staff across O&I and SPC.
• Ensure excellent communication with key stakeholders and build strong relationships.
• Provide leadership on internal and external stakeholder relationship management.

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

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a related field, or equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 12 years of experience managing a team, providing advice on procurement matters in a public sector environment.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written) with a working knowledge of French being an advantage.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

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

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration

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

Remuneration

Remuneration – The Procurement and Travel Manager is a band 12 position in SPC’s 2026 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 3,743‒4,679 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately FJD 11,566–14,458 (USD 5,016–6,270; EUR 4,526–5,658). 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 Staff in a position advertised internationally (EPAI) whose duty station is Suva

• SPC provides a housing allowance of FJD 1,500–5,200 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 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 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.

Screening Questions (maximum of 2,000 characters per question):

• Describe a situation where you identified inefficiencies in the procurement and/or travel management processes. What steps did you take to improve these processes, and what were the outcomes?
• Briefly describe how you would implement procurement strategies to ensure internal customer satisfaction and optimise cost savings, while maintaining high-quality standards?
• Please describe your experience implementing, configuring, and/or managing eProcurement and travel management systems.

Job Reference: JM000989