Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified nationals of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States and Associate Members of the Caribbean Community to fill the above-mentioned position within the Caribbean Community Secretariat, with assigned duty station in Guyana.
2. FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
The Foreign and Community Relations Directorate is charged with facilitating the coordination of CARICOM Member States’ foreign policies and promoting harmonious relations within the Community. In so doing, the Directorate manages the Secretariat’s interventions by providing strategic advice to the Secretary-General and CARICOM Member States to articulate, defend and secure the region’s foreign policy interests and strengthen the Community.
Under the direction of the Director, Foreign and Community Relations, the incumbent is responsible for facilitating the strengthening of relations among Member States and Associate Members of the Community. In so doing, the incumbent is required to support the development and maintenance of systems to monitor and analyze political and socio-economic developments within Member States and Associate Members of the Community, as well as relations between them, ensuring that regular contact aimed at joint/coordinated actions is maintained.
To achieve this objective, the Programme Manager, Community Relations is also required to develop the programme of activities and projects for the effective delivery on the Community relations mandates as articulated in the Secretariat’s Strategic Plan. The incumbent is required to supervise the technical and administrative staff assigned to the in the conduct of research and analysis of international, hemispheric, regional and national political and socio-economic developments which could have an impact on the Community.
The incumbent is also required to consult and maintain contact with relevant stakeholders in Member States and Associate Members, including overseas missions, the Diaspora, Non-Governmental Organisations and technical and academic institutions.
He/she will be responsible for ensuring a multisectoral approach to Community Relations through consultation and coordination with all the Directorates of the CARICOM Secretariat.
The Programme Manager, Community Relations will be responsible for developing a structured programme of activities and overseeing the Directorate’s outreach on matters and events related to Community Relations.
In addition, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting the Community’s efforts aimed at enhancing confidence in the democratic systems of government and governance in the Caribbean. He/she will also be expected to prioritize initiatives that foster strengthened relations with the Caribbean Diaspora.
The training of personnel for the efficient conduct of the Community’s relations with all stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, private sector organisations and other organisations, is also a responsibility of the Programme Manager, Community Relations.
The incumbent must determine on an annual basis the “Major Job Objectives” for each Work Programme and identify and discuss with staff of the Directorate the “Key Result Areas” to be used as determinants to their performance results on a quarterly basis.
3. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree in International Relations/Public Administration/Economics/Political Science plus at least ten (10) years of relevant and equivalent level experience working in one of the following institutions:
□ Regional civil society organisation
□ Governmental organization
□ International organisation
□ Non-Governmental organisation
In addition, candidates must possess specialised training and good working knowledge in:
□ Diplomacy
□ Negotiations
□ Regional Integration
□ Written and Oral Communication
4. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Result 1: Programme Implementation and Coordination
Activities
1.1 MONITORS and COORDINATES the implementation of the Community Relations Programme, analysing developments and preparing analytical briefs, papers, and statements for the attention of Member States, the Secretary-General, and the Executive Management Committee (EMC);
1.2 COLLABORATES closely with other directorates to ensure seamless integration of activities.
1.3 COMPLETES job performance of staff supervised;
1.4 UNDERTAKES, with the support of programme staff, documented surveys on Member States and Associate Members to support the development and maintenance of a system of economic, social and political relations among Member States and Associate Members of the Community;
1.5 PREPARES, with the support of Programme staff, analytical reports on political developments in the priority areas identified within the Community;
1.6 CONSULTS with the relevant Ministries of Member States and Associate Members, overseas missions, the diaspora, and non-governmental organizations and technical and academic institutions as part of the evaluation and analytical process; and
1.7 PREPARES and COORDINATES technical inputs for the Working Document of meetings of the COFCOR and other Organs of the Community.
Key Result 2: Area of Specific Responsibility: Haiti
Activities
2.1 MONITORS and ADVISES on developments within Haiti;
2.2 SUPPORTS the good office role of the Secretary-General/Community;
2.3 PROVIDES the necessary support to the Secretariat Special Adviser on Haiti and the Eminent Persons Group; and
2.4 MAINTAINS Roster of Trained Mediators.
Key Result 3: Area of Specific Responsibility: Associate Members
Activities
3.1 ENGAGES Associate Members to strengthen relations among CARICOM states;
3.2 CONDUCTS continuous consultations with Associate Members, examining their relationship with CARICOM bodies and preparing briefing documents for Heads of Government; and
3.3 WORKS with the Office of the General Council to facilitate the admission of new Associate Members to the Community.
Key Result 4: Area of Specific Responsibility: CARICOM Election Observation Missions (CEOMs)
Activities
4.1 MAINTAINS Roster of Regional Electoral Observers;
4.2 LEADS in facilitating the fielding of CARICOM Observation Missions;
4.3 CONSULTS with relevant Election Officials in Member States to strengthen and improve CARICOM Elections Observation Missions;
4.4 ENGAGES with the UN’s Election Assistance Division to explore opportunities for training through Bridge Workshops; and
4.5 ENGAGES with the Commonwealth Secretariat Electoral Division and the Commonwealth Elections Professional Initiative on electoral training.
Key Result 5: Area of Specific Responsibility: Civil Society
Activities
5.1 LEADS efforts to facilitate the direct participation of CARICOM Civil Society in regional integration;
5.2 SCHEDULES additional days dedicated to meeting with various Civil Society groups, including opposition parliamentarians, media representatives, youth, national NGO coalition representatives, and Private Sector Coalition representatives; and
5.3 FACILITATES joint meetings of Council delegates with Civil Society representatives to sensitize them to the activities of the Councils of the Community.
Key Result 6: Association of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians
Activities
6.1 PROVIDES an initial impetus to reinvigorate the Association of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP);
6.2 STRENGTHENS regional governance and democratic practices by encouraging greater civil society participation in integration issues through the re-invigoration of the ACCP; and
6.3 FACILITATES knowledge exchange among parliamentarians and SENSITIZES them to the parliamentary cultures of CARICOM Member States.
Key Result 7: Diplomatic Training Seminar
Activities
7.1 OVERSEES the delivery of Diplomatic Training Seminars aimed at enhancing the capacity of CARICOM national and regional officials in foreign policy conduct and administration; and
7.2 COLLABORATES with national and regional entities to complement existing diplomatic training programs, as well as with hemispheric and international partners e.g. Chile, Mexico, India, Austria, Germany, Netherlands.
In addition to the Activities outlined above, the incumbent is expected to perform other related duties as assigned.
5. EMOLUMENTS AND BENEFITS
This is an S4 post. The salary range for this position is EC$12,562.00 to EC$17,947.00 per month. 6. EDUCATION GRANT
The Officer shall be eligible for the payment of an education grant in respect of children (including step-children and legally-adopted children) who require reasonable education facilities that are not available at the assigned duty station or whose education the Officer would not want to disrupt in relocating to take up this appointment.
The grant shall apply to children under the age of twenty-three (23) years and shall not exceed seventy-five per cent (75%) of the cost of tuition (including textbooks), room and board up to a maximum total of EC$16,200.00 per year per child for a maximum of two (2) children at any one time. The grant is payable for a maximum of five (5) years.
7. SETTLEMENT GRANT
On assumption of duty in Guyana, the Officer shall be paid a settlement grant in respect of the staff member, his or her spouse and each eligible child or other approved dependent. The number of dependents eligible for Settlement Grant shall not exceed six (6) persons.
8. RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT
Appointment may be on permanent establishment or on secondment from a Public Service or a statutory body of a Member State or approved regional organisation. It will be subject to such staff rules and policies, rules, regulations, orders and instructions as exist and as may be introduced from time to time with respect to service with the Caribbean Community Secretariat.
An Officer recruited from outside the assigned duty station, on first appointment, will be provided economy class air passages by the most direct route for the Officer, spouse and children (provided they are below the age of eighteen (18) years, unmarried and dependent on the Officer) and for such other dependents not exceeding two as may be approved by the Secretary-General, provided that the number of children and other dependents does not exceed six (6) in all.
In addition to passages, the Officer will be granted the following transportation allowances:
(i) ocean freight charges, including insurance, for shipping personal and household effects to Guyana, not exceeding 45.3 cubic meters, plus a motor car (if the Officer already owns one);
(ii) the cost of transporting baggage, personal and household effects from the home of the Officer to the place of embarkation and from the port of disembarkation to the place of residence in Guyana; and
(iii) the cost of packing and crating personal and household effects.
9. LEAVE
The officer will be eligible for the grant of vacation leave at the rate of twenty (20) working days a year and a leave grant after every twelve (12) months of service in respect of the officer, spouse and up to two (2) dependent children.
10. PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
The officer will be granted the privileges and immunities extended to officials of the Caribbean Community in accordance with Article 8 of the Community’s Headquarters Agreement with the Government of Guyana.
11. GROUP HEALTH AND LIFE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Subject to your acceptance by the Secretariat’s insurance carrier, the Officer will be required to participate in the Secretariat’s group health, life and accident insurance schemes. With respect to the health insurance, the Officer will contribute fifty per cent (50%) of the premium. The life and accident insurance scheme is non-contributory.
12. SUPERANNUATION
An Officer appointed to this post will be required to participate in the Secretariat’s Defined Contribution Pension Plan and contribute 7 per cent of basic salary per month, while the Secretariat will contribute 13 percent of the Officer’s basic salary to the pension plan. Where the appointment is on secondment, the Secretariat will pay to the Officer’s substantive employer, over the period of secondment, a contribution not exceeding twenty-five per cent (25%) of the pensionable salary normally payable to the Officer by that employer so as to maintain the pensionable status of the Officer in the substantive employment.
13. APPLICATIONS
Applications in English Language with full curriculum vitae details, including the email addresses of three (3) referees (at least two of whom must be familiar with the applicant’s work), should be addressed to:
Adviser
Human Resource Management
Caribbean Community Secretariat
Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
and sent via email to assistance@caricom.org – The title of the vacancy should be clearly identified in the subject line of the email.
14. The deadline for the submission of applications is 12 April 2024.
