Staff Vacancy: DEPUTY PROGRAMME MANAGER, FOREIGN AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS (CARICOM Secretariat)

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 Deputy Programme Manager, Foreign and Community Relations (FCR) supports the  Programme Managers of Foreign and of Community Relations in promoting the coordination of  Member States’ foreign policies and assists with efforts to articulate community positions to  bilateral partners, regional and international agencies/organisations and civil society to secure  Community interests. The incumbent must work to support strong partnerships among Member  States of the Community, and between Member States and third countries, regional groupings,  and international agencies/organisations in fulfilment of Secretariat mandates, including its  goodoffices and election observer support to Member States. The Deputy Programme Manager  shall have specific responsibility for geographic and institutional mandates reflective of  Community priorities. 

The incumbent will also support the FCR in implementing the Secretariat’s Strategic Plan, the  FCR’s strategic objectives, and to this end will contribute to preparations for meetings of the  Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) and its subsidiary bodies, and for  reporting on the outcomes of those meetings.  

He/she will assist in the development and implementation of Community Relations activities,  including with the execution of a Regional Programme on Diplomatic Training. 

The incumbent will have specific responsibility for: 

– Supporting the completion and approval of the FCR Annual Work Programme and resulting  project preparation; 

– Monitoring achievement of strategic targets linked to the FCR Work Programme; and – Preparation of Reports, including Quarterly Reports. 

3. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 

Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree in International Relations, Political Science or Social  Sciences plus at least five (5) years of relevant experience working in one of the following  institutions:  

□ Member State’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Foreign Trade 

□ Diplomatic Assignment 

□ Regional or International Agency or Organisation 

In addition, candidates must possess the following technical skills: 

□ Fluency in English 

□ In-depth knowledge or training in one of the foreign languages of the Community  (Dutch, French, and/or Spanish) 

□ Diplomacy and knowledge of diplomatic protocol 

□ Exposure to negotiations 

□ Strong oral and written communication skills 

4. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Key Result 1: Supporting the Programme Manager, Foreign and Community Relations in  promoting the coordination of the foreign policies of Member States. 

1.1 MONITORS changes in the international political and economic environment which  could impact the Region’s interests and relations with Third States and international  organisations; 

1.2 MONITORS domestic, geopolitical and economic developments as they impact Member  States and inter-relations with Third States; 

1.3 CONTRIBUTES to reports emanating from Meetings of the Council for Foreign and  Community Relations (COFCOR) and subsidiary bodies; 

1.4 PREPARES drafts of technical papers/reviews for Meetings of the Community’s Organs  and technical bodies, in particular the Conference of Heads of Government and the  COFCOR, and meetings with Third States/organisations or their representatives; 

1.5 PREPARES papers as required by other Secretariat Programmes as inputs to their  planning and project implementation functions; 

1.6 IDENTIFIES activities relative to the Community’s objectives and Work Programmes, and  MAKES recommendations on future thrust of the Work Programme in the assigned  areas; 

1.7 DELIVERS papers and speeches to articulate and promote Community initiatives and  activities relative to FCR mandates; 

1.8 REPRESENTS the Secretariat and Community at various fora as required;  

1.9 ASSISTS in evaluating and communicating the foreign policy strategy adopted by the  Community; 

1.10 ASSISTS with: 

– Work Programme and Project preparation; and 

– Preparation of Reports including Quarterly Reports.

Key Result 2: Supporting the Community Relations mandate of FCR including its good offices and  election observer support and relations among Member States. 

2.1 SUPPORTS the Programme Manager, Community Relations in organisation and  execution of FCR good offices initiatives and election observer missions;  

2.2 SUPPORTS the Programme Manager, Community Relations in promotion and execution  of Diplomatic Training initiatives and relevant fund raising programs; and 

2.3 ANALYSES developments in and relations among Member States to inform FCR decision making. 

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 S3 post. The salary range for this position is EC$10,471.00 to EC$13,313.00 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.

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