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VSA Assignment Description

Assignment title Funding Strategy Advisor

Country Fiji

Location Suva

Partner organisation International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

Sustainable Development Goals

Duration 2 years

41342 (P)

1. Assignment goal IPPF Member Associations and the Sub-Regional Office of the Pacific (SROP) are financially sustainable organisations with secure sources of future funding.

2. Assignment outcomes Outcome 1

IPPF Member Associations (MAs) have access to available and up to date funding opportunities and have plans in place to achieve ongoing financial sustainability. Outputs In conjunction with local staff within each member association, and in consultation with other IPPF regional and global staff:

Develop processes, templates and guidelines for MAs and IPPF SROP to undertake resource mobilisation mapping.

Research and update information held by IPPF regarding prospective and current donors, funders, private sector donors and high net worth individuals, donor priorities, policies, trends and funding options across the Pacific

Ensure all relevant staff have access to the updated information

Develop plans to support the achievement of ongoing donor funding applications and local income generation activities

Outcome 2 High quality donor funding applications are produced that meet donor requirements Outputs In conjunction with local staff within each member association:

Develop procedures and processes for researching, analysing and responding to calls for funding applications

Complete and submit quality funding proposals (applications including tenders, expressions of interest and requests for proposals from the public and private sectors) with relevant donors

Provide ongoing training and mentoring to develop high quality funding proposals (including developing, reviewing and editing log frames, budgets and narrative text) that meet donor requirements

Explore available social enterprise opportunities

Support colleagues to meet annual project funding income targets

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Outcome 3 IPPF MAs effectively manage donor and supporter relationships. Outputs In conjunction with local staff within each member association:

Assess the knowledge and skills regarding effective relationship management (such as writing reports, mailings, documentation, and other fundraising tools) for current and future donors and supporters and identify any gaps

Provide ongoing training and mentoring to address these gaps and build confidence of staff

Outcome 4

IPPF SROP has an ongoing financial sustainability strategy in place and annual restricted income targets are being achieved by the MAs. In conjunction with local staff and volunteers:

Review goals and strategies, and suggest improvements to ensure that annual restricted income targets are achieved

Assess the knowledge and skills regarding ongoing income generation activities and identify any gaps

Provide ongoing training and mentoring to address these gaps

3. Reporting and working relationships The volunteer will report to the Director, Programmes and Operations, Pacific. They will be working with other members of the Partnerships for Health and Rights management team at the Sub-Regional Office in the Pacific, and with Executive Directors and other staff of the Member Associations across the Pacific. The volunteer and IPPF will have an ongoing relationship with the VSA programme manager in terms of assignment monitoring, reporting, professional advice and personal support.

4. Capacity building The position will play a critical role in building the long term sustainability of the Member Associations in the 9 Pacific Island Countries. The position will be responsible for assisting the MAs to explore funding opportunities both through asset management, local fundraising, fee for services and donor funding as appropriate to the need and capacity of the MAs. The role will also provide Pacific regional support for improved policies and processes specific to the Pacific. In partnership with SROP staff, the volunteer will develop, implement and coordinate the IPPF Sub Regional Office for the Pacific’s financial sustainability strategy; provide technical leadership on the SROP financial sustainability initiatives; build and strengthen capacity of Member Associations (MAs) in expanding resource base and diversification of resource streams through the development of supportive processes, policies and strategies. They will support MAs to develop appropriate partnerships to facilitate organisational sustainability.

As needs on the ground may change over time, the volunteer is encouraged to review and update the assignment description on arrival in consultation with the partner organisation and VSA programme manager.

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5. Person specifications (professional) Essential

Relevant experience working in grants, and fundraising, preferably for commercial organisations or not for profits

Proposal development and donor reporting at national or regional levels

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

An ability to explain complex ideas in a clear, concise way

Desirable

2+ years’ experience developing and managing successful marketing or fundraising campaigns

Experience working with a media or events management organisation, business institution, marketing organisation, or international organisations

Sound understanding of funding structures and processes of bi-laterals, multilaterals, foundations and trusts, such as the European Commission, USAID, DFAT and MFAT

Experience in the health sector, preferably sexual and reproductive health rights

6. Person specifications (personal)

Essential

Supportive of IPPF’s policies on safe abortion and a woman’s right to choose

Rights-based and gender-sensitive perspective

Ability to think and operate strategically

Desirable

Strong networking and public relations skills

Additional information

Residency status VSA volunteers must be New Zealand citizens or have New Zealand permanent residency status, and currently living in NZ.

Partner organisation The volunteer's partner organisation will be the IPPF Pacific Sub-Regional Office. Pre-departure briefing As part of the volunteer’s contract, successful candidates will be required to take part in a pre-departure briefing course run by VSA in Wellington and complete all required pre-reading.

Final appointment Final appointment will be subject to satisfactory medical and immigration clearances (costs covered by VSA), partner organisation acceptance, and successful completion of the pre-departure briefing course.

Family status VSA supports partners to accompany volunteers on assignments of six months or longer. However volunteers with accompanying dependents will not be considered for this assignment.

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Fundraising Volunteers are encouraged to fundraise at least $1000 with the support of VSA’s fundraising team. Accompanying partners are encouraged to raise the same amount. All funds raised will help VSA keep its programmes in action and support future volunteers.

Vaccination requirements Potential volunteers are advised that VSA’s insurers require volunteers to be inoculated, prior to departure, in accordance with the instructions of VSA’s medical adviser. VSA covers the cost of any required vaccinations. Vulnerable Children Act While on assignment, VSA volunteers may be required to work with children and/or may choose to participate in informal activities in their own time that involve interactions with children (such as coaching teams or teaching English). VSA is committed to the protection of vulnerable children and adults, which also includes meeting our commitment under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014. The information requested during the application process is necessary to assist VSA to determine applicant suitability to work and/or interact regularly with children, and is part of a series of pre-selection checks undertaken on all applicants for VSA assignments. Volunteer package The volunteer’s package includes the following:

Reimbursements and grants 1. Volunteers will receive an establishment grant of NZ$750 to help them set up in their country of assignment.

For volunteers with an accompanying partner (whether or not that partner is also a VSA volunteer), VSA will pay an establishment grant of NZ$1,100 per couple.

2. For two year assignments, the volunteer will receive a rest and respite grant of NZ$1000 on completion of the first year.

3. A resettlement grant of NZ$200 will be paid for each month the volunteer is on assignment. This is payable on completion of the assignment.

4. The volunteer will receive a monthly living allowance of FJD $1,445.

Accommodation Basic, comfortable furnished accommodation will be sourced by VSA. In some circumstances volunteers may be asked to share accommodation.

Airfares and baggage allowance VSA will provide the volunteer with economy airfares to and from New Zealand for their assignment plus a baggage allowance.

Insurance VSA will provide travel insurance to cover baggage and personal property, and non-routine medical expenses for the duration of the assignment. Further details of the insurance cover will be provided during the volunteer pre-departure briefing.

Utilities VSA will reimburse volunteers reasonable expenses for household utilities while on assignment.

Final terms and conditions relating to the specific volunteer assignment will be confirmed in a personalised volunteer contract prior to departure.

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Attachments Appendix 1: Background to the assignment Appendix 2: Living situation Appendix 3: Fiji

Appendix 1: Background to the Assignment Assignment focus

The position will play a critical role in building the long term financial sustainability of the Member Associations in the 9 Pacific Island Countries (Cook Islands; Fiji; Kiribati; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Tonga; Tuvalu; Vanuatu.. The position will be responsible for assisting the MAs to explore funding opportunities both through asset management, local fundraising, fee for services and donor funding as appropriate to the need and capacity of the MAs. The role will also provide Pacific regional support for improved policies and processes specific to the Pacific.

The volunteer will support IPPF’s goal to ensure people are free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being, in a world without discrimination. The position supports IPPF’s goal to ensure people are free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being, in a world without discrimination. It also supports the IPPF goal to advance equity for all through improving lifesaving SRHR in nine Pacific countries.

The position will assist the SROP office to support the capacity development of the 9 MAs to become self-sufficient and sustainable. Hence, the position will require knowledge and awareness of organisational financial sustainability across a range of modalities, relevant to the Pacific context where possible. Organisational financial sustainability in the Pacific is a specialised area and very few local staff have the experience to build the capacity of MAs. It is difficult to recruit local staff with sufficient capacity in this complex and challenging area.

Partner organisation

The International Planned Parenthood Federation is a locally owned, globally connected civil society movement. They work to ensure people are free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being, in a world without discrimination. They prioritise working with women and girls, the poor and vulnerable, youth and in humanitarian emergencies. IPPF is made up of 134 Member Associations working in 145 countries, with another 26 Partners working in 21 countries, totalling 166 countries. The IPPF Secretariat comprises a Central Office in London and six Regional Offices, Each Regional Office oversees, promotes and distributes core funds to Member Associations in the Region. These work out of five locations:

Africa (Nairobi)

Arab World (Tunis)

East and South East Asia and Oceania (Bangkok)

European Network (Brussels)

South Asia (Bangkok hub and Delhi sub-office)

Western Hemisphere (New York)

The IPPF Sub-Regional office of the Pacific (SROP) is part of the East, South-East Asia and Oceania Regional office and is responsible for providing support and guidance for Pacific IPPF Member Associations (MA). This IPPF region is the largest and the most diverse, covering China to Tuvalu. SROP’s role is to provide support and guidance to 9 Pacific MAs (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu) in delivering quality services. SROP facilitates and assists the nine aforementioned member associations with resources and technical expertise, ensuring they are able to deliver quality comprehensive SRH services. It is responsible for supporting MAs in the areas of strategic planning, programme development and operations, monitoring and evaluation, resource mobilisation, financial

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accountability, volunteer development, capacity building, knowledge management, quality of care and management information systems. The SROP office seeks to promote the efforts being carried out by the MAs for the purpose of profile raising and policy advocacy on SRHR issues affecting the Pacific Region. The SROP office also facilitates partnerships between its MAs and government agencies, non-governmental organisations, civil society, and UN agencies in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) within and across the region. You can find more about IPPF here and the IPPF 2019-22 Pacific Strategy here.

Working situation

The IPPF office is conveniently located in the middle of the city with easy access to transport and amenities. The volunteer will have access to all relevant IT equipment and internet access provided by the office. The office will also provide administrative support including transport, travel, HR and technical support. The placement will be based in Suva, Fiji, which is relatively stable at the present time, politically and economically. Religious beliefs in the Pacific, are challenging for organisations providing sexual and reproductive health services, in particular abortion and a woman’s right to choose. However, the volunteer will have the global support of IPPF tools and information and SROP team support to negotiate the difficult areas. The region is also prone to natural disasters. IPPF take all safety precautions to protect its staff. We also have an in-house emergency response team to support all staff.

Appendix 2: Living Situation Suva

Suva is the capital city of Fiji and is the largest cosmopolitan city in the Pacific. Suva is the leading administrative and commercial centre in Fiji with a city population of over 85,000 people. One of the largest campuses for the University of the Pacific is based in Suva. Suva also hosts the largest number of international and regional intergovernmental agencies and not for profits in the Pacific. The growing expatriate community and a large number of students from across the Pacific make up a significant portion of the city’s population. There are very good supermarkets, stores and markets in Suva where you can purchase anything you might need and the Suva Market has good seasonal produce. Suva has two hospitals; Suva Private Hospital which is open 24 hours and the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. There are also several internet cafes and many cafes that offer free wireless. Central Suva is compact and easy to get around on foot, however if you are travelling some distance, or need a break, there are many cheap taxis available. There is also a large variety of restaurants, such as Fijian, European, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Suitable secure accommodation for the volunteer with be provided by VSA.

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Appendix 3: Fiji

(map courtesy of www.spc.int) Fiji is a beautiful country of blue-green lagoons, lush rainforests, pine forests, mountains and 1,666 kilometres of white sand beaches spread over 333 islands scattered across 1,290,000 square kilometres of ocean. Only one-third of the islands are inhabited. The two largest islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. These two islands are mountainous, and covered with thick tropical forests. The region’s highest point, Mt. Tomanivi, is an extinct volcano on Viti Levu.

The capital city is Suva, located on the Viti Levu island’s southeast coast in the country’s Rewa Province. Lautoka in the west is the second biggest city and Nadi is third biggest, and the main international gateway to Fiji. Lautoka is often nicknamed the “Sugar City’ since it is the heart of the sugar cane growing region.

Fiji has a warm tropical climate; two seasons: warm and even warmer. From May to November, the cooler months, the temperature ranges from 19° to 29°C. From December to April, temperatures range from 22° to 28°C. Suva has a higher amount of rainfall than the western Fijian cities. The rainy season in Suva is from November through to May, while the slightly cooler and drier months are from June through to October.

Fiji’s population is approximately 884,887 made up of indigenous Fijians (i-Taukei), Indo-Fijians, Chinese, Europeans and other South Pacific Islanders. The main official language is Fijian, with two other official languages English and Fijian Hindi or Hindustani (a mix of Hindi and Urdu).

Archaeological evidence suggests that Fiji has been inhabited, initially by Melanesian peoples, for more than 3,500 years. Fiji was settled as part of a larger migration from the west across the Pacific. These original inhabitants are known as ‘Lapita’ people, named after a distinctive type of fine pottery, the remnants of which are found on many islands in the Pacific.

The European discoveries of the Fiji group were accidental. The first of these discoveries was made in 1643, when the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni were explored by the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. British explorers including Captains James Cook and William Bligh passed through in the late 18th century.

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Major credit for the discovery and recording of the islands went to Captain William Bligh who sailed through Fiji after the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789. By this time, the population was mixed, with Melanesians occupying the eastern areas and Polynesians the island’ interiors, organised into a complex hierarchical society.

The first Europeans to land and live among the Fijians were shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements. Sandalwood traders and missionaries came by the mid-19th century. When Ratu Seru Cakobau accepted Christianity in 1854, the rest of the country soon followed and tribal warfare came to an end. European settlers begin arriving in large numbers in the 1860s. In 1865, a confederacy of native kingdoms was first mooted and Fiji's first constitution was drawn up and signed by seven independent chiefs of Fiji. In 1874, Fiji was ceded to Great Britain.

From 1879 to 1916 around 66,000 workers from India came as indentured labourers to work on the sugar plantations. Once they had worked for five years, they were entitled to a free passage home, but most chose to stay as independent farmers and businessmen. Today Fijian Indians make up 43.6 per cent of the population.

Fiji gained independence in 1970 and the first general elections were held in 1972. Fiji declares itself a Republic in 1987. A series of military coups have characterized the political climate since the 1980s, with four between 1987 and 2006.

General elections were held in Fiji in November 2018. The result was a victory for the ruling FijiFirst party of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. The elections also saw female representation in Parliament rise to 20 percent, with 10 women elected. Major-General Jioji Konrote was sworn in as Fiji President for his second three-year term in November 2018.

For more information on Fiji, see:

Fiji Government website: http://www.fiji.gov.fj/

Economic overview: http://data.worldbank.org/country/fiji

Fiji National Development Plan https://www.fiji.gov.fj/getattachment/15b0ba03-825e-47f7-bf69-094ad33004dd/5-Year-20-Year-NATIONAL-DEVELOPMENT-PLAN.aspx

New Zealand Aid Programme in Fiji: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/pacific/fiji/

Security in Fiji Volunteers are required to be security conscious and adhere to the advice of their partner organisation, VSA and the NZ High Commission in Fiji on security matters. If there is a major emergency or should security deteriorate,

IPPF have established procedures and volunteers will be fully supported by the IPPF in Suva. IPPF staff will go through the ground security measures with the volunteer on arrival in country and will help develop an individual security plan.

It is good practice to secure belongings and valuables out of sight, not move about alone at night, and avoid demonstrations, street rallies and public gatherings. Public celebrations are opportunities to see performances of local culture, but awareness of crowd mood changes should be maintained. VSA in Fiji Fiji‘s economy is one of the most developed in the Pacific, based on a thriving tourism industry, manufacturing, and its natural resources, including fisheries, forests and minerals. Fiji has a number of development goals they are focusing on as a country – lowering youth unemployment rates, reducing poverty, reducing child mortality and gender inequality, increasing environmental sustainability, and improving the health and education status of their citizens.

VSA does not currently have a programme manager in Fiji, and volunteers will be managed by our Kiribati programme manager, who visits regularly. There will be a local point of contact for orientation, any issues or queries.

VSA volunteers have recently undertaken assignments with UN Women, UNDP, and SPC, working in climate change, renewable energy, reporting, communications, monitoring and evaluation, increasing women’s political participation and ending violence against women. As part of these activities, volunteers enhanced reporting across the Pacific on CEDAW, Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) initiatives in Fiji, and a data collection system to collate ideas for positive impacts for women vendors of the Pacific.