Urban Council Capability Strengthening Adviser

Job description

Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is

Te Hono Tangata -

Te Huringa Ora.

Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.

Connecting People – Transforming Lives. 

Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.  

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role

This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Bougainville. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.

This role would suit an experienced Organisational Development Manager, Local Governance Adviser or someone with the right level of transferrable skills and experience, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).

The length of this assignment in Bougainville will be 10-months.

VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.

Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role

If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.

• Tertiary qualification in public administration, local government, governance, organisational development, management, community development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in organisational development, governance, or institutional strengthening within local government, the public sector, or community development.
• Experience developing organisational systems, policies, strategic planning, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to mentor and coach leaders and teams, building organisational capability and supporting sustainable change.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and relationship building skills.
• Strong understanding of good governance, accountability, and public administration.
• Experience working collaboratively in culturally diverse and resource constrained environments.

Important note

: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.

Our Partner Organisation – Arawa Urban Community Government (AUCG) Arawa is the main urban centre of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.  Set among lush mountains and close to the coast, Arawa is rebuilding its public services and local institutions, making it an exciting place to contribute your skills while experiencing the unique culture and hospitality of Bougainville.

The AUCG is the local government authority for Arawa, Bougainville. AUCG works with communities to strengthen local governance, coordinate municipal services, support sustainable urban development and improve the quality of life for residents.

As Arawa continues to grow and urban populations increase, AUCG faces increasing demands for improved governance, stronger organisational capability, enhanced management systems, effective stakeholder engagement, and responsive municipal services. At the same time, the organisation is working to strengthen its capacity to fulfil its statutory functions and support its long-term vision of becoming a more autonomous, capable, and sustainable municipal authority.

The Assignment 

This assignment is a partnership assignment between VSA and AUCG.  A VSA Volunteer is needed to mentor leaders and staff, strengthen governance and organisational capability, improve planning and performance, and support effective community engagement and municipal service delivery.

The Country - Bougainville

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, (Otonomos Region bilong Bogenvilin Tok Pisin), previously known as the North Solomons, it is the largest island in the Solomons Island archipelago, situated on the border between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. 

The population is roughly 300,000 (as of 2023), with most people living on the largest island, Bougainville Island. Buka Island is over a close stretch of water. Volunteer Service Abroad has offices in both Arawa (Bougainville Island) and Buka (Buka Island).  

Although the region is just over 2,300 square kilometres, the terrain is rugged. This makes travel slow on roads and boats. It is a mountainous region covered in forest and sea, making agriculture and fishing vital to people's lives.  

The people are resilient, and all are likely to have been personally affected by the civil conflict in the 1990s, but they wish to develop. There are substantial cultural aspects to be considered when living in ARoB, which will be covered in briefings before volunteers depart and upon arrival.  

VSA has been active in Bougainville for over 25 years. We started in the year 1998 with a programme focusing on response and reconstruction post-crisis.

As part of the New Zealand government’s commitment to delivering a ‘peace dividend’, we set up our field office in Arawa (the conflict zone in the 90s).

VSA volunteers have since been deployed in Buka, Buin, Nissan, Selau-Suir, Tinputz, and Wakunai districts to name a few. Today, our volunteers work alongside the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) across various community development, education, and health departments, along with local and international NGOs in Bougainville. Together, we aim to build an overall sustainable Bougainville community.  

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply: We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and life experiences. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we still want to hear from you.

At VSA, we recognise that transferable skills, adaptability, cross-cultural awareness, relationship-building abilities, and a shared commitment to sustainable development can be just as valuable as specific technical expertise.

Apply for this opportunity through our website: www.vsa.org.nz

For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.

For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website.  You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.