Tourism Policy Adviser
Closing Date: 28 May 2025
Category: Policy, Governance, Monitoring & Evaluation
Kia ora, Halo and warm Pacific greetings
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
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.
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:
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
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.
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.
We are looking for an experienced Tourism Policy Adviser or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, 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 12-months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
This assignment is a partnership assignment between VSA and The Bougainville Arts, Culture, and Tourism Authority - Autonomous Bougainville Government (BACTA).
In this assignment a VSA Volunteer will provide support to BACTA with creating policies including regulations on basic standards for guesthouses, data management, standards for tourism products and services. This would enable BACTA to better plan for and deliver on their vision of a more sustainable and accessible tourism industry for Bougainville.
The VSA Volunteer will also assist with elements of tourism product documentation, marketing, and community awareness.
Our Partner Organisation – Bougainville Arts, Culture, and Tourism Authority-Autonomous Bougainville Government BACTA).
The Bougainville Arts, Culture, and Tourism Authority (BACTA) is an office within the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Department of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Economic Development.
BACTA was established in 2021 in response to an identified need for strengthening and improving measures and approaches for effective development, promotion, protection and regulation of Bougainville’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism products and resources.
The Bougainville Arts, Culture, and Tourism Authority (BACTA) is an office within the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Department of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Economic Development.
BACTA was established in 2021 in response to an identified need for strengthening and improving measures and approaches for effective development, promotion, protection and regulation of Bougainville’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism products and resources.
The overall goal with the establishment of BACTA is to build its capacity to support ABG’s strategic goals of boosting and strengthening local income sources for greater economic prosperity for Bougainville through developing art, culture, and tourism in Bougainville.
BACTA is created by law and hence, a statutory body of the ABG. Its prescribed roles and responsibilities pursuant to its enacted Bill (2021), are to manage (regulate and develop), promote (market) and safeguard (regulate, preserve and protect) Bougainville’s Arts Culture and Tourism products and resources.
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.
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:
- A degree in tourism or a related field (or the equivalent in relevant experience).
- Experience working in the tourism sector (preferable in the Pacific or a developing country)
- Experience in developing and writing policy, frameworks, or strategy documents.
- Experience in a capacity building, mentoring, and/or coaching role
- Experience working in tourism management and/or governance
- Experience in content creation, social media, and website maintenance
- Experience in community consultation or stakeholder engagement
- Experience working in a developing country
- Experience working in the Pacific, or with Pacific communities
- Strong communication skills
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
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.
We are looking for a volunteer with:
- Full time 12-month volunteer assignment in Bougainville, PNG
- Flights, accommodation and other expenses covered by VSA.
- Bring your extensive policy and tourism experience to share with others
VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.
Does volunteering with one of the largest and most experienced agency in international development interest you?