Vacancy – PPA Executive Director Position

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the position of Executive Director of the Pacific Power Association (PPA).

The PPA is an inter-governmental agency, and a Member of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) established to promote the direct cooperation of the Pacific Island Power Utilities in technical training, exchange of information, sharing of senior management and engineering expertise and other activities of benefit to the Members.

The Association comprises an Active Membership of 25 power utilities across the Pacific Island region and more than one hundred and two (102) Allied Members from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Germany, Canada, Japan and the Pacific region who are actively involved in the power industry in the Pacific region by supplying goods and services to these Pacific Islands Power Utilities.

The PPA represents the Pacific Islands power sector at international and regional forums, and interacts closely with a wide range of bilateral and multilateral development partners including the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA for funding of regional programmes. It also liaises and interacts with Regional bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, IUCN, University of the South Pacific and other established regional organisations in areas of mutual interest and cooperation.

The Executive Director manages the affairs of the PPA under the guidelines given in the Memorandum and Articles of Association and as directed by the Board of the PPA.

The Executive Director is responsible and fully accountable to the Board of Directors comprising the Chief Executive Officers of the member island power utilities, and a representative of the Allied Members.

The PPA Secretariat manages an annual budget of approximately US$600,000 from membership contributions and is supplemented by funds sourced through development partners’ support. Some of the key responsibilities involve supervising the Secretariat staff, supervising consultants, project management, directing the Association’s regional programmes, managing the Association’s funds, maintaining support from the development partners, liaising and coordinating Member services and organising annual meetings and conferences.

The position requires a professionally qualified Electrical Engineer recognised by international institutions with at least fifteen (15) to twenty (20) years of experience in power utilities with at least five (5) years at senior management level preferably within the Pacific Islands region.

The position demands skills in forging and maintaining an association with a large and geographically isolated membership, a knowledge of and interest of outside support institutions, and strong consensus behind the Association’s goals and objectives.

This role requires leadership, managerial skills, diplomacy, and excellent communication and analytical skills. In addition to these skills, the successful candidate must have a good understanding of the whole of the Pacific Islands region and its peoples and cultures.

The position is based at the PPA Secretariat office located in Suva, Fiji, but will require extensive travel throughout the region and external to the region. The appointment carries an attractive remuneration package, payable in US dollars. The remuneration package is taxable under the laws of Fiji. The appointment will be for three (3) years initially, renewable for a further three (3) years on approval by the Board. The employment contract will be executed under the laws and jurisdiction of the Republic of Fiji.

Further information is available on request. Applicants must provide full information on relevant qualification and experience and contact details of at least three (3) referees with whom the applicant has been associated professionally. Applications must be received by no later than Close of Business October 31st, 2020.

Applications should be addressed to the:

Chairman
Pacific Power Association,
Mr. Hasmukh Patel
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Fiji Limited
Private Mail Bag
Suva
FIJI ISLANDS
Tel: (679) 3224310 Fax: (679) 3311074

Applications can be also emailed to the Chairman, PPA at hasmukh@efl.com.fj

(Source:  PPA Suva media release 10th September 2020)