VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

PROFESSIONAL SECRETARY

AT THE SECRETARIAT OF THE HELSINKI COMMISSION

The post of Professional Secretary for the HELCOM MARITIME and RESPONSE Groups will fall vacant in the international Secretariat of the Helsinki Commission on 30 September 2006. The common requirements and duties for the Professional Secretaries as well as the post description of the vacancy together with the application format are attached herewith. Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates.

The Helsinki Commission is an inter-governmental organization established for the purposes of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992, signed by the coastal states of the Baltic Sea and the European Community. The aim of the Convention is to restore the ecosystems of the Baltic Sea Area and preserve its ecological balance by preventing pollution from all sources reaching the Baltic Sea Area and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources within the Baltic Sea Area. The Commission is administered by its international Secretariat based in Helsinki, Finland. The Commission works in English.

The person to be appointed should be able to relate maritime and response issues to the overall understanding of priorities in the work of the Helsinki Commission as well as to the marine environment protection policies to address these. The person should have high social competence and ability to build both internal and external networks and be able to work individually but also as a positive team member.

The person should have attained an educational standard equivalent to a good university degree, preferably in maritime technology or law or corresponding education. A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience at the national level is required. Professional experience at international level is an asset and proven organizational and administrative skills an advantage. To be able to successfully carry out the duties of Professional Secretary the applicant should have current knowledge of word processing and office suite software. A thorough knowledge of the English language as well as the ability to draft quickly and concisely in English is essential.

The salary, which is related to the appropriate United Nations grade (P-4), shall be set out in the contract of employment. The salaries paid by the Commission are exempt from Finnish income tax. In addition, certain allowances may be payable depending on personal circumstances.

The initial appointment is for three years, the first six months of which shall be a probationary period, with the possibility of a prolongation for another period not exceeding three years (3+3 years, maximum 6 consecutive years altogether). The successful candidate will be invited to take up his/her post on 1 October 2006.

Applications for the post should be sent to:

Anne Christine Brusendorff

Executive Secretary

Helsinki Commission

Katajanokanlaituri 6 B

FIN 00160 Helsinki, Finland

e-mail: anne.christine.brusendorff@helcom.fi

fax: + 358 9 6220 2239

not later than Thursday, 16 February 2006 by noon. Applications sent by fax / e-mail should also be sent by post.

Call for interviews mid-March 2006 / interviews will take place beginning of April 2006.

COMMON REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SECRETARIES

OF THE HELSINKI COMMISSION

The professional secretaries shall assist the Executive Secretary in performing functions conferred on the Executive Secretary, inter alia, by paragraph 5 of Article 21 of the 1992 Helsinki Convention and additionally by the 1992 Baltic Environment Declaration.

The Secretaries shall, under the direction of the Executive Secretary, inter alia,

1. Make necessary arrangements for the meetings of the subsidiary bodies, and their sub-groups, inter alia:

a)   prepare invitations, provisional agendas, secretariat documents and reports pertaining to such meetings;

b)   present matters for consideration at such meetings;

c)    act as Secretaries at such meetings; and

d)   communicate documents relating to such meetings,

in so far as responsibility for this work or part of it is not assumed, by special arrangement, by a Contracting Party to the Helsinki Convention, an observer of the Commission.

2. In addition the Secretaries shall, as directed by the Executive Secretary:

a)   respond to requests from Governments, international organizations, NGOs, institutions and individuals;

b)   represent HELCOM at meetings related to HELCOM's field of responsibility; and

c)    undertake such other tasks as may be assigned to her/him in the field of her/his competence.

3. The Secretaries shall compile, analyze and assess information related to their area of competence and draw the appropriate conclusions.

4.         The Secretariat of HELCOM is understood as a team and each Secretary shall, under the supervision of the Executive Secretary, closely cooperate with the other Secretaries and the Administrative Officer as well as take due account of the work carried out within the subsidiary bodies of HELCOM.

POST DESCRIPTION FOR A PROFESSIONAL SECRETARY

OF THE HELSINKI COMMISSION

The Professional Secretary shall coordinate the activities to identify current and emergent issues related to sea-based sources of pollution as well as to ensure a swift national and trans-national response to marine pollution incidents in close cooperation with the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention.

To this end the Professional Secretary shall, under the direction of the Executive Secretary, inter alia:

Provide guidance to and supervise the daily implementation of the activities under his/her responsibility as indicated in the Terms of Reference for Maritime Group (HELCOM MARITIME) as well as the Response Group (HELCOM RESPONSE), including:

a)         provide support for the considerations of ways and means to manage impacts of the increasing maritime transportation to the marine environment, such as pollution by ship-generated wastes, air emissions, introduction of alien species by discharge of ballast water and pollution from accidents;

b)         assist in coordinating efforts to ensure successful convictions of offenders to anti-pollution regulations;

c)         provide support for coordination of efforts of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention in the work of other international organizations, especially  the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA);

d)         assist in promoting adequate national ability to respond to pollution incidents;

e)         assist in organising standing operational networks for trans-national cooperation in pollution incidents at sea, including facilitation of direct contacts and cooperation between competent authorities dealing with pollution combatting matters in the Baltic Sea Area;

f)          assist in developing suitable routines for cooperation in operational matters with the competent authorities acting under other international agreements of relevance to the combatting of marine pollution in the Baltic Sea Area;

g)         assist in updating and keeping under review the HELCOM Response Manual;

h)         assist in coordinating aerial surveillance flights, in assessing results thereof and, on the basis of these results, in identifying needs for possible further actions; and

i)          coordinate collection, analysis and display of relevant statistical and scientific information to support policy decision-making process and information to mariners;

j)          assist in preparations of thematic assessments on:

·        the pollution loads originating from maritime transportation and their effects to the marine environment,

·        the effectiveness of adopted measures,

·        the needs and possibilities for additional measures,

and in this way monitor and assess the implementation by the Contracting Parties of the provisions of the Helsinki Convention and the HELCOM Recommendations in the maritime and response fields;

k)         assist in elaboration of indicators as well as the use of these in the assessment of the effectiveness of measures taken towards reaching the ecological objectives for the maritime and response fields;

Qualifications:            University degree in maritime technology or law or corresponding education. A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience at the national level. Professional experience at international level is an asset. Computer literacy is essential.

Language

requirements:            Excellent knowledge of English.

APPLICATION FORMAT

Application format.doc (95.74 kilobytes)