Lenisha Gado Vari

Provide policy support to the High Commissioner and seconded staff (particularly First Secretary Political) in the areas of foreign policy and trade by:

• Attending Parliamentary sessions and reporting on key issues;
• Supporting seconded staff as required on official calls, including preparing briefing notes for meetings, and drafting speech notes as well as presentation for the High Commissioner;
• Gathering information, analyzing and reporting on domestic political developments, current events and emerging trends around the region. Report on how these issues are of interest/relevance to the New Zealand-Vanuatu relationship and New Zealand's regional relationships;
• Preparing draft reports focusing on key political updates;
• Building and maintaining important relationships/contacts with decision-makers, policy-makers, thinkers and influencers across government, private sector, media and civil society.
• Provide the High Commissioner and High Commission staff with communications advice to advance the High Commission's public diplomacy and foreign policy objectives in Vanuatu

Communications and Public Diplomacy:

• Develop and implement a public diplomacy, communications and stakeholder engagement strategy for the High Commission that raises profile, broadens NZ's constituency and promote NZ's interests.
• Manage the High Commission's public diplomacy programme, including preparing funding applications and reports; proactively developing and/or leveraging events; and organizing and managing events.
• Identify opportunities and prepare material for media engagement, such as radio and newspaper
• Manage communications, media and public diplomacy elements of high-level visits.
• Build and maintain an effective and engaging digital presence for the High Commission, aligned with the communications strategy and that reflects New Zealand's values and impact.
• Build internal staff capacity in social media and public diplomacy.

Media Management:

• Be a point of contact for media enquiries and nurture and grow media contacts by effectively networking and facilitating enquiries where possible.
• Prepare media releases and, as required, plan media interviews for high-level visits and significant events as well as manage media at High Commission events.
• Work with First Secretary (Political) to manage New Zealand's reputation and provide media material and responses as required.
• Manage media delegations accompanying official ministerial visits to Vanuatu.
• Assist with media liaison during NZ humanitarian responses to natural disasters, in consultation with High Commissioner and the Ministry's Communications Division.

Visits and Events:

• In consultation with seconded staff propose/develop visit and function objectives, detail desired programme elements, prepare participant and guests lists, arrange and organize functions, meetings and other events, and specificity protocols required during the visit and analyze security needs.

• Receive suspicious transaction reports and Suspicious Activity Reports and information submitted to the VFIU
• Writing up reports, either Complaint or Intel reports or strategic reports and disseminating it to the relevant line agencies and policy makers
• Compile statistics and records and conduct researches where necessary
• Assess and analyse the report and information received and confirm Money Laundering/Terrorist financing/proliferation financing suspicions
• Providing feedback to reporting entities, line agencies and member of the public regarding outcomes of reports and information provided to the VFIU
• Build and maintain good working relationships with clients, other enforcement and regulatory agencies as well as stakeholders

• Review materials submitted to VFIU's Compliance Unit and Intel team when required and ensure that all is in compliance with the AML&CTF Act
• Educate the public and create awareness on matter relating to Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing
• Represent VFIU at meetings and conferences
• Facilitate any prosecution process for breaches under the Act
• Compile statistics and records as well as Daily Worksheets
• Provide directions to reporting entities with steps that the unit deems necessary to facilitate them in carrying out the requirements of the act