Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)

Locally Engaged Employee - February 2025 to December 2027, with possible 2-year extension; commencing February 2025 Based in the Australian High Commission Office in Suva, Fiji. 

Program Overview: 

FPSP, also referred to as the ‘Platform’, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment, will contribute to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan. 

The Platform will deliver key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities will identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs.

The Platform has three functional Outcomes: 

The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments. The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.  

Position Summary: 

The MEL Specialist will be based in the Australian High Commission office to support DFAT’s program management staff to meet their performance and quality responsibilities and to improve the overall quality and value of investment level performance management arrangements. DFAT will continue to commission independent evaluations and quality assurance as required. Platform MEL personnel will be obliged to collaborate with any independent quality assurance to meet DFAT MEL requirements.  

The MEL Specialist will work closely with DFAT staff to quality assure partners’ MEL plans, activities and reporting, helping ensure they are high quality and meet DFAT standards. This role will work 50% for platform activities and 50% for other investments. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strengthening Suva Posts staff’s application of DFAT MEL requirements linked to the MEL Standards, International Development Policy (IDP) Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) indicators (Tiered indicators), Development Partnership Plan (DPP) PAF indicators (when the DPP is released) and Locally-Led Development (LLD) indicators so they can hold investments accountable to these requirements and standards.   Providing demand-driven support to DFAT Post in relation to systematically appraising MEL-related deliverables, including investment MEL Plans (aligning with MEL Standard 5)  Providing demand-driven support to DFAT Post with relation to systematically appraising routine progress reports (aligning with MEL Standard 6)  Working with DFAT Post to identify the opportunities to interact with investments from a MEL perspective, including as a participant in talanoas and reflection sessions   Identifying and promoting opportunities for cross-program learning at Post, including through internal Communities of Practice   Strengthening DFAT Post’s understanding and awareness of fundamental MEL principles and approaches.  Other duties as reasonably directed by the DFAT Counsellor and/or PLC Lead. 

Specific Deliverables: 

Provision of technical advice to DFAT Suva program management staff to support investment performance and quality management responsibilities.  High quality MEL technical input to the review and quality assurance of program implementation partner deliverables, including but not limited to:  Program MEL Plans   Baseline reports Progress reports  Designs of new initiatives Reviews of significant initiatives Value for Money (VfM) assessments  Support as required to develop agendas and material for Community of Practice   Provision of training and facilitation of workshops on fundamental MEL approaches as required 

Key Working Relationships: 

Reporting to:

Formal Reporting Line: DFAT Counsellor Development Cooperation  Informal Reporting Line: Interim Performance, Learning and Communication (PLC) Lead

Other:

DFAT Post Representatives   FPSP PLC Team and Abt corporate MEL Adviser  FPSP Cross-cutting Priorities Team  FPSP Senior Leadership Team (Platform and Sector Programs)  FPSP MEL Community of Practice  FPSP MEL Partners: Clear Horizon and Talanoa Consulting   FPSP Indigenous Partner: Ninti One 

Selection Criteria: 

Qualifications in monitoring and evaluation, project management, public policy, development or relevant field.  Demonstrated experience implementing DFAT MEL standards, systems, plans, frameworks and using evidence to communicate results and impact.  Strong understanding of research and learning as key principles to inform adaptive management approaches  Demonstrated experience in MEL capacity building and/or training.   Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate with influence across a large multi-disciplinary team  Proven skills and ability to manage a range of stakeholder relationships in a cross-cultural setting  Demonstrated experience applying MEL approaches which support GEDSI integration and mainstreaming.  Demonstrated ability to operate with innovation, adaptability, flexibility, and resilience to accommodate change in a complex, uncertain, high-energy environment 

How to apply:

Applications close on Sunday 02 February at midday.   

Please apply online by submitting a cover letter addressing how you meet the requirements of this role and up-to-date comprehensive CV.  

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