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:  

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
2. 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
3. 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. 

Context:

At the national level, Fiji has implemented key legislative and policy measures to advance gender equality. These initiatives include gender mainstreaming through institutional capacity development and gender-responsive planning and budgeting, the Fiji Gender Country Assessment (2023), the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls (2023–2028), and the development of a new National Action Plan for Women’s Economic Empowerment. 

Fiji has also committed to core international and regional instruments to support gender equality, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1995), the revised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (2023) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 5 (gender equality).   

The MWCSP is responsible for the Fiji Government’s services and programs aligned to the: 

• Care and protection of children; 
• Provision of income support to families to address poverty; 
• Provision of policy intervention for older persons; 
• Provision of policy intervention for persons with disabilities; and 
• Promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women 

Despite progress towards achieving gender equality in Fiji, challenges remain. The MWCSP’s Fiji Country Gender Assessment 2023 offers a detailed analysis of issues, including high rates of gender-based violence, low levels of representation of women in leadership, lower workforce participation rates and challenges with access to sexual reproductive health and rights.     

Australia has supported a long-term gender advisor in the MWCSP since 2015. Australia and Fiji have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to address gender equality, through the renewed and elevated Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership.  

To support the MWCSP to achieve its aims, the Advisor will need to be based in Suva and work within the MWCSP office. 

Position Summary:

The Adviser will support the Minister and Permanent Secretary (PS) in advancing the Fiji Government’s agenda on gender equality and the empowerment of women and children. This role provides strategic advice to drive the effective implementation of key policies and initiatives related to gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI). 

In addition to offering expert guidance, the Advisor will mentor and coach counterparts within the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection (MWCSP), helping leaders progress their priorities and achieve the Ministry’s long-term goals. 

With a strong background in gender equality, social inclusion, and public sector policy development, the Advisor will play a crucial role in translating Fiji’s national and international GEDSI commitments into tangible outcomes that enhance the empowerment and well-being of all women and children in Fiji. 

Key Responsibilities: 

The Adviser will provide high-level strategic policy support and advice to the offices of the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection and the Permanent Secretary to ensure that:  

• key policies, strategies and plans are delivered effectively and in a timely manner.  
• MWCSP’s gender equality mainstreaming efforts support the achievement of Fiji’s national and international gender equality, disability and social inclusion commitments. 

To achieve this, the Advisor will: 

• provide quality advisory services to Minister and PS, including updates of progress of policy reforms from development through successful execution 
• facilitate the coordination of the MWCSP’s budgetary deliverables and commitments 
• coordinate and consolidate the implementation of Fiji’s domestic GEDSI policy commitments 
• coordinate and consolidate the progress of implementation of regional and international commitments (including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)), and high-level representation and engagement in key fora (including the Commission on Status of Women (CSW), the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting) 
• foster connections and exchange and support the Minister and PS to introduce new ways of working to strengthen the MWCSP’s ability to deliver across Fiji Government 
• support the Minister and PS to scope and develop potential plans and approaches for the MWCSP and to drive and deliver outcomes 
• support the Minister and PS to follow up on their directives and to keep actions/activities on track in support of the broader MWCSP workplan 
• cooperate with and support MWCSP staff, and with other Fiji Government ministries and stakeholders as required. 

Additional job-specific roles and responsibilities may be discussed and agreed between the successful candidate and Minister and PS. 

Key Deliverables:  

• Provision of on-going high-quality strategic and policy advice 
• Support the coordination and implementation of deliverables 
• Six-monthly reports to MWCSP and DFAT. 

Key Working Relationships: 

Reporting to 

• Directly reporting to: Offices of the Minister and Permanent Secretary 
• Indirectly reporting to: Cross Cutting Priorities Lead, FPSP 

Other 

• Directors (Children, Women and Social Protection) 
• DFAT 

Selection Criteria: 

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in social sciences, political science, public administration, international development, gender studies or a related discipline with 10 years’ experience in a similar organisation or institutions, or a bachelor’s degree in the above-mentioned disciplines with extensive professional experience.  

Skills and Experience  

• At least 5 years’ experience in providing senior-level strategic policy and technical advice to government to support Ministerial decision-making. 
• Strong communication, cultural competency and stakeholder engagement skills, with the demonstrated ability to establish and maintain strong relationships and foster collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders (including Fiji Government, diplomatic missions, development partners, multilateral agencies, civil society and delivery partners) to secure outcomes. 
• High-level problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to navigate complex operating environments, uncertainty and risk, including facilitating others to adapt plans as required. 
• An understanding of Fiji gender equality, disability and social inclusion laws and devolution-related legislation, and of government and private sector policies and governance structures, and ability to relate to Fiji and the Pacific.  
• Experience working in developing countries and the ability to work in Fiji. 

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