About the Program

The Australia Awards Global Support Mechanism (AAGSM) is a new initiative designed to enhance the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) international scholarship program delivery by providing operational, technical and analytical services. The AAGSM consists of the Program Support Unit (PSU) - responsible for operational and technical services to DFAT and the scholarship delivery network, and the Research and Analytical Support Unit (RASU) – responsible for analytical and research services for international scholarship programs. Palladium delivers the AAGSM PSU and cooperates with DFAT to ensure effective functioning with the RASU.

Duration of contract: 17 March 2025 – 30 June 2029

Location: Canberra / Australia

Reporting into: International Higher Education Lead

The Opportunity

As the Team Leader for AAGSM PSU, you will support DFAT to deliver high quality scholarships policy and operations by leading an efficient, coordinated Australia-based unit which supports central and program-driven operational and technical support functions. As Team Leader you will be the lead PSU representative in dialogue with DFAT, RASU and the broader scholarship program delivery network. You will actively engage to ensure DFAT’s strategic direction is understood and operationalised in all aspects of PSU’s work and to ensure effective functioning with the RASU.

Key responsibilities include:

• Oversee development and delivery of the PSU Six-Monthly Work Plans according to the activities, resources and timeframes agreed with DFAT, maximising opportunities for collaboration and efficiency.
• Oversee the high-quality delivery of Service Orders including workplans, financial management, resourcing, procurement, performance and risk management
• Support DFAT to proactively build and maintain effective working relationships with primary scholarship delivery partners including DFAT Posts, Geographic and Thematic areas, tertiary institutions, Whole of Government and the private sector.
• Lead the PSU team to ensure the principles of a one team approach, service orientation, flexibility and responsiveness and a commitment to ethics and integrity are embedded into all aspects of service delivery.
• Provide effective leadership to the Senior Management Team to ensure a cohesive and collaborative approach across the PSU. Together explore, design and implement innovative approaches to deliver strategic priorities and outcomes through DFAT’s international scholarship programs.
• Be responsible for mechanism performance including through implementation of the PSU Performance Assessment Framework, ensuring continuous improvement is embedded across the PSU.
• Lead high-quality delivery of the PSU Risk and Safeguard Management Plan and all contractual reports.

About you

You will have a substantial level of expertise managing large, complex development programs (preferably DFAT funded) overseeing considerable budgets and diverse workstreams. Experience in team leadership, particularly for a diverse / multi-cultural team, role modelling a culture of service excellence is a must.

Additional key requirements include:

• Demonstrated excellence in client management and stakeholder engagement to maintain engaged and productive relationships. 
• Leadership experience in the tertiary education sector, particularly international education, and/or international scholarship program management is highly desirable.
• Expertise in team leadership particularly for a diverse/multi-cultural team, role modelling a culture of service excellence. Proven success building high performing and resilient teams working respectfully and in a way that builds staff capacity, commitment, ownership and performance.
• Highly developed interpersonal and strategic communication skills, including the ability to influence a wide range of stakeholders, role-model high self-awareness, systems thinking and adaptive leadership skills. 
• Proven capability to produce high quality written reports and coordinate multiple inputs to ensure cohesive reporting delivery.
• Strong ability to effectively adapt and respond to changing circumstances and proactively manage risk.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.