KEY INFORMATION

Job Title: Program Developer / MIS Assistant
Position Type (full/part time): Part Time
Duration/Level of Effort (long/short term): April 2026 – January 2027 (maximum of 60 working days)
Position Location (e.g. city, country, remote): Metro Manila, Philippines with virtual coordination and possible meetings with DSWD Central Office and partner agencies (PSA, DICT, etc.)

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Philippine Government on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 40 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP 2024-2029) between the Government of Australia and the Philippine Government. The investment will be the DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING supports efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and DFAT’s forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines. 

SPRING contributes to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippines Development Plan.

The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the Philippine Government to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities. 

SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs): 

1. Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor.
2. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive.
3. The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems.
4. The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION

The Program Developer will provide technical and documentation support to a structured assessment and design activity to strengthen the Dynamic Social Registry (DSR). The role will focus on producing the technical evidence base and maintaining the working documentation required for high-quality assessment outputs and implementation-oriented recommendations.

Working under the guidance of the Social Protection Lead and under the technical supervision of the Social Protection Dataset Expert (Activity Lead), the Program Developer will support five interconnected work areas: (i) enterprise software architecture, (ii) security implementation, (iii) API-enabled interoperability, (iv) source code review, and (v) data management and governance. The Program Developer will develop and maintain technical inventories, diagrams, logs, matrices, benchmarking tables, and annex-ready documentation that will be consolidated and signed off by the Dataset Expert.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Working under the guidance of the Social Protection Dataset Expert, the Program Developer will support end-to-end delivery by producing and maintaining technical artifacts and documentation across the workstreams. The Program Developer will ensure materials are complete, traceable, and packaged for validation and handover, while the Dataset Expert remains accountable for technical interpretation, recommendations, and sign-off of deliverables. Specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Enterprise Software Architecture

• Compile and maintain a system and integration inventory (applications, integrations, infrastructure components, technology stack) based on document review and technical walkthroughs.

• Draft and update current-state architecture diagrams and integration maps, ensuring consistent notation and version control.

• Maintain an architecture issues log capturing technical debt, bottlenecks, and modernization opportunities, including evidence references for review by the Dataset Expert.

• Support preparation of annex materials for target-state architecture outputs and the phased migration and modernization roadmap, including dependency tables and capability assumptions.

2. Security Implementation

• Populate and maintain a security controls evaluation matrix based on available documentation and technical discussions.

• Maintain the security risk register (risk statement, severity scoring, impacted components, recommended mitigation), including traceability to evidence and validation notes.

• Support compilation of annexes and evidence references for the security posture assessment and compliance gap outputs for Dataset Expert synthesis and approval.

3. API Communication Assessment and Interoperability

• Develop and maintain an API inventory and interaction map, including owners, authentication approach, versioning status, documentation status, and known issues.

• Support collection, organization, and packaging of baseline performance benchmarking outputs (latency, throughput, error rates, and other agreed KPIs).

• Draft standardized annex materials supporting API recommendations (documentation templates, versioning checklist, lifecycle management checklist) for Dataset Expert approval.

4. Source Code Review

• Organize and maintain a code review evidence pack, including findings logs for code quality, maintainability issues, vulnerabilities, and performance observations, following the approach set by the Dataset Expert.

• Compile structured notes on documentation quality, test coverage, CI/CD pipelines, and development workflows, and prepare annex-ready summaries for Dataset Expert validation.

• Support preparation of tables and visuals for the codebase optimization and modernization roadmap for Dataset Expert approval.

   

5. Data Management, Data Flows, and Governance

• Produce and maintain data flow maps and working drafts of metadata inventories based on document review and technical consultations.

• Support data quality and metadata assessment by compiling profiling tables and documented observations (as feasible based on access and agreed tools).

• Maintain working drafts of governance artifacts for refinement by the Dataset Expert, including role maps, decision-rights tables, and process flows for access and change control.

6. Documentation Support

• Maintain organized document management and version control for working files, templates, and logs.

• Prepare activity/meeting materials and annex packages (diagrams, matrices, issue-to-recommendation tables) to support validation sessions led by the Dataset Expert.

• Compile the handover package (final templates, diagrams, logs, technical notes, and short how-to guides) to support knowledge transfer and acceptance.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Data Science, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated professional experience.

• Additional training or certification in data analytics, management information systems (MIS), or digital governance is an advantage.

Minimum Experience:

• At least 10 years in experience leading enterprise architecture assessments and At least 3 years of experience in software development, systems implementation, or technical documentation for enterprise systems.

• Demonstrated experience supporting one or more of the following: enterprise architecture documentation, API integration mapping, security documentation (controls matrices and risk registers), structured code review documentation, and data flow mapping and metadata documentation.

• Experience working in multi-stakeholder environments, preferably supporting government information systems or large-scale databases.

Essential Skills:

• Strong ability to produce clear, structured technical documentation (inventories, matrices, logs, annexes) and architecture or data flow diagrams.

• Competence in organizing evidence packs with strong version control and traceability.

• Analytical skills to translate technical inputs into well-structured tables and visuals suitable for workshops and formal reporting.

• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesize complex technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations for both technical and management audiences.

• Ability to work under technical direction, respond quickly to feedback, and manage multiple workstreams in parallel while maintaining quality.

• Familiarity with data governance, privacy, and interoperability standards (e.g., DICT guidelines, Data Privacy Act, open data principles).

• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of GEDSI principles, with knowledge or experience in promoting gender equality, disability, and social inclusion especially within adaptive programs like SPRING. This includes a clear understanding of and practical experience in safeguarding, particularly in the context of child protection (CP) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), with the ability to integrate safeguarding measures into program implementation.

• Compliance to DFAT policies on fraud control, financing terrorism, child protection and other social safeguards.

APPLICATION PROCESS

This is a rolling recruitment. Applications will be reviewed and vetted sequentially as they are received. We encourage interested individuals to apply as early as possible. 

For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.

Cowater international strives to maintain a fair, transparent, and human centered recruitment process. As part of our commitment to responsible hiring practices and compliance with evolving recruitment regulations, we may use AI assisted tools to support limited aspects of our talent acquisition workflow, such as reviewing or shortlisting applications. These tools are used only to enhance efficiency and consistency in our processes. All assessments, interviews, and final hiring decisions are made exclusively by our human recruiting managers. Candidates may request additional information about the use of these tools or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.

ABOUT US

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.