This Opportunity

The purpose of the NCP Assessor EOI is to have appropriately qualified and experienced pre-screened individuals ready and available for rapid deployment on assessment work for NCP grant programs. The first opportunity will be assessing applications for the 2027 round of the NCP Scholarships, Semester and Mobility Programs. Assessors can indicate their interest in working across any of the programs and will be assigned to work on one program per round year.

1. Assessor Profile

   Assessors are independent professionals with strong judgement, analytical capability, and a high standard of integrity, with experience in the Indo‑Pacific. 

   Suitable candidates may include experienced grant or scholarship assessors, professionals with knowledge of international education, student mobility or Australian foreign policy initiatives and programs, former Government officials, or retired professionals or academics with the above experience.

   Assessors are expected to understand DFAT and NCP objectives and policy priorities, apply grant guidelines and assessment criteria consistently, and deliver clear written assessments to deadlines, while managing a high workload. Assessors must understand and uphold probity and confidentiality requirements.

2. Timing and Duration

   The Panel contract term is from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2029.

   Exact dates expected, input hours and required tasks for each assignment will be confirmed in the Tasking Note. The first Tasking Note for Assessors in 2026 will be for 2027 round assessment work, anticipated to take place between late July and September 2026, but subject to change in future round years.  All assessment work must be completed within the timeframe set out in the Tasking Note. 

   This is an intensive task that requires flexibility and a willingness to work the hours necessary to complete the task within the specified timeframe. Assessors must be available to work full time hours during weekdays and have the flexibility to work additional hours, including weekends if required, during the assessment period. 

   Prior to the assessment period commencing, assessors will be expected to spend time reviewing guidance documentation, including assessment frameworks and scoring guides, and to participate in training.

3. Role Details and Requirements

• The Assessors report to the NCP Deputy Director of Operations.

• Assessment work is desk-based and remote.

• Individuals that meet eligibility criteria and have appropriate qualifications and experience will be added to a panel of assessors and awarded draw-down contracts valid until 30 June 2029. Tasking Notes will be issued for specific tasks under these contracts. Assessors should indicate their interest in any of the specific programs in their cover letter. 

• Dates and inputs will be confirmed through the Tasking Note. For the 2027 Round, assessors will need to be available for training in July to August 2026, and assessment work in August to September.

• Assessment work will be paid at a rate of $93.75 p/h + GST. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

All assessors must:

• Read the relevant NCP grant and program documentation, including Program Guidelines, Assessor Guides, and any other relevant documentation that is provided, as well as participate in online assessor training. The 2026 Round Program Guidelines can be found on the NCP website under each of the three program sections. The 2027 Round Program Guidelines will be available on GrantConnect in June. 

• Read and agree to abide by relevant NCP Probity Plans for grant programs and related Deed of Confidentiality and Privacy, and Conflict of Interest declarations.

• Use approved scoring guidance and tools to provide clear written assessments of each application in line with NCP Guidelines and selection criteria and act on quality-assurance or moderation feedback.

• Complete an assessor feedback session and report/survey, providing constructive feedback on applications, criteria, and the assessment process.

Education and Experience

• A commitment to maintaining the integrity of the grant selection process by complying with conflict of interest and other probity protocols and meeting quality assurance standards.

• Relevant experience in assessing grant applications, in particular prior experience of assessing scholarships or student mobility applications, and/or DFAT grant program applications that have foreign policy objectives.

• Ability to deliver assessments within the DFAT and NCP policy and grant frameworks, using assessment guides and scoring tools to record scores and justify recommendations.

• Experience and/or understanding of the international education sector in Australia and/or previous experience with Australian Government scholarship programs and/or outbound student mobility. 

• Knowledge and cultural understanding of one or more of the eligible host locations/countries. Lived experience in an eligible host location will strengthen your application. 

Applicants who are employed by or who have any other relationship with Australian universities that may participate in the NCP program through scholarship, semester and mobility grant applications should provide details in their cover letter so that appropriate conflict of interest checks can be applied.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV [LV1] and cover letter through the Palladium International Careers Page: Palladium - Career .

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis. The closing date is 1 June 2026. For more information about the role, please send your inquiry to: NCP Recruitment at ncp.recruitment@thepalladiumgroup.com.

Please note:

• We are only accepting applications from job seekers with full working rights within Australia as this role is unable to be sponsored.
• We are not accepting resumes from recruitment agencies for this role.

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Ethics, Integrity and Conflict of Interest

Assessors are required to operate with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, consistent with DFAT’s Ethics, Integrity and Professional Standards Policy Manual and the NCP Probity Plan.

A critical requirement of this role is the effective identification, declaration and management of actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest. Conflicts may arise through current or previous employment, professional relationships, advisory or research roles, or other affiliations, including with Australian universities or organisations that may submit applications under the NCP.

Assessors must:

• fully disclose all relevant conflicts of interest at the application stage and prior to each assessment round,

• comply with all conflict of interest declarations and probity requirements as part of Tasking Notes, and

• adhere to mitigation measures determined by Palladium and/or DFAT, which may include restrictions on the types of applications assessed or exclusion from specific assessment activities.

Failure to disclose or appropriately manage conflicts of interest may result in removal from the assessor panel or termination of engagement.

Compliance with DFAT Policies

Assessors are required to comply with and actively support DFAT policies across all aspects of program delivery, including gender equality, disability inclusion, fraud and anti-corruption, protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH), child protection, and environmental and social safeguards.

This includes incorporating policy principles into planning and assessment activities, promoting continuous improvement, and promptly reporting any concerns through appropriate channels, including Palladium’s Integrity Hotline or Line Management.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Palladium recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, good practice and program excellence. All applicants and personnel are treated with respect and fairness, regardless of personal characteristics or background, including (but not limited to) socio‑economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Reasonable adjustments and workplace accommodations are available. Applicants requiring adjustments due to disability, neurodivergence or other circumstances are encouraged to contact the team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com.

Safeguarding

Palladium defines safeguarding as the preventive action taken to protect our people, partners, clients and the communities we work with from harm. Palladium is committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with our programs are treated with dignity and respect and are free from abuse, exploitation and harassment.

All successful candidates will be required to meet Palladium’s safeguarding requirements, including safeguarding-focused selection processes and an enhanced due diligence assessment, where applicable