KEY INFORMATION

ROLE PURPOSE

Prospera Phase 2 is Australia's flagship economic governance investment in Indonesia. The program supports the Government of Indonesia (GoI) to advance inclusive, sustainable and climate-resilient economic reform, while strengthening Australia–Indonesia bilateral partnerships.

The GEDSI Lead is a senior technical role responsible for leading Prospera’s gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) function across the full implementation phase. The role drives Prospera’s twin-track approach: mainstreaming GEDSI across all activities and delivering targeted GEDSI activities in partnership with GoI central economic agencies.

The GEDSI Lead works from within the program’s Sync function, ensuring that inclusion is embedded in policy analysis, activity design, MEL, and institutional engagement. The role anchors all GEDSI work in Indonesia’s own policy commitments, bringing an economic framing to inclusion arguments and working at the interface of economic reform and social equity.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

GEDSI strategy and work program

• Lead development and implementation of Prospera’s GEDSI strategy and annual work program, aligned with Indonesia’s national commitments and DFAT’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy and International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy.

• Advise senior program leadership on GEDSI priorities, risks and opportunities across Prospera’s technical portfolio.

• Track and report on GEDSI marker allocations and outcomes across all activities, supporting program-level accountability and DFAT reporting requirements.

• Work closely with Equity Economics as the program’s specialist consortium partner to co-design and quality-assure GEDSI analytical products and advisory inputs.

Mainstreaming GEDSI across activities

• Lead GEDSI screening and strengthening of all concept notes prior to approval, applying Prospera’s responsive–targeted–transformative marker framework.

• Provide practical guidance to technical teams on integrating GEDSI analysis into policy briefs, political economy analyses, institutional assessments and knowledge products.

• Support technical leads to set annual GEDSI marker targets and identify pathways to move activities towards transformative outcomes.

• Ensure policy briefs produced by Prospera include analysis of differentiated impacts on women, people with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.

Targeted GEDSI activities

• Design and manage targeted GEDSI activities in partnership with GoI, including support for inclusive economic policymaking, gender-responsive budgeting, disability employment reform, and care economy analysis.

• Support GoI partner agencies to institutionalise GEDSI practices, including disaggregated data systems, GEDSI analysis in policy development cycles, and inclusive budgeting processes.

• Build and manage partnerships with Indonesian civil society organisations, organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs), women’s business associations, and research institutes to co-produce evidence and strengthen reform coalitions.

MEL and evidence

• Ensure GEDSI is integrated into the program’s MEL framework, including through sex-disaggregated data collection, GEDSI-sensitive indicators and inclusive monitoring methods.

• Commission and quality-assure GEDSI analytical products, including baseline studies, policy analyses and evaluations.

• Capture and share GEDSI lessons across the program and with DFAT, GoI and APS partners.

Internal capability and culture

• Build GEDSI capability within the Prospera team, including through onboarding, guidance materials, facilitated learning and quality review of technical outputs.

• Champion an inclusive workplace, in line with Cowater’s universal design standards.

• Support the GEDSI Working Group and any GEDSI-focused governance processes.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in economics, development studies, gender studies, public policy or a related field.

• At least ten years of progressive experience in GEDSI advisory roles, with demonstrated expertise in economic governance, trade, fiscal policy or a related domain.

• Proven track record integrating GEDSI into policy analysis, program design and institutional engagement, ideally within DFAT-funded or comparable development programs.

• Strong understanding of Indonesia’s GEDSI policy landscape, including national commitments on gender equality, disability inclusion and social protection.

• Demonstrated ability to engage senior government officials and build sustained working relationships with GoI counterparts.

• Experience applying DFAT’s GEDSI performance markers or equivalent frameworks in a complex program context.

• Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia strongly preferred.

Desirable

• Experience working with central economic ministries or coordinating agencies in Indonesia or comparable Southeast Asian contexts.

• Familiarity with disability inclusion approaches in economic or public sector settings.

• Experience working with Australian Government programs or APS agency partnerships.

• Demonstrated experience partnering with local civil society organisations and research institutes.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The GEDSI Lead will work closely with:

• Executive Director and program senior leadership

• Director, Policy and Program

• Equity Economics (specialist consortium partner)

• Technical leads across Prospera’s EOPO portfolios

• MEL team

• DFAT GEDSI advisers and relevant APS counterparts

• GoI partner agencies, particularly the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and relevant line ministries

• Indonesian civil society, OPD and research partners

PSEAH AND CHILD PROTECTION

The Personnel must read, understand and comply with all organisational and DFAT requirements relating to the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) and Child Protection. Any suspicion, allegation, incident or concern must be reported as soon as possible, and at the maximum within 24 hours of becoming aware of the matter, in accordance with approved reporting procedures. Completion of required safeguarding training and adherence to reporting obligations is a condition of engagement.

ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE

The Personnel must comply with all DFAT policies, contractual obligations and Prospera operational requirements. All intellectual property developed under this assignment will be the property of Prospera and DFAT. The Personnel must comply with:

• DFAT Child Protection and PSEAH policies

• Fraud, bribery and corruption prevention requirements

• Program Code of Conduct

• Conflict-of-interest obligations

• Privacy and confidentiality requirements

WAYS OF WORKING

Prospera works in a transparent, accountable and collaborative way. All team members are expected to share information early, manage risks proactively, and be clear about decisions and responsibilities. We value respect, professionalism and collective responsibility for delivery.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications can be sent to recruitment@prospera.or.id no later than 15 June 2026. 

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.