About Palladium

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value.  We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 2,000 employees operating in 75-plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies, and, most importantly, people's lives.

About PNG-Australia Strongim Wok Long TVET (SWLT)

The PNG–Australia Strongim Wok Long Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (SWLT) program is a four-year, AUD 80 million investment by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to support Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) efforts to strengthen its TVET sector. Aligned with PNG’s national priority to build an educated and skilled workforce for resilient economic growth, SWLT aims to enhance the quality, relevance, and inclusiveness of skills development. The program supports improvements in national quality assurance systems, technical college standards, graduate employability, and Australia’s visible and trusted development partnership with PNG.

The program aligns with the broader goals of the Australia–PNG Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029, which emphasises locally led development, education investment, and inclusive growth, as well as PNG’s Higher and Technical Education Reform Act 2020.

This Opportunity

As Senior Industry Liaison Coordinator you will serve as National Polytechnic Institute of PNG (NPIPNG) focal point for implementing the Higher Education Institute - Industry Partnerships Strategy (HIPS) under SWLT. You will build and maintain partnerships between the institution, industry, governance and other stakeholders to strengthen workforce development, graduate employability and industry participation in TVET. This will include: 

Skills Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain productive relationships with employers, industry bodies, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Identify and facilitate opportunities for collaboration that strengthen training quality, workforce development and graduate employment outcomes.
• Support the development and implementation of industry partnerships and agreements that strengthen links between HEIs and industry, including resource sharing, workforce initiatives and stakeholder engagement.

Industry-based Learning and Employability

• Coordinate and support industry-based workplace learning opportunities for students, including apprenticeships, traineeships, internships, student attachments.
• Facilitate industry input into training, assessment, curriculum improvement and workforce planning activities.
• Coordinate industry engagement activities including guest lectures, mentoring and employer partnerships that strengthen graduate employability and training relevance.
• Support and facilitate HEI teaching staff obtain industry relevance through short term industry-based placements.

HIPS and TVET Ecosystem Development

• Support implementation of the HEI–Industry Partnerships Strategy (HIPS) within NPIPNG and local TVET ecosystem.
• Support opportunities that position NPIPNG as a provider of professional development, trade testing and workforce development services.
• Support alignment between industry engagement activities, workforce development priorities, institutional planning and sector reform initiatives.

Monitoring, Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Maintain records and information relating to partnerships, stakeholder engagement and workplace learning activities.
• Collect, analyse and report information to support program improvement and meet institutional, DHERST and SWLT reporting requirements.

Coordination and Program Integration

• Work closely with DHERST counterparts, institutional leadership, SWLT team members, industry partners and other stakeholders to ensure activities are aligned, collaborative, complementary and make effective use of existing systems and processes, avoiding duplication where possible.

• Participate in relevant coordination, planning and review processes within SWLT, DHERST and partner institutions. The role will include regular travel to Port Moresby and in PNG, up to 25% of the year with greater travel in the first months of the role.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of solutions that deliver value and ensure SWLT principles are embedded within program delivery.

Cross-cutting Program Responsibilities

• Ensure all activities and advice are delivered in a manner that is practical, locally led, inclusive, contextually appropriate and sustainable, while incorporating SWLT cross-cutting priorities including gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), child protection, PSEAH safeguarding and environmental sustainability.
• Support the collection and use of disaggregated data where practical and appropriate, including data relevant to gender, disability, youth, location and other priority groups.
• Comply with all safeguarding, including child protection and PSEAH requirements, and promptly report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with SWLT and Palladium policies and procedures.
• Support and uphold the organisation’s commitment to environmental sustainability, such as reducing resource use and promoting climate-friendly practices.

About you

• You will demonstrate proven experience in the following areas:
• Seven or more years of professional experience in increasingly complex roles.
• Demonstrated experience working within education, training, workforce development, industry, employer, business or related sectors, with the ability to build effective connections between training providers and industry.
• Ability to develop, nurture and maintain productive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• A preference for strong knowledge of the Facilitator regional businesses network.
• Understanding of PNG's TVET sector, labour market and workforce development priorities.
• Strong communication, facilitation and organisational skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, locally led and sustainable development approaches.

To Apply

Please submit your application online, including your CV and brief cover letter, outlining your suitability in line with the requirements of the position.

Closing date: Friday 21^st August, 5.00pm AEST

 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 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.