Abt Global is seeking a highly qualified individual to fill the Senior Transportation Specialist role on the Western Province Partnership under the Australia – PNG Subnational (APSP) Program. This role includes a mixture of remote work from the advisor’s home base and some in-country inputs. The position is open to all applicants.

BACKGROUND

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 will support 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 will contribute 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.

The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.

Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)

• Long Term Role - commencing early 2025 (3-year contract, with potential 2-year extension)
• Based in Suva, Fiji
• Integrating and coordinating cross cutting priorities including GEDSI, safeguarding, climate change and disaster resilience and Indigenous participation and engagement
• Open to all applicants. 

Program Overview: 

FPSP, also referred to as the ‘Platform’, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment, will contribute to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan.  

The Platform will deliver key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities will identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs. 

The Platform has three functional Outcomes:  

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies
3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management. 

Position Summary:

The Cross Cutting Priorities (CCP) Hub is responsible for providing specialist GEDSI support across program teams to strengthen program performance in addressing gender equality and disability inclusion; for supporting GEDSI officers in partner Government of (GoF) agencies and administering a flexible fund for the provision of technical assistance to GoF agencies. The Hub will also be responsible for managing and implementing safeguarding, identifying and addressing climate risks, providing disaster resilience advice, as well as facilitating participation of First Nations Australians and indigenous-to-indigenous engagement. The Hub will support the achievement of End of Platform Outcome (EOPO) 2 by integrating and coordinating cross cutting priorities throughout the portfolio and across the program management cycle. 

The Lead is responsible for the effective delivery and performance of the Hub. They will drive meaningful cross-cutting approaches across the Platform-managed investments. The Lead will work in close collaboration with Abt partners Talanoa Consulting, Clear Horizons and Ninti One; and oversee Hub priorities including the development of GEDSI Strategy and Action Plan, the Climate and Disaster Resilience Strategy, Risk and Safeguarding Management Plan and the First Nations Engagement Framework and Implementation Plan.   

The Lead plays a crucial role in linking and integrating GEDSI, safeguarding, climate and disaster resilience, locally led development (LLD) and indigenous engagement strategies across sector programs.