Program Overview:  

The Partnerships for Improving Education (PIE) Program is a 5-year, Government of Australia (GoA) investment to support the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) improve the delivery of access to and quality of education for the children of PNG. PIE continues through to 30th June 2027.

The PIE program focuses on early grade education working at the national and sub-national level in four target provinces. Through facilitating, testing and monitoring innovative ways to address priority challenges related to access and retention, and the upskilling and upgrading of elementary teachers, the Program seeks to influence policy and systems-based change to improve learning outcomes for girls, boys and children with a disability in the early grades. 

The expected end-of-investment outcomes (EOIO) for the PIE investment are:

• Targeted Outcome 1: More children (girls, boys, and children with disabilities) in the early grades enrol and stay in school in selected provinces using replicable and sustainable approaches
• Targeted Outcome 2: Targeted provinces are using sustainable and replicable approaches to support improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in the early grades
• Enabling Outcome 3: Evidence of systemic change within the education sector that improves the delivery of early grades education

Position Overview:   

The Team Leader will lead the PIE team and will oversee the implementation of the PIE program. They will work closely with program stakeholders, the AHC and the Top Management Team (TMT) of NDoE, including the Deputy Secretary, Policy and Corporate Services. 

The Team Leader will have responsibility for:

• The role will have strategic oversight of PIE implementation activities to ensure delivery of services and milestones in accordance with the PIE Head Contract with DFAT.
• They will lead PIE in all aspects of the development, implementation and management of component partnerships in accordance with Abt Associates standards, code of conduct and organisational policies.
• Demonstrating a visible and systematic commitment to achieving gender equality at Abt and for achieving against agreed gender equality performance objectives.

Specific Responsibilities:   

Management 

• Lead the strategic direction and operational management of all PIE program activities, ensuring they remain positioned to achieve their goals and end of program outcomes.
• Oversee PIE program and hold leadership accountability.
• Align communication channels within internal and external stakeholders.
• Define broader working relationships with all Abt PNG Programs.
• Monitor and develop performance to ensure adequate and qualified staff carries out program activities.
• Develop the supporting governance frameworks (including an annual work plan and key strategies per head contract) for PIE.
• Take a proactive approach to reporting, governance and public communications to deliver on Australia’s high-level goals for PIE.
• Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to Senior Managers to foster a cohesive, shared and unified approach to program implementation with strategic partners, counterparts and implementing partners.
• Support the Program’s functional management team (Human Resources, Finance, Operations), to ensure effective services which align with PIE’s goals and outcomes.

Planning and Policy

• Support strategic and operational planning, and the development of Program policies, in consultation with Senior Management and the M&E and Knowledge Management teams.
• Ensure Senior Management are updating key planning documents in accordance with the priorities of the respective partnerships.
• Remain up-to-date on all policy and procedural changes that may affect implementation and ensure compliance in a timely and organised manner.

Grant Management

• Ensure grantees deliver outcomes in line with their plans through:
• effective performance monitoring; comprehensive, clear and accurate reporting;
• ensuring projects comply with relevant policies (gender equality, child protection, inclusivity); and
• effective financial management, early identification, and mitigation of risks.
• Promote a partnership approach between Government of PNG and Australia (through the AHC).
• Identify risks to program success both within the grants and to the broader PIE program and propose mitigation and management strategies for consideration.
• Drive an agenda which includes encouraging a performance-based culture in PNG service delivery, consortium-building, engagement at sub-national level and drawing on lessons learned.
• Take a leadership role in progressing a results-based funding model.
• Oversee management of the PIE budget and expenditure and ensure timely and effective reporting to DFAT and other stakeholders as required.
• Responsible for the implementation, management, supervision and evaluation of all activities including those related to grant activities.
• Ensure Program has ability and resources to identify and form appropriate partnerships to support delivery.

Technical Assistance (TA)

• Ensure TA to PNG Education Sector is aligned with GoPNG and GoA objectives and priorities and is timely, appropriate and effective.
• Ensure TA are supported to provide quality technical assistance.
• Create opportunities for collaboration and information exchange between TA and GoPNG Ministry of Education counterparts to promote alignment with sector goals and increase sustainability.

Reporting and Communications

• Implement and oversee the PIE communications strategy to ensure Program activities are promoted to a wide range of audiences.
• Liaise with grantees and the AHC on communication, public diplomacy and branding requirements.
• Work with PIE communications specialist to produce communications content on activities, including media releases, social media posts, radio, reports and other forms of communication.
• Develop high quality reports and case studies, including M&E data, to demonstrate impact and outcomes of grantee activities.
• Apply lessons learnt and knowledge management principles to improving service quality and program efficiency, effectiveness and value-for-money.
• Write strategies, analytical and progress reports on activities, risks and issues for various stakeholders, including, Steering Committees, Australian Government and Government of Papua New Guinea.

Gender Equity, Disability and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming

• Gender Mainstreaming: Ensure PIE delivery strategies address issues of women’s leadership, economic and physical security through mainstreaming inclusion principles and strategies across all work plans. Ensure that all educational interventions and processes, from curriculum design to teacher training, development of knowledge products, and oversight of school grants, consider and address the specific needs of all genders.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to promote greater gender equity and social inclusion and ensure evidence translated into changes in implementation.
• Demonstrate leadership support for the implementation of key diversity and inclusion policies, including:
• Gender Equality Policy
• Respect at Work Policy
• Flexible Work Policy
• Paid Parental Leave Policy
• Compensation Policy
• Leave Policy

Capacity Building

• Build the capacity of the team, working with them to clearly articulate and implement appropriate career progression opportunities while fostering motivation through professional development and growth opportunities.
• Any other relevant outputs as defined by the Contractor Representative.

Gender Equality Performance Objectives:

• Provide leadership for a work environment that promotes inclusion, mutual respect, integrity, dignity, and non-discrimination always.
• Proactively manage the diverse gender composition of work team/s under your leadership and take reasonable steps to address gaps in diversity and gender representation across all job levels.
• Actively support annual gender pay gap (and other diversity pay gap) activities, including determining action plans to address gap areas and managing the communication and feedback of results and next steps for work team/s under your leadership.
• Promote Abt’s commitment to “equal pay for equivalent work” in work team/s under your leadership for employees of all genders and all diverse backgrounds, and support equity adjustment activities as required.
• Ensure equal access to career opportunities in work team/s under your leadership for employees of all genders and all diverse backgrounds, including during recruitment and selection, and promotion activities.
• Ensure equal access to leadership, development, training, and mentoring opportunities in work team/s under your leadership for employees of all genders and all diverse backgrounds.
• Actively promote Abt’s key diversity and inclusion policies, including flexible work and parental leave, across your relevant work teams and encourage uptake by all employees.
• Participate as an active member of at least one of Abt’s Diversity & Inclusion Working Groups.

Specific Deliverables:          

• All Program deliverables are submitted on-time and a to a high-quality standard.
• High level of responsiveness to AHC issues and requests measured by Program receiving a Partner Performance Rating of 5 or above.
• Quality reporting and communications materials are submitted on time and meet the internal (Abt) and external (AHC) requirements.
• Leadership and broader Program team is strong, collegial and unified in their approach to implementation.
• Key stakeholder relationships are open, productive and outcome oriented.
• All corporate risk and fraud issues are proactively identified, reported, and managed following corporate and DFAT policies and procedures.

Key Working Relationships:             

• Government of PNG Counterparts
• Australian Government counterparts through the AHC and representatives from other donor partners
• PIE staff
• Grant recipients and external stakeholders, including Non-Government Organisation (NGO) leads and consortia partners
• Broader program partners
• Technical Screening Panel Members
• Internal Abt stakeholders such as the Abt PNG Programs Executive Leadership Team
• PIE Contractor Representative

Selection Criteria:

Qualifications:

• Degree qualification in public administration, public policy, education, social sciences, development studies, management or a related field.

Skills and experience:

• Outstanding team leadership skills demonstrated on large donor programs in the education sector, within an emerging environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to oversight all administrative, operational and programmatic aspects of a high-profile aid investment in a fragile context.
• Sound judgement and an ability to make decisions balancing the expectations and requirements of multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent representational skills that ensure key relationships are well maintained with senior government officials (national and sub-national), the private sector, and civil society. 
• Strong negotiation skills that are applied across various contexts to ensure program continuity and program growth. 
• Excellent analytical skills that are regularly applied to ensure PIE remains agile, responsive and benefits from course correction as and when required. 
• Strong cultural and contextual awareness and understanding, preferably in PNG or a similar operating environment.

We welcome and thank all applications; however only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Closing Date:  27 December 2024 (5:55PM AEST)

Abt Global is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to upholding high standards of Child Protection, Anti-bribery and Fraud Protection.

We encourage applications from experienced and capable women, and people with disabilities

For more information on the role and how to apply, please click on ‘GO TO PROVIDER WEBSITE’