Summary
Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)
- Base in Suva, Fiji
- Locally Engaged Employee - 3 year contract with possible 2 year extension
- Commencing 23 January 2025
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:
- The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
- 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.
- 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.
Description
Position Summary:
The Communications & Public Diplomacy (PD) Manager will work across the entire FPSP portfolio, managing a team consisting of one Communications Coordinator and Communications Officer. They are responsible for internal and external communications, including communications activities and outputs, and strategic communications. The Communications & PD Manger will ensure communications outputs are compliant with DFAT and Abt Global policies and deliver on agreed objectives as set out in FPSP Communications Strategy.
Key Responsibilities:
Communications
- Ensure that Australia’s commitment to Fiji and the principles of the Vuvale Partnership are upheld through relevant, high-quality communications activities, events and products.
- Collaborate with DFAT Public Diplomacy staff regarding their priorities and develop a Communications and PD Strategy for the Platform.
- Ensure FPSP’s communications strategies are addressing issues of women’s leadership, economic and physical security through the mainstreaming of GEDSI principles and strategies.
- Lead the Platform Communications team in implementing the Communications and PD Strategy, guiding the coordinator to manage the Public Diplomacy event calendar.
- Provide review, feedback and quality assurance advice to the communications team, ensuring that all products reflect the appropriate high-level messaging and Australian editing and visual quality standards.
- Provide high quality strategic communications advisory services to the FPSP executive & Senior Management Team of FPSP, Hub and Sector Programs.
- Facilitate internal dialogue and discussion on key issues affecting FPSP products and activities.
- Monitor global media coverage and elevate concerns regarding misinformation to the PLC Lead with recommendations for response
- Establish and manage FPSP’s panel of specialised creative contractors, including photographers, videographers, editors and graphic designers, providing detailed feedback and guidance on their products
- Build strong relationships with the Monitoring Evaluation & Learning (MEL) team and drive internal collaboration and problem-solving
- Lead the Communications Community of Practice (CoP) with representation from the FPSP, its component programs and other implementing partners.
- Lead the design and development of just in time products for media coverage for both Australian and Fijian media.
Team Management
- Manage the FPSP communications team within the PLC Hub.
- Motivate, train and develop capacity building activities for direct reports.
- Demonstrate leadership support for the implementation of key diversity and inclusion policies.
General
- Work effectively with PLC Hub Teams and the other Platform Hubs to ensure coherent and effective communications for FPSP and sector programs that ensures a cross-cutting focus, including climate, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and GEDSI.
- Other duties as requested by PLC Hub Team Leader.
Key Deliverables:
- Provide a high level of responsiveness to DFAT issues and requests.
- Quality reporting, milestones, deliverables and KPIs are submitted on time and meet internal (Abt) and external (AHC) requirements.
- An established and engaged Community of Practice across the sector programs for Communications.
- Develop a FPSP Communications and PD Strategy by 1 May 2025.
- Agree and socialise communications protocols across FPSP and within component programs agreed with Abt and DFAT.
- Work closely with sector program teams to coordinate and align messaging and find strong stories of change.
- Produce targeted, thoughtful and evidence-based outputs, integrating a gender-responsive, disability inclusive and safeguarding lens throughout.
- Ensure the communications and PD approach encompasses the spirit of the Vuvale Partnership.
- Support the socialisation of communications protocols across the FPSP and within component programs agreed with Abt and DFAT
- Build and maintain open, productive, and outcome-oriented relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
- Ensure the FPSP Communications CoP is established and functioning.
- Build and maintain open, productive, and outcome-oriented relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including DFAT and Government of Fiji.
Key Working Relationships:
Reporting to:
- Performance, Learning & Communications (PLC) Lead
Other:
- FPSP Senior Leadership team (Platform and Sector Programs)
- PLC Hub Team
- Cross-cutting Priorities Hub Team
- Relevant DFAT representatives
- Relevant Government of Fiji representatives
- Partners: Talanoa Consulting, Clear Horizon, Ninti One
Selection Criteria:
- Tertiary degree from a recognised institution in English, communications, journalism or other social sciences
- 10 years of progressively senior experience implementing communications strategies, preferably in an international context
- 5 years of team management experience
- Expert editing and writing skills
- Capacity to grasp high-level political and economic dynamics of the Pacific and frame communications in an appropriate context.
About Abt
Abt Global is a mission-driven, global leader with a proven track record in complex program implementation in the international development sector. We offer bold solutions and technical excellence in Health, Economic Growth, Governance, Research & Evaluation, Environment & Energy, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion. Working with our many partners, we have driven measurable social impact for more than 55 years, to achieve our mission of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide. We operate in remote and challenging environments and employ more than 3,700 staff in over 50 countries. For more information about us and what we do, visit our website at www.abtglobal.com.
Commitment to Equity
Abt Global values individuality and celebrates difference with a strong commitment to diversity, equality, racial equity, gender, and disability inclusion. We strongly encourage women, men, people with diverse backgrounds and people living with disabilities to apply for this position.
Commitment to Safeguarding
We are deeply committed to safeguarding, to protect and prevent harm and abuse to individuals we work for and who work for us. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. We will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, child abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation in any form, and expect everyone to be treated with respect and dignity.
