The program

The Vanuatu Australia Education Support Program Phase II (VAESP II) is funded by the Australian Government and delivered in partnership with the Government of Vanuatu. The program supports the Ministry of Education and Training to implement national education priorities, including the Vanuatu Education and Training Sector Strategy, Inclusive Education Policy, and Sustainable Development Goals. VAESP II also manages Australia Awards Vanuatu Scholarships, providing professional development, networking, and alumni opportunities. The program contributes to improved quality education, social inclusion, and stable, equitable growth in line with Vanuatu’s National Sustainable Development Plan.

The role

The Psychometrician and Assessment Reporting specialist role will support MoET and VAESP to interpret 2025 VANSTA literacy and numeracy assessment results and translate technical analysis into clear, accessible reports for schools, policy-makers, and the public. Working with the VAESP Data Scientist, EAU personnel, MERL Specialist, and VANSTA Sensemaking Panel, the role will facilitate collaborative sensemaking, identify education and policy implications, reflect on question strength, and document lessons to improve future VANSTA administration and analysis. The role does not include primary statistical analysis or psychometric modelling, but focuses on interpretation, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and quality communication of findings. 

Key responsibilities

• Interpretation and Sense-Making - Lead collaborative interpretation and validation of VANSTA analytical outputs by reviewing findings, interrogating data with technical specialists, facilitating sensemaking and verification workshops with MoET stakeholders, and preparing clear presentation materials, summaries, decision logs, and agreed action points to support accurate understanding of results and their educational implications.
• Question Strength Analysis - Facilitate collaborative review of VANSTA question reliability, strand coverage, and measurement quality with the Sensemaking Panel, using panel reflections and assessment best practice to develop evidence-informed recommendations for improving future assessment design and refinement, with final recommendations documented in the Technical Report.
• Report Drafting - Develop clear, evidence-informed VANSTA reporting products, including a technical report, recommendation framework, and plain-language public summary, by linking assessment findings, proficiency levels, strand performance, and item-analysis trends to practical recommendations for school, provincial, and national audiences, while incorporating stakeholder feedback and ensuring outputs are accurate, accessible, editable, and suitable for technical, policy, and public communication.

Selection criteria

• Qualifications: Postgraduate qualification in psychometrics, educational measurement, or a related discipline; additional qualifications in education data management, monitoring and evaluation, or similar fields will be an advantage.
• Assessment and statistical interpretation expertise: Strong understanding of education statistics and standardised testing results, including literacy and numeracy scale scores, proficiency levels, effect sizes, confidence intervals, and the distinction between statistical and substantive significance.
• Reporting, writing, and communication skills: Minimum seven years’ experience preparing technical and public-facing reports based on quantitative research, with strong plain-language writing, accessibility awareness, data visualisation skills, and the ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Large-scale assessment and evidence-use experience: Demonstrated portfolio of large-scale assessment or public-statistics reports (samples required at shortlisting stage), with ability to accurately review, question, and represent statistical outputs without necessarily undertaking the primary analysis.
• Stakeholder facilitation and contextual experience: Demonstrated experience facilitating collaborative interpretation or sensemaking workshops with government, technical, or education sector stakeholders in culturally and politically complex environments; experience with Pacific Island governments or development programs is highly desirable.
• Professional attributes and ways of working: Highly analytical, detail-oriented, proactive, solution-focused, collaborative, culturally sensitive, and able to work under tight deadlines with minimal supervision, while demonstrating integrity, confidentiality, professionalism, political awareness, and commitment to knowledge transfer and local capacity-building.

For a complete terms of reference, please click here.

How to apply

Click the "Apply for job" button. 

Please submit:

• Resume
• Statement of suitability (not exceeding two pages), demonstrating how your qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and personal attributes align with the selection criteria.

Apply before midnight, AEST Wednesday, 20th May 2026