Program Background

The SKALA Program is a significant Australian investment designed to help Indonesia address regional disparities in development. SKALA will contribute to this objective by strengthening selected elements of Indonesia’s large and complex decentralised government system responsible for the delivery of basic services (Layanan Dasar). The SKALA Program’s core approach is to facilitate better collaboration (Kolaborasi) between Indonesian government stakeholders, at national and subnational levels, to help realise synergies (Sinergi) that will trigger improved service delivery. Moreover, SKALA will build on, and take to scale, the successes and learning from Australia’s previous 19 years of support to Indonesia’s decentralised government system. The SKALA Program is to be implemented through the following three pillars: 

Pillar 1: Stronger national level enabling environment for sub-national service delivery. 

Pillar 2: Better sub-national governance for service delivery. 

Pillar 3: Greater participation, representation and influence for women, people with disabilities and vulnerable groups. 

SKALA is implemented at the national level with an office in Jakarta and at the subnational level with offices in Aceh, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Maluku, Gorontalo, Kalimantan Utara, Tanah Papua. In addition to the 3 pillars, SKALA works across 4 general themes of Public Financial Management, Minimum Service Standards, Data and Analysis and GEDSI. 

About DT Global Asia Pacific

At DT Global Asia Pacific, we aim to positively impact people’s lives through delivery excellence. As a leading implementing partner across Asia and the Pacific, we co-create locally led solutions in partnership with governments, communities, and stakeholders. We bring together talented teams and deep regional expertise to deliver initiatives that promote inclusive economic growth, essential services, and resilient, secure communities. With over 1,500 staff, experts in 22+ countries and more than 60 years of development experience, we tackle complex community, national and transnational challenges — from governance and justice systems to climate resilience, infrastructure and social equity — with innovative thinking and a commitment to long-term impact.

For more information, please see www.dt-global.com

The Role
This position is a Short-Term Consultancy (STC) Senior Writer role within SKALA’s Knowledge Management and Partnerships team supporting the strategic communications function. The Senior Writer will provide high-quality writing and content development support, ensuring that SKALA's program achievements, policy contributions and development outcomes are captured and communicated through compelling and strategically aligned narratives.

The Senior Writer will work in close collaboration with the Strategic Communications Unit, the Knowledge Management and Partnerships (KMP) Team, technical leads, and the Senior English Editor. The role requires a strong command of Australian English and the ability to translate complex Indonesian policy and materials and development contexts into clear, evidence-based narratives for diverse audiences, including DFAT, the Government of Indonesia, and wider audiences.

Click on the link or copy paste it to access the full Terms of Reference for this position:  TOR - Senior English Writer

About You

Specific Responsibilities

• Draft high-quality impact stories, success stories, and advocacy materials for publication on SKALA's website, digital materials, in print materials, and across other communications channels.
• Draft op-eds, media pieces, and public-facing policy narratives that effectively convey SKALA's program contributions and Indonesia's development progress to broader audiences.
• Develop and edit a wide range of knowledge products, including story from the fields, feature articles, progress reports, and program narratives, ensuring clarity, coherence, and consistency with SKALA's messaging framework, the Australian Government style manual and DFAT writing style guidelines.
• Review and draw from Indonesian-language reference documents, policy papers, government reports, and technical materials, synthesising key information into accurate and contextually appropriate English-language content.
• Collaborate closely with the Strategic Communications Unit, KMP Director, technical leads, and the Senior English Editor to align written outputs with program objectives and ensure accurate representation of technical content.
• Integrate GEDSI considerations into written communications, ensuring language is inclusive, accessible, and reflective of the program's commitment to gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion.
• Support stakeholder engagement by maintaining and nurturing relationships with key partners, media contacts, and influencers to help broaden the reach and impact of SKALA's communications.
• Contribute to building internal writing capacity by providing constructive feedback, guidance, and informal mentoring to SKALA staff on effective English writing practices.
• Support the Communications Team with other tasks as required, including contributing to the review and update of SKALA's English style guide and terminology glossary.

Other Duties

• Comply with DFAT, DT Global and SKALA policies on gender, disability, fraud and anticorruption, child protection, PSEAH and the environment.
• Ensure compliance and adherence to various operational policies, guidelines and manuals issued by DT Global and SKALA.

Job Requirements

• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.
• Work may require long, and flexible hours as needed. Occasional travel may be required based on program needs.

Deliverables

• High-quality drafted articles, impact stories, success stories, op-eds and advocacy materials, ready for review by the Senior English Editor and publication or submission.
• Stories, feature articles and program narratives that accurately reflect SKALA's technical contributions and program achievements.
• Written outputs that incorporate GEDSI-responsive language and reflect the program's inclusive development approach.
• Monthly progress reports summarising writing outputs, content pipeline and any issues or emerging needs.
• Contributions to the SKALA English style guide and terminology glossary, reviewed and updated as required.

Relationship Management

The Senior Writer will work closely with the Strategic Communications Unit, KMP Director and Team, technical leads across all SKALA pillars and the Senior English Editor. This position reports directly to the Strategic Communications Lead.

Selection Criteria

Essential

Master’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or a relevant discipline and a minimum of 15 years professional experience (preferably in a DFAT-funded program), or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Native Australian English speaker with exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, and a strong command of the Australian Government Style Manual.

• Proven ability to produce compelling, accessible narratives from complex technical and policy materials, particularly in the areas of governance, decentralisation, fiscal policy, and social protection.
• Demonstrated experience working with Indonesian development contexts, including familiarity with Indonesian government policy frameworks, decentralisation, and basic service delivery systems.
• Ability to read and interpret Indonesian-language reference documents, including government regulations, policy papers, and technical reports, as a core part of the content development process.
• Ability to work swiftly and effectively under pressure, prioritise and manage multiple tasks within tight deadlines, and consistently deliver time-sensitive, high-quality work.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, with sensitivity and adaptability in a multicultural working environment.

Preferred

• Proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia (reading), with the ability to extract and accurately represent information from Indonesian-language source materials.
• Background in journalism, developmental editing, or academic publishing within an international development context.
• Prior experience working with DFAT-funded programs in Indonesia or the Southeast Asia region.
• Familiarity with GEDSI principles and experience integrating inclusive language into development communications. 

HOW TO APPLY
Click the 'Apply Now' button.

Please submit
1) Your CV
2) A cover letter addressing the selection criteria

  
APPLICATIONS CLOSE Tuesday, 5 May 2026. Max 5 PM Jakarta Time.
  
Should this role be of interest, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.  Kindly note only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

People with lived experience of the regions in which DT Global operates are strongly encouraged to apply.  DT Global welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds including First Nations peoples, diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC), and people with disabilities.

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