Project Name: Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program, (PLMSP)
Job Type: Consultant
Location of Position: Australia, Pacific, and/or Timor Leste
Reporting to: MERL Lead, PLMSP
Remuneration: In line with market rates
Indicative LOE/Time Frame:

• Lead Reviewer: 28 days between 5 January 2026 and 15 June 2026
• Support Reviewer: 11 days between 5 January 2026 and 15 June 2026

Citizenship: N/A
Language Requirements: Excellent written English

Application Deadline: December 19, 2025
Application Instructions: 

1. Initially we only require a 2-page CV demonstrating relevant experience.
2. Click the “Apply now” link to upload your CV (Curriculum Vitae).
3. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further discussion.
4. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.

Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies, and communities to create lasting change. Almost 40 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 1000 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com

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At Alinea International we value diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and belonging in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results.

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Introduction

We are seeking a research team to undertake a review of Pacific retirement funds and the Australian superannuation regulatory landscape, with a view to exploring options for enhanced superannuation flows to the Pacific and Timor Leste. 

As mobility between Australia and the Pacific and Timor Leste strengthens, including under the Pacific-Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, there is value in exploring options that support increased flows of superannuation accumulated by temporary workers in Australia back to their home countries. 

The Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) allows temporary migrant workers to access Australian-accrued superannuation upon their return home and efforts are underway to support increased engagement among temporary migrant workers with this process. However, a deepened understanding of other levers to support superannuation flows to the region will be valuable. The current landscape of Pacific and Timor Leste social supports and Australian superannuation regulatory requirements require investigation to better understand the options available to enhance the flow of superannuation funds back to the region. 

The proposed study seeks to develop an evidence base that supports discussion of options. It will establish a mutual baseline understanding between Australia and the Pacific and Timor Leste, on the existing retirement funds in the region and on Australia’s regulatory requirements for superannuation. It will also investigate options that will support enhanced flows of superannuation from Australia to the Pacific and Timor Leste. This includes, but is not limited to, exploration of options for direct deposits into Pacific funds and establishment of portability arrangements. 

Regulatory requirements to establish some of these options are considerable and require in-depth consideration to assess viability. The impact of options on the Australian superannuation and taxation systems, regional objectives and costs to governments will also require investigation as part of the study. 

Study Objectives 
The study will:

• Establish baseline data and support a common understanding of retirement funds in the Pacific region and Timor Leste.
• Establish baseline data and support a common understanding of Australian superannuation regulatory requirements.
• Support further discussion on options for improved superannuation flows from Australia to the Pacific, to both individuals and to retirement funds. This includes:
  • discussion of portability arrangements and feasibility of any regional approaches – noting current arrangements are strictly bilateral.
  • Discussion of additional requirements Pacific retirement funds would need to meet to operate in Australia under Australian standards (where there is interest).

• Estimate costs that would be borne by the Australian Government to establish the options explored by the study.

   

Study Scope 
The study will:

• Profile the regulatory and prudential considerations of Australia’s superannuation regulatory environment, including superannuation portability arrangements.
• Profile the national retirement funds in Pacific countries, including detail on governance arrangements, access rules, rules for membership, benefits and existing systems and infrastructure to facilitate alignment with Australian systems.
• Provide a stocktake of:
  • Existing research or reporting on retirement funds, including that by DFAT-funded activities such as Partnerships for Social Protection (P4SP), the Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) and PLMSP.
  • Existing private-sector partnerships or twinning arrangements retirement funds have in place
  • Existing portability arrangements (including information on the practical implementation of the arrangement such as superannuation fund uptake and user experience).
  • The status of tax treaties between Australia and Pacific countries and Timor Leste.
• Present options for repatriation of Australian-accrued superannuation balances back to Pacific countries and Timor Leste, including but not limited to payment of superannuation into Pacific country and Timor Leste provident funds. 

Study governance and consultation arrangements 
The study is commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), managed by the Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program (PLMSP) and will be conducted by a team of independent technical experts. 

The research team will report to overarching technical advisory governance groups and will be required to consult and engage with numerous stakeholders, including but not limited to: Australian Government agencies; PALM scheme participating country governments; and entities with insights into social security, retirement funds and Australian superannuation settings, including interactions with existing studies and programs.

Intellectual Property and Control of Findings
All intellectual property rights in any reports, data, analyses, and deliverables produced under this engagement will vest in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). DFAT retains sole discretion and final authority over the findings, conclusions, recommendations, and any public-facing messaging contained in the final report. No publication, dissemination, or external communication of project content may occur without DFAT’s prior written approval.

Deliverables and timeline
The consultants will start work by 5 January 2026.

1. Review plan
   • Includes: finalised review questions, data sources, methodology/tools and ethics documentation (in line with DFAT design, monitoring and evaluation standard 9: Independent Evaluation Plans).
2. Report first draft
   • Approx. 35 pages, delivered in line with DFAT design, monitoring and evaluation standard 10: Independent Evaluation Reports.
3. Presentation on draft report
4. Final draft of report incorporating review feedback from DFAT
5. Presentation (including PowerPoint) to DFAT and relevant Australian Government agencies
6. Public-facing summary report

Total days:

• Primary Consultant: 28 days
• Support Consultant: 11 days

Qualifications and experience
The research team will need an array of experience, knowledge and qualifications. Suggested background is as follows:

1. Primary consultant:

• Degree-level qualifications in any of the following fields:
• Economics/development economics
• Public policy
• Finance
• Law
• Strong written and spoken English language skills, and an ability to communicate clearly and concisely to senior decision-makers.
• An understanding of the Australian prudential regulation regime (an understanding of Australian taxation and superannuation policy is also highly desirable) and/or an understanding of the prudential regulation regime in Pacific countries involved in the PALM scheme and Timor Leste.
• Experience working with Pacific island countries, Timor Leste and/or small island developing states.

2. Support consultant:

• Complementary experience and skills to the primary consultant (noting the need for experience and knowledge of both Australian, Pacific and Timor Leste prudential regimes).

In addition to the primary and support consultant, the PLMSP monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) team will be available to support fieldwork (with MERL coordinators located in most partner countries and additional MERL staff based in Canberra and Brisbane.