About Palladium

Palladium is a global development and consulting firm, part of the GISI Consulting Group, working alongside some of the world’s leading project management and engineering organisations. We partner with governments, businesses, investors and communities to design and deliver complex programs that create lasting impact. With a presence across more than 90 countries, Palladium offers the opportunity to work on meaningful challenges, alongside talented colleagues, in environments where your work can truly make a difference.

About The Project 

The New Colombo Plan (NCP) plays a key role in supporting the Australian Government’s objectives in building Asia capability. It aims to lift the Indo-Pacific capability and Asia literacy in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to undertake study, language learning and internships in the Indo-Pacific. The goal of NCP is NCP alumni contribute their skills, knowledge and networks to Australia’s enduring engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. This is achieved through three complementary grants programs: the Scholarship Program, Mobility Program and Semester Program. 

The NCP is administered by Palladium on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) via the Program Support Unit (PSU) under the Australia Awards Global Support Mechanism (AAGSM). The AAGSM provides operational and technical support services to DFAT’s International Education and Scholarships Branch, with two End of Investment Outcomes (EOIOs):

• EOIO 1 - Operational Support: High quality and efficient administrative and standard business support services provided to DFAT.
• EOIO 2: Technical Support: High quality, coherent, consistent and fit for purpose technical support services that also promote gender equality, disability and social inclusion outcomes throughout DFAT’s international scholarship programs network. 

The NCP PSU supports DFAT’s New Colombo Plan Secretariat (NCS) with high-quality grant administration and management consistent with the principles of the Commonwealth Grant Rules and Principles. Support service delivery includes end-to-end grants cycle and funds management, as well as technical support in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), alumni engagement, communications, events management, business sector engagement and risk management. 

About the Role

The Team Leader is the Contractor’s dedicated senior lead for the NCP PSU and the primary operational interface with NCS. The role focuses on execution, coordination and performance, ensuring DFAT’s strategic direction is clearly understood and consistently operationalised across all aspects of delivery.

The Team Leader maintains regular and strategic dialogue with DFAT and leads, manages and coordinates people, systems and workflows to deliver agreed activities and to support achievement of AAGSM and NCP outcomes.
This is a hands‑on delivery leadership role suited to an experienced program leader who can balance senior‑level engagement with detailed operational oversight in a complex, high‑accountability environment.
 

 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the NCP PSU in accordance with DFAT’s policy settings, ensuring delivery is adaptive and responsive to emerging issues, risks and priorities.
• Drive innovative and effective service delivery across the scholarships, semester and mobility grants programs, scholar support, financial management, alumni engagement, communications and outreach, risk and safeguard management, reporting and enabling functions.
• Lead the establishment and maintenance of Annual Work Plans, performance assessment systems and results frameworks to ensure alignment with DFAT requirements, and support assessment of progress towards outcomes.
• Lead NCP PSU representation in governance mechanisms and meetings as directed by NCS.
• Lead, motivate and develop a multidisciplinary team across all delivery components, set clear expectations and accountabilities, fostering a client focused, high-performance culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure fit for purpose mechanisms are in place for risk management, safeguarding, fraud control and compliance across all components of the NCP PSU.
• Oversee high quality contractual and operational reporting ensuring all documentation is designed with the end user in mind and aligns with DFAT requirements.
• Comply with and promote DFAT policies across all aspects of implementation, including GEDSI, safeguarding, fraud and anti‑corruption, PSEAH, child protection, and environmental and social safeguards.

Please refer to the Terms of Reference to learn more about the role: Terms of Reference - NCP PSU Team Leader.pdf
 

About You

• Significant senior experience leading complex program support units or service delivery operations, ideally under government contract, including delivery experience with DFAT or other Australian Government agencies.
• Experience delivering international education, scholarships or grants programs highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to operationalise policy and strategy into practical, scalable delivery models.
• Proven experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and workflows in high‑accountability environments.
• Sound financial, risk and compliance management expertise, including safeguarding and duty of care.
• High level stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with senior government clients.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in management, public policy, international relations, education or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

How to Apply

Click the "Apply Now" button

Please submit your application online, including your CV and a cover letter, outlining your suitability in line with the requirements of the position. 

Closing date: Wednesday 6th May at 11:59pm AEST
  
If this opportunity interests you, we encourage you to apply promptly, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.