KEY INFORMATION

Job Title: Training Specialist
Position Type (full/part time): Part Time
Duration/Level of Effort (long/short term): February – August 2026 (up to 50 working days)
Position Location (e.g. city, country, remote): Metro Manila, Philippines with virtual coordination if necessary

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Philippine Government on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 40 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP 2024-2029) between the Government of Australia and the Philippine Government. The investment will be the DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING supports efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and DFAT’s forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines. 

SPRING contributes to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippines Development Plan.

The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the Philippine Government to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities. 

SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs): 

1. Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor.

2. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive.

3. The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems.

4. The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION

The Training Specialist will lead the design and implementation support for the Social Protection Capability Development Harmonization activity, working in close coordination with the DSWD Academy and relevant DSWD bureaus. The post holder will provide overall technical leadership to the consultancy team and ensure that the activity outputs are aligned with DSWD priorities, competency standards, and the DSWD Academy’s institutional direction for learning and development.

The Training Specialist will be responsible for guiding the capability mapping and gap analysis, supporting the conduct of stakeholder consultations, and overseeing the consolidation and harmonization of priority social protection training content and delivery approaches. The role will manage day-to-day technical coordination across the four specialist consultants, ensure quality assurance of deliverables, and provide clear, implementable recommendations and tools that can be taken forward by the DSWD Academy. The Team Lead will also be responsible for knowledge management and documentation across the activity, and for drafting the Final Activity and Lessons Report, in coordination with the DSWD Academy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Training Specialist and Team Lead will provide overall technical leadership and day-to-day coordination for the Social Protection Capability Development Harmonization activity. Working under the guidance of the SPRING Social Protection Lead and in close coordination with the DSWD Academy focal point, the Training Specialist will supervise the four specialist consultants and ensure that each milestone output is delivered to quality standards and within agreed timelines. Specific responsibilities include:

1. Technical leadership, work planning, and quality assurance

• Lead inception discussions with DSWD Academy and relevant DSWD units to confirm scope, methodology, roles, workflow, and acceptance criteria.

• Prepare and finalize the Inception Report and detailed work plan, including tools/templates, consultation approach, and internal quality assurance process.

• Provide day-to-day technical coordination across the four specialist consultants and ensure timely delivery and quality of outputs.

2. Evidence generation through mapping and diagnostic analysis

• Lead the comprehensive inventory and review of existing SP training content and delivery arrangements across DSWD and relevant partners.

• Lead diagnostic analysis to identify overlaps, gaps, redundancies, and priority opportunities for harmonization across existing training content and delivery approaches.

• Consolidate findings into clear evidence products for review and decision making by DSWD Academy and relevant bureaus.

3. Training needs assessment and prioritization

• Lead the design and implementation of the training needs assessment approach, ensuring competency gaps are prioritized by role and linked to operational learning needs.

• Consolidate results into summary tables and recommendations that guide harmonization and sequencing decisions.

4. Competency and learning pathway development

• Lead the development of the SP Competency Framework and Learning Pathway Matrix, integrating specialist inputs and ensuring alignment with DSWD Academy direction.

• Facilitate review and refinement with DSWD counterparts to support validation and endorsement.

5. Curriculum streamlining and prototype module development

• Lead the module review and streamlining process, including decisions on what to retain, revise, merge, retire, or develop.

• Oversee the development of prototype module packs for selected priority modules, ensuring consistency in structure, learning design, and alignment to competencies and pathways.

6. Stakeholder validation and finalization of outputs

• Coordinate technical validation with relevant technical units and program bureaus, ensuring comments are systematically documented and addressed.

• Support the validation and a final review workshop, consolidate decisions and revisions, and ensure final outputs are packaged and submitted in formats ready for adoption by the DSWD Academy.

7. Knowledge management, documentation, and final reporting

• Establish and manage the activity documentation system for this workstream, including shared folder structure, file naming conventions, version control, and a decision/change log for key outputs.

• Ensure timely documentation of key consultations and validation processes, including agendas, participant lists, minutes/summary notes, and action points.

• Lead consolidation of all outputs into a coherent final package and draft the Final Activity and Lessons Report, including key outputs delivered, major decisions, lessons learned, and recommendations for institutionalization and next steps.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Advanced degree (master’s degree or higher) in Education, Training and Development, Instructional Design, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Development, Social Protection, or a related discipline.

• Additional relevant certification/training in capacity development, instructional design, competency-based training, or adult learning is an advantage.

Minimum Experience:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in learning and development, capacity building, training systems strengthening, or curriculum and training program design, preferably with government institutions or large-scale development programs.

• Demonstrated experience leading training needs assessments, competency mapping, and development of learning pathways or training matrices.

• Proven experience supervising technical teams and delivering high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.

• Experience engaging with senior government counterparts and facilitating technical consultations and validation workshops.

• Experience working on social protection, human development, or public sector reform programs is a strong advantage (DSWD/DSWD Academy experience is an advantage).

Essential Skills:

• Proven ability to design and implement training needs assessments and synthesize results into actionable summary tables and role-based recommendations.

• Strong curriculum review and streamlining skills, including ability to guide decisions on retaining, revising, merging, retiring, or developing modules based on evidence and stakeholder inputs.

• Strong analytical skills to identify gaps, overlaps, redundancies, and prioritization options, and translate these into a practical diagnostic and harmonisation recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability to develop learning modules and ensure quality, consistency of structure, and alignment with agreed competencies and pathways.

• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills to support technical validation and conduct validation workshops.

• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of GEDSI principles, with knowledge or experience in promoting gender equality, disability, and social inclusion especially within adaptive programs like SPRING. This includes a clear understanding of and practical experience in safeguarding, particularly in the context of child protection (CP) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), with the ability to integrate safeguarding measures into program implementation.

• Compliance to DFAT policies on fraud control, financing terrorism, child protection and other social safeguards.

APPLICATION PROCESS

This is a rolling recruitment. Applications will be reviewed and vetted sequentially as they are received. We encourage interested individuals to apply as early as possible. 

For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.

Cowater international strives to maintain a fair, transparent, and human centered recruitment process. As part of our commitment to responsible hiring practices and compliance with evolving recruitment regulations, we may use AI assisted tools to support limited aspects of our talent acquisition workflow, such as reviewing or shortlisting applications. These tools are used only to enhance efficiency and consistency in our processes. All assessments, interviews, and final hiring decisions are made exclusively by our human recruiting managers. Candidates may request additional information about the use of these tools or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.

ABOUT US

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.