Team Leader, Governance - Institutional Partnerships Program
Team Leader, Governance - Institutional Partnerships Program
Abt Global
Suva, Fiji
Position Summary:
Situated within both the Ministry of Civil Service and the Platform, the Team Leader is responsible for leading and managing the delivery of the Platform’s Governance Program, ensuring alignment with the strategic priorities of DFAT and the Government of Fiji (GoF). This includes managing and implementing activities to ensure the program supports the implementation of GoF strategic governance reform priorities and strengthen DFAT’s bilateral relationship with GoF.
The Team Leader will play a key role in facilitating the flow of information between DFAT and GoF on requests and policy dialogue, as well as providing general support to the Ministry of Civil Service (MCS).
As a senior member of the Platform Leadership Team, the Team Leader will champion meaningful integration of cross-cutting themes such as GEDSI and climate and disaster resilience. The Team Leader is accountable for ensuring compliance with DFAT and Platform organisational and operational policies and procedures across the program.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Engagement & Leadership
- Lead and manage the Program implementation in coordination with DFAT and the Platform’s leadership to deliver high quality results aligned to the Governance Program Design and Annual Work Plan;
- Maintain a clear and contemporary understanding of and engagement with the governance sector context in Fiji (policy, political and donor/investment landscape) and draw upon this to provide relevant advice to DFAT, GoF and Platform leadership;
- Ensure the Program is delivered in alignment with the Platform’s commitment to GEDSI, climate resilience and achieving value for money, and in accordance with DFAT policies and standards;
- Proactively mitigate and/or manage emergent issues and risks as they arise, in close consultation with DFAT;
- Stakeholder engagement;
- Build and maintain strong relationships with DFAT, GoF, community leaders, and other stakeholders to ensure program alignment that supports locally led-development.
- Direct programmatic policy dialogue, relationships management, and stakeholder engagement with DFAT, national counterparts, development partners, the private sector and civil society;
- Ensure effective public diplomacy communications and representation with external stakeholders.
Management, Planning, Implementation & Reporting
- Lead the development of Annual Work Plans (AWPs) based on effective and close engagement with GoF and DFAT to ensure alignment with strategic priorities, appropriate ownership and mutual accountability;
- Provide oversight of the Programs to ensure sound planning, design and management, financial management, administration, and logistics support of the program;
- Ensure review, quality assurance and on-time delivery of program deliverables, outputs, and outcomes;
- Lead the preparation of high-quality six-monthly and annual progress reports for the program as part of Platform reports, and other ad-hoc reporting as required;
- Oversee the program’s MEL system, ensuring it produces credible evidence for reporting and to inform strategic and operational decision‐making for the program – within the Platform’s overarching MEL system;
- Act as the hiring manager for the recruitment of program staff, technical advisers and other human resources according to AWP resourcing plans;
- Deliver effective performance management of program staff and provide oversight of performance management by staff managers in the program;
- Champion, and be accountable for, the integration of the Platform’s cross cutting priorities of GEDSI, Civil Society Engagement, Climate and Disaster Resilience, and Emergency;
- Preparedness and Response across all aspects of the program’s activities and operations;
- With the Platform Management Unit (PMU), contribute to the planning and delivery of public diplomacy activities that promote the achievements of the program and the development cooperation values of the Australian government as a key partner in development in Fiji’s education sector;
- Take overall responsibility for risk management of the Program, including producing quarterly risk reports against the risk register.
General
- Other duties as requested by the Platform Leader.
Selection Criteria:
Qualifications
- Master’s level qualification or equivalent professional experience related to Public Administration, Governance, Public Policy, International Development, or a related field.
Experience (essential)
- Strong, demonstrated skills and experience within senior program management, planning, delivery (including financial management and reporting) and engagement;
- Proven experience in the leadership of teams (team building, motivation, capacity building and performance management) staff of diverse backgrounds and varying competencies;
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with experience managing relationships across government, civil society and donors;
- Strong experience in program performance MEL consistent with DFAT’s M&E standards;
- Demonstrated experience in mainstreaming cross-cutting themes including GEDSI and/or climate and disaster resilience.
Personal Attributes
- Sensitivity to other cultures and the ability to act appropriately in the context of Fijian culture and the workplace;
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated ability to engage at a senior level to build and maintain networks.
© EuroJobsites 2025
