Abt Global - Senior Transport Specialist | WPP-APSP

Job Description

Abt Global is seeking applications from highly qualified individuals for the position of Senior Transport Specialist, Western Province Partnership (WPP), Australia-PNG Subnational Program (APSP). This role involves a combination of remote working arrangements and on-site work in Port Moresby and Daru, Papua New Guinea, and is open to all qualified applicants.

About the Organization

About the Program

A stable, prosperous, peaceful, and resilient PNG is critical to Australia's interests. Australia is PNG's largest development partner, its main partner on economic and security issues.

The Australia PNG Subnational Program (APSP) is an enabling mechanism comprised of three separately designed programs including: Bougainville Partnership (BP), Kokoda Initiative Partnership (KIP), and the South Fly Resilience Plan (SFRP) which is transitioning to the Western Province Partnership (WPP). Each program has its own outcomes, theory of change, operational approach and separate monitoring and evaluation systems.

The APSP also includes the Subnational Governance Implementation Plan {SGIP)that proposes a scalable foundational delivery model of subnational engagement. The SGIP is referenced in the APSP Contract and Strategic Framework as the continuation of the current network of subnational advisers (SNA) in the Western Province, Highlands, Sepik and Morobe.

There are five high level outcomes which span all programs:

• Output one: Effective gender-centered programs delivered for Bougainville, Kokoda, and Western Province
• Output two: Support DFAT to coordinate Australian inputs in selected subnational contexts
• Output three: Technical assistance targeted at key institutions and policy reforms
• Output four: Rapid programming of resources in support of DFAT priorities
• Output five and six: Analysis, learning, and adaptation

Managed by Abt Associates under a single contract from 2022 to 2030, the centralised approach is aimed to ensure and drive value for money by realising back-office efficiencies, ensure gender is consistently at the forefront of each program and deliver opportunities for learning and adaptation between programs.
The Western Province Partnership (WPP) is a component of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Subnational Program (APSP). The objective of the WPP is for Australia and Western Province foster stronger ties and greater coordination to improve human and economic development, enabling infrastructure and regional security.

The WPP will work toward the realization of the following end of program outcomes

(EOPO) by 2030:

1. Women and men participating in program activities have diversified livelihoods from agriculture and fisheries.
2. Targeted communities collaborate to strengthen welfare, production, and resilience.
3. Women contribute to decision-making and take on leadership roles in targeted provincial, district, and community structures.
4. Policy and practice at provincial and district levels are directed towards delivery of minimum priority services.

The WPP is nested under the Western Province Strategy which aims to unify Australia's development assistance and captures Australia's whole-of-government engagement.

About the Opportunity

The Senior Transportation Specialist will provide strategic and technical advice to Abt Global and DFAT on the management of the South Fly Shipping Service {SFSS) and broader transport options supporting the Western Province Partnership {WPP). The role will lead a structured consultation process to define service requirements and inform the scope of an open tender for shipping support {2027-2030), including stakeholder mapping and demand analysis across WPP and other Australian-funded programs. The Specialist will assess operational and procurement risks, recommend practical mitigations and contract model options, and support establishment of fit-for-purpose performance monitoring and reporting arrangements.

There may be opportunities to extend advisory support to WPP to help manage shipping service performance beyond the initial assignment period.

About You

Qualifications

• Post graduate qualifications in transportation, business administration or related discipline.

Skills/Experience

• Extensive senior experience (typically 15+ years) in transport and logistics advisory roles, including service planning and operational management in challenging/remote contexts.
• Demonstrated capability to lead structured consultations and translate stakeholder input into clear, testable service requirements and tender scopes (e.g., routes, service levels, vessel/cargo requirements, compliance, KPls and reporting).
• Proven experience engaging effectively with diverse stakeholders (donors, managing contractors, implementing partners, government counterparts and private sector providers), including facilitating workshops/interviews and presenting clear recommendations to support decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of marine transport and logistics systems in PNG (national and sub-national), including practical understanding of operating constraints (ports/landing sites, weather, safety, compliance, cabotage/market conditions). Experience in Western Province is desirable.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, with a track record of producing high-quality deliverables such as inception notes, stakeholder/demand assessments, options and risk briefs, and technical inputs to procurement/tender documentation.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence and build alignment across organizations, and to work effectively in multi-cultural environments.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate and promote gender equality, disability and social inclusion in transport/logistics planning and in stakeholder consultation and decision-making processes.
• Experience with donor quality, value-for-money and reporting requirements, including designing practical performance monitoring frameworks (KPls, data requirements, reporting and review arrangements) and supporting contract performance reviews.
• Demonstrated ability to identify operational and procurement risks and develop practical mitigations, including advising on contract models and packaging options to improve reliability and value for money

For more information on the role and how to apply, please click on ‘APPLY NOW’