Job Description
Work on a global humanitarian program contributing to saving lives and alleviating suffering.
Contribute to a world where people, communities and the planet thrive.
Tetra Tech International Development is a leading development consulting firm working with government, businesses, and NGOs to solve complex development challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. For more information please visit our website .
The Opportunity
- Based in Australia and/or the Indo-Pacific
- Remote support with some international travel
- Duration: 65 Days until 31 December 2026
- Contract type: Short-term Adviser
The Program:
Australia Assists is an Australian Government program that deploys skilled humanitarian specialists to support multilateral agencies, governments, civil society and communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and conflict. Australia Assists’ Goal is to: Save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity during and in the aftermath of conflict, disasters and other humanitarian crises, and strengthen preparedness for the occurrence of such situations. The program’s Objective is: Targeted deployment of humanitarian expertise that meets the priorities and needs of Australia’s multilateral, bilateral and civil society partners and advances Australia’s international humanitarian priorities.
The Role:
The Climate Adviser provides senior technical leadership to mainstream climate adaptation and resilience into Australia Assists’ DRM/DRR portfolio in the Pacific. Working regionally and through short term deployments, the role delivers applied climate analysis, partner engagement and practical operational tools that strengthen national and regional systems, inform program strategy and operations, and improve climate responsiveness of preparedness, response and resilience activities. The Advisor will maintain working relationships with regional bodies, government counterparts, NGOs and technical networks to ensure program approaches are evidence based, context appropriate and aligned with DFAT climate and disaster resilience priorities.
Key responsibilities
- Lead and consolidate applied climate risk and vulnerability analysis across priority countries, building on existing assessments to deliver clear findings on exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity and barriers within national disaster and climate governance systems.
- Produce concise, deployment‑ready country climate profiles that summarise climatic hazards, institutional arrangements, entry points for engagement, stakeholder considerations and contextual risks for deployee briefs.
- Map and summarise climate‑relevant organisations and networks at country level - including meteorological services, environment/climate ministries, disaster management authorities, adaptation and resilience NGOs, regional agencies, and technical networks - to inform partner engagement and deployment planning. This will need to ensure that the Australia Assists program complements and aligns to other relevant DFAT climate investments in the Pacific region and identifies opportunities for the program to play a relevant role through deployments to partners, in a way which deconflicts with other DFAT investments, avoids duplication and complements the broader aid program investments.
- Support deployees with pre‑deployment preparation and in‑mission technical support on climate integration, including guidance on climate‑sensitive stakeholder engagement, scenario planning, early warning systems and linking response to adaptation. This can include engagement in deployee briefings and contributions to deployee handbook information.
- Advise on aligning program approaches with DFAT guidance notes and policy, national plans and policies and regional climate frameworks, and on accessing/leveraging climate finance or technical partnerships where appropriate.
- Convene and contribute to communities of practice across the Australia Assists portfolio - synthesise learning, capture best practice examples (including traditional knowledge, nature‑based and locally led approaches), and disseminate practical guidance for replication
Selection criteria
- Tertiary qualifications in climate science, climate adaptation, environmental science, disaster risk management, international development or a closely related discipline.
- Extensive experience (typically 10+ years) in climate resilience, adaptation, or climate‑sensitive DRR/DRM programming, ideally in international development and humanitarian contexts.
- Proven work experience in Pacific contexts (country‑level or regional programming), with strong cultural awareness and networks in the region. Candidates from the Ind-Pacific region are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Demonstrated experience working with DFAT‑funded programs or direct engagement with DFAT, and a clear understanding of DFAT’s approach to climate, resilience and cross‑cutting themes.
- Strong technical knowledge of climate risk assessment, adaptation options (including traditional knowledge and nature-based solutions), early warning systems and resilience building in DRM/DRR contexts.
- Demonstrated knowledge of DFAT climate priorities, national climate frameworks (e.g NAPs) and practical application in programming contexts.
- Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and networking skills; culturally aware and politically astute in Pacific contexts.
For a complete position description please click here. Use the password: TetraTech2025 for access.
How to apply
Please submit your application by clicking “Apply for job” at the top of this page. Applications will only be accepted via the Tetra Tech International Development Website. Emailed applications will be disregarded.
A completed application includes:
- Resume
- Statement of suitability (not to exceed two pages), demonstrating how your qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and personal attributes align with the selection criteria
Apply before 11:59pm (AEDT), Sunday 21 December 2025
