MEL Specialist (DFAT Post Support)

Job Description

Fiji Program Support Platform Program Overview:

The Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP, or the ‘Platform’) is a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment that will contribute to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan. 

The Platform will deliver key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities will address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs. 

The Platform has three functional Outcomes:

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality and disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji agencies.
3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.

Position Summary:

The MEL Specialist will be based in the Australian High Commission office to support DFAT’s program management staff to meet their performance and quality responsibilities and to improve the overall quality and value of investment level performance management arrangements. DFAT will continue to commission independent evaluations and quality assurance as required. Platform MEL personnel will be obliged to collaborate with any independent quality assurance to meet DFAT MEL requirements. 

The MEL Specialist will work closely with DFAT staff to quality assure partners’ MEL plans, activities and reporting, helping ensure they are high quality and meet DFAT standards. This role will work 50% for platform activities and 50% for other investments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strengthening Suva Posts staff’s application of DFAT MEL requirements linked to the MEL Standards, International Development Policy (IDP) Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) indicators (Tiered indicators), Development Partnership Plan (DPP) PAF indicators (when the DPP is released) and Locally-Led Development (LLD) indicators so they can hold investments accountable to these requirements and standards.
• Providing demand-driven support to DFAT Post in relation to systematically appraising MEL-related deliverables, including investment MEL Plans (aligning with MEL Standard 5)
• Providing demand-driven support to DFAT Post with relation to systematically appraising routine progress reports (aligning with MEL Standard 6)
• Working with DFAT Post to identify the opportunities to interact with investments from a MEL perspective, including as a participant in talanoas and reflection sessions
• Identifying and promoting opportunities for cross-program learning at Post, including through internal Communities of Practice
• Strengthening DFAT Post’s understanding and awareness of fundamental MEL principles and approaches.
• Other duties as reasonably directed by the DFAT Counsellor and/or PLC Lead.

Specific Deliverables:

• Provision of technical advice to DFAT Suva program management staff to support investment performance and quality management responsibilities.
• High quality MEL technical input to the review and quality assurance of program implementation partner deliverables, including but not limited to:
• Program MEL Plans
• Baseline reports
• Progress reports
• Designs of new initiatives
• Reviews of significant initiatives
• Value for Money (VfM) assessments
• Support as required to develop agendas and material for Community of Practice
• Provision of training and facilitation of workshops on fundamental MEL approaches as required

Key Working Relationships:

• DFAT Post Representatives
• FPSP PLC Lead and broader PLC Team and Abt corporate MEL Adviser
• FPSP Cross-cutting Priorities Team
• FPSP Senior Leadership Team (Platform and Sector Programs)
• FPSP MEL Community of Practice
• FPSP MEL Partners: Clear Horizon and Talanoa Consulting
• FPSP Indigenous Partner: Ninti One

Selection Criteria:

• Qualifications in monitoring and evaluation, project management, public policy, development or relevant field.
• Demonstrated experience implementing DFAT MEL standards, systems, plans, frameworks and using evidence to communicate results and impact.
• Strong understanding of research and learning as key principles to inform adaptive management approaches
• Demonstrated experience in MEL capacity building and/or training.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate with influence across a large multi-disciplinary team
• Proven skills and ability to manage a range of stakeholder relationships in a cross-cultural setting
• Demonstrated experience applying MEL approaches which support GEDSI integration and mainstreaming.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with innovation, adaptability, flexibility, and resilience to accommodate change in a complex, uncertain, high-energy environment

How to apply:

Applications close on 02 February 2025 at midday.  

Interested applicants can apply via the links included above or search for the above-mentioned positions via Abts Career website Careers at Abt Global | Join Our Team and submit a cover letter and current CV.

For questions and clarifications, please email recruitment@fpsp.org.fj Please note that applications received via email will not be processed.

#LI-AUSBRIT #LI-HN1 

About the Organization

About Abt:

Abt Global is a mission-driven, global leader with a proven track record in complex program implementation in the international development sector. We offer bold solutions and technical excellence in Health, Economic Growth, Governance, Research & Evaluation, Environment & Energy, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion. Working with our many partners, we have driven measurable social impact for more than 55 years, to achieve our mission of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide. We operate in remote and challenging environments and employ more than 3,700 staff in over 50 countries. For more information about us and what we do, visit our website at www.abtglobal.com.

Commitment to Equity:

Abt Global values individuality and celebrates difference with a strong commitment to diversity, equality, racial equity, gender, and disability inclusion. We strongly encourage women, men, people with diverse backgrounds and people living with disabilities to apply for this position.

Commitment to Safeguarding:

We are deeply committed to safeguarding, to protect and prevent harm and abuse to individuals we work for and who work for us. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. We will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, child abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation in any form, and expect everyone to be treated with respect and dignity.