Have your say on remuneration and conditions for in-country Australian aid workers

International advisers are an important element for the delivery of Australia’s aid program — and the Aid Adviser Remuneration Framework defines the policies and procedures for determining the payment and conditions for commercially contracted international advisers. But since its introduction in February 2011, there has not been wide-scale engagement to determine the understanding and value of the ARF to those administrating and managing aid programs. Following on from the Aid Supplier Conference in February, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are continuing to open up engagement and collaboration with private sector partners — and this includes opening up the ARF to greater feedback and scrutiny. But what is the information DFAT is seeking? Devex has some tips to enable your organization to submit valuable information that will help improve the Australian aid program and opportunities for employment in developing countries. Continuing to be competitive The Australian aid program wants to get value for money — and getting the best people for the job can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aid programs. Important to this is ensuring the ARF is competitive against other aid programs and local rates. The ARF includes both short-term and long-term adviser rates, and by understanding if there are any areas in which the ARF is failing or struggling, DFAT will seek to improve opportunities. This includes allowances to both short- and long-term advisers. Expanding options for disciplines and categories Development and humanitarian needs and responses are continuing to adapt to changing needs — and as part of that, the disciplines associated with the ARF may also need to be adjusted. Aid program managers are being asked to identify new categories and disciplines they may want included in the framework, to simplify accessing specialists and understanding DFAT’s preferred conditions for payment and allowances. Advancing opportunities Australia’s aid program wants to provide greater opportunities for women in developing countries and conditions within the ARF can help them lead by example — not just for opportunities for women, but also parents and providing hands-on experience to junior workers. DFAT wants to know whether the ARF is weak or strong on that front, as well as gathering ideas for continuing to open opportunities. Disability-inclusive employment is not currently part of the discussion. For all areas that DFAT is seeking feedback on, providing specific examples of situations where an adviser may have rejected a job offer because of the ARF will provide a better understanding of any weaknesses within the framework, and enable DFAT to fill the gaps. Who should respond? Aid suppliers and contractors are being asked to complete the survey, with managing contractors able to provide the most valuable insight. Managing contractors of aid programs directly engage with the ARF, to ensure on-the-ground staff are remunerated under standards benchmarked against other aid agencies and the Australian labour market. Their understanding is an important element in understanding if the ARF is a help or hindrance to engaging staff in a variety of countries and conditions. How to have your say An online survey is open to participants until May 22, and can be accessed through the DFAT website. Additional feedback may be sought following a review of responses and the information gathered will feed into the overall review of the ARF, which is expected to be completed in late 2017. Read more international development news online, and subscribe to The Development Newswire to receive the latest from the world’s leading donors and decision-makers — emailed to you free every business day.