• Fixed term contract up to 10 July 2028 (with possible extension)
• Based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
• Open to PNG national candidates only

About Palladium

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 2,000 employees operating in 75-plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies, and, most importantly, people's lives.

About PNG-Australia Strongim Wok Long TVET (SWLT)

The PNG–Australia Strongim Wok Long Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (SWLT) program is a four-year, AUD 80 million investment by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to support Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) efforts to strengthen its TVET sector. Aligned with PNG’s national priority to build an educated and skilled workforce for resilient economic growth, SWLT aims to enhance the quality, relevance, and inclusiveness of skills development. The program supports improvements in national quality assurance systems, technical college standards, graduate employability, and Australia’s visible and trusted development partnership with PNG.

The program aligns with the broader goals of the Australia–PNG Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029, which emphasises locally led development, education investment, and inclusive growth, as well as PNG’s Higher and Technical Education Reform Act 2020.

This Opportunity

As Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Lead you are responsible for the annual review and implementation of SWLT’s GEDSI Plan, supporting the approach and findings of the Gendered Political Economy Analysis and providing strategic advice and leadership to the program in partnership with the Business Coalition for Women (BCFW), PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons (PNGADP), and any other key GEDSI stakeholders.

This will include:

• Ensure GEDSI considerations are integrated into annual work plans, implementation activities and reflected in partner agreements e.g. grants portfolio
• Coordinating and seeking to harmonise plans for interventions that will be delivered in collaboration with SWLT GEDSI partners (BCFW, PNGADP), that include but are not limited to:
• strengthening inclusion in training colleges – in facilities and infrastructure; in curriculum; and in employment pathways
• engaging with employers and influencing the private sector with the aim of improving employment outcomes for women and girls and people with disability in non-traditional sectors
• The establishment of a Gender and Youth Advisory Board to ensure lived-experience is incorporated into ongoing governance, planning, evaluation and advice
• accessing existing gendered and intersectional labour market surveys as well as conducting new market insights and analyses
• Identifying and supporting TVET Gender and Disability Inclusion Champions and providing them with tools and advocacy materials
• Incorporate approaches that seek to address gender-based violence and other forms of family and sexual violence
• Provide strategic advice to the senior leadership team on emerging GEDSI issues, risks and opportunities
• Developing training and awareness for ongoing delivery within SWLT operations to increase staff capacity and mainstream GEDSI attitudes and behaviours
• Leading on detailed planning of GEDSI activities and ensure that they are informed by a rights-based approach and align with SWLT end-of-program-outcomes, DFAT policies and obligations under international conventions
• Support development of concept notes for further exploration with DFAT on GEDSI interventions
• Developing tools and approaches in support of the gendered political economy analysis and other GEDSI analyses and sector-based research as required, including stakeholder mapping and resource identification, norms and ideologies, pathways and barriers for change
• Establishing a process for identifying programmatic GEDSI risks, both within activity planning and development as well as in day-to-day operations
• Maintaining regular communications with SWLT leadership, DFAT and Government of PNG (GoPNG) stakeholders to stay informed of changes in priorities, challenges and opportunities, and to keep them updated on both dedicated and mainstreaming GEDSI deliverables
• Providing technical advice for capturing and reporting GEDSI within SWLT’s MEL Framework, including how to incorporate disaggregated data and stories of change that will appropriately and effectively measure and report GEDSI qualitative and quantitative outcomes
• Contributing technical advice to the Communications and Public Diplomacy Strategy and Public Diplomacy Workplan to ensure program communications will support a change in attitudes and inclusion for people with disabilities, and women and youth.
• Model, contribute to and support a culture of learning and performance with colleagues and counterparts
• This role supports and upholds the organisation’s commitment to environmental sustainability, such as reducing resource use and promoting climate-friendly practices
• Contribute to the development and implementation of solutions that deliver value and ensure SWLT principles[1] are embedded within program delivery.
• Adhere to DFAT and Palladium safeguarding standards and policies and commit to prevent harm, and to promoting safe, inclusive environments, including reporting concerns appropriately.

About you

You will demonstrate proven experience in the following areas:

• Proven ability to lead on gender equality, disability equity and/or socially inclusive focused planning and execution within international development contexts or programs in PNG. Pacific specific experience would be welcome
• Demonstrated experience working in respectful and culturally safe relationships with local GEDSI partners, drawing from local expertise and enabling an environment for mutual, cross-partner learning
• Knowledge of the tertiary education, TVET and employment sectors in the PNG and challenges and opportunities faced by women and girls, youth, people with disability and other groups at risk of marginalisation
• Demonstrated experience in applying rights-based and intersectional informed gender equality, disability equity and/or social inclusion approaches and aligning work with clients and/or donors such as DFAT, and PNG or partner government policies and conventions
• Strong background in gendered audits and planning in key areas such as the prevention of gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment and/or advancing women in decision making and leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to build GEDSI capacity among colleagues, clients and/or partners and lead with influence
• An understanding of climate and disaster risks and how they intersect with GEDSI interventions.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously while contributing effectively within a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of locally-led, socially inclusive, politically informed and adaptive programming.

To Apply

Please submit your application online, including your CV and brief cover letter, outlining your suitability in line with the requirements of the position through https://palladium.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/25340?c=palladium

Closing date: Saturday 25^th July 2026, 11.59pm AEST

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments to be made due to a disability, or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at [email protected] and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.