About the Program 

Investing in Women: Women in Inclusive Sustainable Economic Recovery (IW) is a multi-country Australian Government initiative in Southeast Asia that seeks to accelerate women’s economic empowerment through increased and equitable opportunities in the private sector, contributing to inclusive, sustainable economic recovery and growth in targeted countries. Our objective is to support women to thrive in the workplace and succeed in business.

IW continues the ambitious agenda of advancing women’s economic empowerment through:

• Workplace Gender Equality (Workstream 1) – We support Business Coalitions that work with influential businesses on shifting workplace cultures, practices, and policy barriers to achieve workplace gender equality, with member companies together employing more than one million people;
• Enabling Policy Reforms (Workstream 2) – We support locally identified reform agendas that promote women’s workforce participation, generate support for the business case for WGE, and build the case for the value and importance of the care economy to business, the economy and women’s economic empowerment;
• Campaigns and Communities of Practice (Workstream 3) – We support locally driven campaigns in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam that highlight positive examples of gender equality to strengthen public support for women’s economic participation. Through fostering a community of gender equality advocates, IW will continuously build evidence that supports the broader adoption of progressive attitudes and behaviours; and
• Gender Lens Investing (Workstream 4) – We work to increase investment in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that disproportionately benefit women in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. We do so by increasing capital providers’ demand for Gender Lens Investing strategies and products, catalysing the supply of financial instruments available to small businesses owned or led by women, and investing in the growth of SMEs that support women through a ‘fund of funds’ strategy.

In collaboration with corporations and business leaders, policymakers and implementers, capital providers, entrepreneurs, and advocates, we are working with those who are driving change for women's economic equality in our region. More information about Investing in Women can be found on the website: www.investinginwomen.asia

About the Opportunity 

Reporting to the WGE Director, the WGE Partnerships Lead with be responsible for supporting small independent organizations delivering WGE services by enhancing their strategic planning, organizational development, and financial management to achieve growth and sustainability. These organisations also advocate more broadly for WGE and help leading private sector companies to advocate for more supportive environments for WGE. Responsible for supporting workstream planning and reporting that delivers strong strategic alignment between workstream activities and IW’s end-of-program outcomes.

The WGE Partnerships Lead will be responsible for the following:

1. Provide Support for Workstream 1 (W1) Partners:

Strategic planning and performance monitoring of partners:

• With DFAT and the partner organisations, facilitate mid-range strategic planning.
• Assist in developing and setting targets for organisational expansion.
• Establish, monitor, and report on milestones, Key Performance Indicators, and income targets.

Organisational development support:

• Provide advice and support to strengthen partners' organisational capabilities and operational effectiveness.

Economic modelling and financial analysis:

• Offer access to economic modelling tools to analyse the cost structures of service delivery, identify break-even points, and determine required levels of subsidisation for growing membership and clientele.

Contract and budget management:

• Oversee effective contract management for partners, including payment acquittal and budgetary oversight.

Income stream development:

• Assist partners in identifying and capitalising on new income opportunities, such as through service offerings, membership fees, and strategic partnerships.

Technical support and capacity building:

• Ensure that targeted technical support is available through IW’s pool of WGE experts to enhance partners’ technical capacity, including in emerging areas like disability inclusion.

Executive guidance:

• Provide ongoing support and guidance to partners’ leadership teams as needed.

WGE services growth and regional evidence building:

• Support partners in maintaining momentum in building a pipeline of companies interested in WGE services.
• Contribute to developing a robust body of data and regional evidence base for WGE.

Membership and clientele expansion:

• Guide partners in expanding their membership and clientele with a focus on achieving a balanced representation across industry sectors.
• Target national firms with significant domestic influence and a select number of regionally significant (multinational) firms to share best practices across the region.

Due diligence:

• Conduct regular due diligence in accordance with DFAT’s due diligence framework, focusing on reputational risks and screening board membership and founding members as country contexts evolve.
• Monitor situational risks affecting W1 partner(s), including staff safety and operational capacity during periods of protracted conflict and provide regular briefings to the IW leadership team and DFAT regarding these risks.

2. Produce W1 Reporting 

• Draft Workstream 1 inputs for the following deliverables:
• Program Annual Plan
• Six-Monthly Progress Reports
• Quarterly Meetings with each Embassy
• Quarterly CEO Newsletter
• Bi-Weekly Reporting to DFAT on Activities
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Reviews
• Communications Materials (e.g., brochures, website content, CEO Updates, IW News, and social media content)
• Craft clear and succinct messages that effectively and accurately communicate key information and progress, and reflect the strategic objectives and achievements of the program.

3. Share W1 Partner Data and Learnings Across the Program

• Collaborate with the WGE Director to identify and explore programmatic synergies, cross-component learnings, and effective messaging related to W1.
• Promote the sharing of insights and best practices among W1 partners to enhance overall program effectiveness.
• Ensure that data and experiences from W1 partners are incorporated into IW’s research, knowledge products, briefs, case studies, and impact stories.
• Ensure that W1 partners are connected to country-level analyses and strategies.
• Help to map potential policy dialogue and reform opportunities in target countries, and facilitate W1 partners’ engagement in these opportunities.

The WGE Partnerships Lead will work closely with DFAT, IW Chief Executive Officer and Directors, W1 partners, and the IW Research, Knowledge Management, and Communication team.

Employment type and duration:

• Employment type and location:  Project-based role based in Canberra or Brisbane, Australia. Other locations in Australia will be considered. Open to nationals with legal right to work in Australia.
• Duration:  Up to 30 June 2027; anticipated to commence in November 2024.

About You 

We are seeking an individual who meet the Key Selection Criteria given below. The candidate should have a highly effective writing and oral communication skills, and proven ability to mentor and coach others both in person and remotely, with experience working across diverse cultures.

Key Selection Criteria 

For your application to be considered by the Panel, interested applicants must submit a response to each of the following Key Selection Criteria (KSC):

KSC 1: Advanced degree or equivalent in experience in business, economics, or international development.

KSC 2: Familiarity with good practice in strategy development, governance, and accountability, particularly for membership-based organisations and/or social enterprises.

KSC 3: Track record in building and supporting coalitions for change, influencing others on policy or practice reform, and ability to develop strong relationships with private sector leaders across the region.

KSC 4: A good understanding of WGE and the transformative effect of WGE on economic growth and stronger, more inclusive economies.

KSC 5: Proven experience in working with international donors including producing reports and handling public diplomacy

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single requirement for a position. At Abt Associates we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every role requirement, we encourage you to apply in any case. You may be just the right candidate for this or for other roles.

How to Apply

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from experienced and capable women.

Please submit your application online. Upload your cover letter, CV and response to the KSCs. Submit your CV and KSC response as a single Word or PDF document, and address how you meet the requirements of this role. We are unable to proceed with an application without the KSC statements.

Please submit your application as soon as possible. This is an urgent requirement. Shortlisting will commence two weeks after the opening date. IW may decide to close the position sooner than the closing date below as soon as we have found the most suitable and immediately available candidate.

Closing Date: 30 September 2024, Monday, AEST

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