Human Resources Development Adviser | APSP

• Location: Port Moresby, with provincial travel

• Commencement: July 2026

• Duration: Long Term

• Open to all applicants

About the Program 

A stable, prosperous, peaceful, and resilient PNG is critical to Australia's interests. Australia is PNG's largest development partner, its main partner on economic and security issues.

The Australia PNG Subnational Program (APSP) comprises of an enabling Facility mechanism and four separately designed programmed activities including Bougainville Partnership (BP), Kokoda Initiative Partnership (KIP), the Western Province Partnership (WPP), and the Subnational Governance Implementation Plan (SGIP). Each program activity has its own outcomes, theory of change, operational approach and separate monitoring and evaluation systems. 

The APSP Facility will ensure consistency, quality, and value for money in human resource management; financial management and administration; safety and security; procurement and infrastructure; grants management; fleet and transport; information and communications technology; legal services and contracts; gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) and safeguarding; media and communications; monitoring, evaluation reporting and learning; and administration, travel, and logistics. 

Through an agreed Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) the APSP Facility will provide consistency of approach and opportunities for learning and adaptation across investments and activities. Through individual Monitoring, Evaluation Reporting and Learning (MERL) Frameworks aligned to investment designs, partnerships will aim to achieve intermediate outcomes and end of program outcomes and contribute the APSP PAF.

Managed by Abt Associates under a contract from 2022 to 2030, the centralised approach is aimed to ensure and drive value for money by realising back-office efficiencies, ensure Key Policy priorities of gender, disability, subnational governance, and climate change are consistently at the forefront of each program and deliver opportunities for learning and adaptation between programs. It further enables the sharing of specialist resources across programmed components (BP, WPP, and SGIP) to promote this approach.

The Subnational Governance Implementation Plan-is part of the APSP Framework. The SGIP’s goal is to improve capacity, governance, and service delivery at the subnational level, and greater coordination of Australian investments. The SGIP also prioritises engagement with key national agencies to support targeted provincial capacity development, improved policy compliance and opportunity for policy dialogue.

To achieve the aims of SGIP, the following have been undertaken.

1. Organisational Capacity Assessments (OCA) carried on Provincial administrations in selected provinces

2. Provincial Capacity Development Plans are implemented in priority areas determined by the OCA

3. Service delivered is implemented aligned with the Government of PNG’s minimum priority areas

4. Stronger coordination of PNG-Australia partnership programs at subnational level.

Position Overview: 

The HRD Advisor will support the APSP Program Components Team Leaders, the SGIP with the implementation of the Provincial Capacity Development Plan specific to the human resource management (HRM) capacity development interventions as recommended through the Organisation Capacity Assessment (OCA). The focus area is to develop capacity to manage, motivate and develop the Provincial workforce to deliver essential, and equitable services. 

Key Responsibilities 

As required by the Team Leader and the Subnational Advisers the HRD Adviser tasks will be related to the following;

1. Advise the provincial governments on Human Resource Development and related Policy and Procedures as per specific tasking. This may include:

• Advising on development of HR policies and procedures manual

• Advising on development of HR Training Plans including sector specific training plans 

• Advising and implementing staff performance appraisals (SPA) and capacity needs analysis (CNA) assessment and reporting

1. Advise on Public Service Inductions and Job Orientations

• Advise on development and delivery of public service inductions and job orientations to all staff.

1. Advise on rightsizing of the provincial administration and district administrations organisation structures.

• Facilitate the rightsizing exercise using functional analysis as a tool to identify alternative designs that may increase the ability to realise strategic and operational goals.

• Advise on job analysis and descriptions to align roles and accountabilities to deliver and achieve the goals of the new plans.

1. In collaboration with Planning and Performance Management Adviser, capacitate and mentor officers with provinces to deliver their 5-year strategic/corporate plan

• Support training to operationalise the Corporate Plan 

• Facilitate and develop costed work plans and activity plans for sectors.

• Support training to develop individual work/activity plans linked to Job Descriptions.

1. Collaborate with relevant Technical Advisers and GEDSI Coordinator to:

• apply gender equality and social inclusion principles in workforce management and implement this as a standard requirement for all technical assistance assignments.

Collaborate with the Planning and Performance Management Adviser and team to ensure data collection systems are appropriately designed and are implemented to support provincial reporting and learning and development processes, including ad hoc requests from DFAT and other stakeholders.

Specific Deliverables

• Provincial HRM Work Plan (for each Partner Province).

• Review and develop HR policies and procedures manual.

• Facilitate the delivery of Public Service Inductions and Job Orientations to all staff.

• Advise on rightsizing of the provincial administration and district administrations organisation structures.

• Provide high quality technical advice for stakeholders in HRM

• Deliver tailored, effective, and fit for purpose capacity building and mentoring for provincial staff within HRM Division in selected provinces

• Enhanced relationships, problem-solving, and GEDSI integration with key stakeholders and counterparts 

• Quality reporting, milestones, deliverables and KPIs are submitted on time and meet internal (Abt) and external (AHC) requirements

• Other technical support under the Provincial Capacity Development Plan as agreed between the Provincial Administrator and the Senior Management Team

Key working relationships 

• Team Leader, SGIP

• Team Leader, Western Province Partnership

• Subnational Adviser, Western Province Partnership 

• Subnational Advisers, SGIP

• Deputy Secretary, Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs

• Provincial Administrator

• Deputy Provincial Administrator, Corporate

• Provincial HRM Manager

• Other SGIP and WPP Technical Advisers

About You 

For applications to be considered, a response to the key selection criteria below must be provided:

• Minimum of 10 years’ senior level experience in working within or with provincial, district administrations.

• Demonstrated experience in the application of human resource management, development and organizational development. 

• Demonstrated understanding of PNG’s decentralisation system and its functionality in PNG

• Familiar with political economy developments at the provincial and district level.

   

How to Apply

• Please ensure to address the Key Selection Criteria (About You) in your cover letter, and submit your application online, along with your CV as a single document. 

• Applications must be submitted personally by individuals only. Applications submitted by a company or organisation will not be accepted. 

• The successful applicant will be engaged through an employment agreement determined by Abt.

We welcome and thank all applications; however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Closing Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 (Mid-day, local time) #LI-AUSBRIT

Abt Global is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to upholding high standards of Child Protection, Anti-bribery and Fraud Protection.

We encourage applications from experienced and capable women, and people with disabilities.