Expression of Interest – Activity Lead, Solomon Islands RTC Institutional Strengthening (SIRIS) Program

About DT Global

At DT Global Asia Pacific, we aim to positively impact people’s lives through delivery excellence. As a leading implementing partner across Asia and the Pacific, we co-create locally led solutions in partnership with governments, communities, and stakeholders. We bring together talented teams and deep regional expertise to deliver initiatives that promote inclusive economic growth, essential services, and resilient, secure communities. With over 1,500 staff, experts in 22+ countries and more than 60 years of development experience, we tackle complex community, national and transnational challenges — from governance and justice systems to climate resilience, infrastructure and social equity — with innovative thinking and a commitment to long-term impact.

For more information, please see www.dt-global.com

Program Context

The Solomon Islands RTC Institutional Strengthening (SIRIS) Program is a DFAT funded program that is part of the Pacific Australia Skills work in Solomon Islands. Pacific Australia Skills is a significant Australian investment which stands to make a major contribution to supporting social and economic growth in the region through strengthening the skills and training sector across Timor-Leste and the Pacific. Pacific Australia Skills builds on the achievements of prior Australian Government support for skills and training in Timor-Leste. The SIRIS program will focus on support for rural training centres (RTCs) and other training providers to strengthen their institutional capability, improve the quality and relevance of skills delivery, and respond effectively to labour-market needs. Effective delivery of the activity will require coordinated planning across program, operational and technical functions, with resources aligned to agreed activities and results.

About the Role

We are seeking Expressions of Interest for SIRIS program Activity Lead position for an upcoming Solomon Islands RTC Institutional Strengthening (SIRIS) Program. The SIRIS programActivity Lead is accountable for coordinating all program activities implemented to support RTCs and training providers. The role will translate approved plans into coordinated delivery; ensure that budgets, staffing and technical inputs match planned activities; oversee the Activity Support Team; monitor progress, risks and results; and provide timely advice and reporting to the Country Director. The SIRIS program Activity Lead will work across operations, skills delivery, skills development reform, communications, MEL and partnerships management to maintain an integrated approach to implementation.

The role is responsible for converting the approved rationale and delivery approach for each activity into sequenced implementation plans, ensuring value for money, managing dependencies and supporting achievement of the agreed outputs and impacts within the work-plan period.

1. Strengthening Trainer Capability at RTCs and SINU TAFE: Upskill trainers to meet national quality standards, particularly Quality Standard 8 on trainer competence, and strengthen learner-centered, workplace-relevant and inclusive delivery.

2. Strengthening RTC and SINU TAFE Institutional Capacity: Strengthen selected RTCs and SINU TAFE to deliver quality-assured, inclusive and demand-driven skills development through sustained technical assistance, accompaniment, equipment and improvements to training spaces.

3. Transitioning RTCs to Technical Colleges: Provide targeted top-up technical assistance and facility upgrades to enable two RTCs to transition to Technical College status and generate practical guidance for future transitions.

Cross-cutting

Across all three activities, the SIRIS program Activity Lead will ensure locally led development, gender equity, disability inclusion, youth inclusion and access for rural and remote communities are integrated into planning and delivery. The role will embed safeguarding, accessibility, climate-change and disaster-resilience considerations where relevant; coordinate communications and public-diplomacy opportunities; maintain alignment with SITESA and national TVET reforms; manage synergies with other DFAT investments; and document evidence, lessons and value-for-money decisions.

Roles and Responsibilities

Activity Planning and Coordination

• Lead integrated work planning, scheduling and coordination of all institutional strengthening support to RTCs and training providers.
• Maintain a consolidated activity plan that identifies outputs, milestones, responsibilities, dependencies, resource requirements and delivery timeframes.
• Coordinate inputs from technical and enabling teams and resolve gaps, overlaps, or sequencing issues affecting delivery.
• Ensure activities respond to provider priorities and are consistent with approved program strategies, plans and commitments.
• Convene regular implementation meetings and maintain clear records of decisions, actions and accountabilities.

Resource and Operational Management

• Translate activity plans into realistic budget, staffing, procurement and logistical requirements.
• Work with the Operations team to align forecasts, procurement plans, compliance requirements, resource availability, contracting, travel and payments with implementation schedules.
• Monitor expenditure and staff allocations against approved plans, investigate variances and recommend timely corrective action.
• Confirm that funds, people and other inputs are available when required and are used efficiently, transparently and for their intended purpose.
• Prepare and maintain activity-level costings, cash-flow forecasts and resource plans that support funding decisions and demonstrate value for money.
• Support accurate financial and operational reporting while maintaining appropriate records and compliance with applicable policies and procedures.

Team Leadership

• Provide day-to-day leadership, direction and workload coordination for the Activity Support Team.
• Set clear expectations, delegate responsibilities, monitor performance and provide regular coaching and feedback.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, safeguarding, inclusion and respectful workplace practices.
• Identify capability needs and support staff development and continuous improvement.

Training Provider and Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain productive working relationships with RTCs, training providers, relevant government counterparts, communities, industry and program partners.
• Coordinate consultation, assessment, planning and follow-up with providers so that support is practical, demand-led and locally appropriate.
• Communicate plans, roles, expectations, progress and changes clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate transparent provider and cohort selection, partnership agreements and MOUs in line with approved criteria, SITESA processes and program commitments.
• Escalate sensitive, strategic or unresolved issues to the Country Director with options for action.

Monitoring, Learning, Risk and Reporting

• Work with the MEL team to establish activity-level indicators, evidence requirements, and practical data collection arrangements.
• Track delivery against milestones, budgets and intended results, and use evidence and feedback to improve implementation.
• Maintain current activity risks, issues and dependencies, assign mitigation actions and escalate matters that may affect scope, cost, quality, timing, or reputation.
• Provide concise, accurate and timely progress, financial and management reports to the Country Director and contribute to broader program reporting.
• Capture lessons, good practice and examples of change, working with Communications and Partnerships Management to share approved information appropriately.

Cross-functional Coordination

• Coordinate closely with Skills Delivery and Skills Development Reform teams to align institutional strengthening with technical assistance, training delivery and reform priorities.
• Work with Communications to plan appropriate visibility, knowledge products and stakeholder communications.
• Partner with Operations, MEL and Partnerships Management to ensure coherent delivery, compliance, evidence use and relationship management.
• Maintain an integrated portfolio view, actively managing sequencing, shared resources, provider readiness and dependencies between institutional strengthening and Technical College transition.
• Undertake other reasonable duties aligned with the role and program objectives, as directed by the Country Director.

Selection Criteria

Essential Experience and Knowledge

• Tertiary qualification in skills development, education, combined with qualifications in project management, business development, international development or a related field; or substantial equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder activities, preferably in skills development and in school systems strengthening.
• Strong project management capability, including work planning, scheduling, budget monitoring, resource allocation, risk management, and reporting.
• Experience coordinating finance, procurement, logistics and technical inputs to meet delivery milestones.
• Proven ability to lead and supervise staff, manage workloads, and support individual and team performance.
• Strong relationship-management skills and experience working with training providers, government, communities, development partners or similar stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, facilitation and interpersonal skills, including the ability to present clear advice to senior management.
• Strong analytical, organisational, problem-solving and time-management skills, with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to work effectively across diverse, cross-cultural and geographically dispersed teams and to travel within Solomon Islands as required.
• Experience working on international development programs in Solomon Islands, Melanesia or the wider Pacific.
• Knowledge of the Solomon Islands technical and vocational education and training environment, including RTC operating contexts.
• Experience engaging with donors and managing partner agreements or grants.

Desirable

• Demonstrated high level of customer service skills with experience in solving problems associated with highly complex systems.
• Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills including the ability to relate effectively, collaboratively and ethically to staff, learners and other stakeholders (including the ability to liaise with industry and partner institutions).
• Experience working on an aid-funded project, preferably Australian Government.
• Understanding of and commitment to Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), Child Protection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), prevention of human trafficking, environmental protection, anti-corruption and other DFAT safeguarding policies.
• DT Global strongly encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds including first nations, diverse SOGIESC and people with disabilities.
• People with lived experience of the regions in which Pacific Australia Skills operate are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Ability to communicate in Solomon Islands Pijin.

Click on the link or copy paste it to access the full Terms of Reference for this position: https://tinyurl.com/2aa657y6

Please note:

As an Expression of Interest, this position is anticipated as part of a forthcoming program opportunity and remains contingent upon contract award and the availability of funding. At this stage, DT Global is seeking Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified candidates to support delivery subject to funding being confirmed and all necessary approvals are obtained.