Full job description
Expression of Interest (EOI) - New Colombo Plan (NCP) Program Assessors
About Palladium
Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 75-plus countries and have a workforce of 2,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.
About the Program
The New Colombo Plan (NCP), launched in 2014, aims to lift knowledge in Australia of the Indo-Pacific by supporting Australian undergraduate students to undertake study, internships, mentorships and language training in the region. The NCP provides scholarships of up to 1+ months and mobility grants (between 4 weeks and 2 semesters) to support Australian undergraduates to undertake study, language training, internships and engage in practicums and research internships in 40 host locations.
The strategic objective of the NCP is to strengthen Australia’s regional standing by building a diverse cohort of Australian alumni with deeper Indo-Pacific knowledge, capability, and connections.
Palladium has been appointed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as the NCP Managed Administration and Support Services (NCP MASS) Provider which aims to provide an integrated suite of services to support the delivery of the NCP. Palladium contracts individuals and organisations to provide goods and services to the NCP Program.
This Opportunity:
The aim of the NCP Assessor Expression of Interest is to have appropriately qualified and experienced pre-screened individuals ready and available for rapid deployment on NCP assessment work.
Individuals that meet eligibility criteria and have appropriate qualifications and experience will be added to a panel of assessors and awarded draw-down contracts valid until 30th June 2026. Tasking Notes will be issued for specific tasks under these contracts. Membership of the panel does not guarantee that an individual will receive a call down request to undertake work through a Tasking Note.
The location will be desk-based and remote.
The first Tasking Note for Assessors in 2025 will be for 2026 round assessment work, anticipated to commence in September 2025, but subject to change. Exact dates expected hours and required tasks to be confirmed. All assessment work must be completed within the timeframe provided.
Prior to the assessment period commencing, guidance documentation, including assessment frameworks, will be provided and an Assessor training session will be held.
Following assessment completion, an Assessor feedback session and survey will be conducted.
Pre-screened Assessors on the panel will be selected to carry out this Tasking Note work based on their availability, amongst other factors, and must be available for the duration of the specified period the assessments will take place. Dates, inputs and final hourly remuneration will be confirmed through the Tasking Note.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Read the 2026 NCP Guidelines, Assessor Guide, Advice to Applicants, panellist pack support materials, and any other relevant documentation provided.
Participate in online assessor training (tentatively scheduled for late August/early September 2025).
Complete and abide by the DFAT Deed of Confidentiality and Privacy and declare any conflict of interest.
Participate in an Assessor feedback session and complete an Assessor report/survey, providing constructive feedback on overall applications and responses to each assessment criteria (to guide future applicants) and suggestions for improving the assessment process.
NCP Mobility Program Assessors
Assess all assigned applications in ISEO (an online system) in line with the assessment guide and other support materials to an acceptable standard within the assessment window of four weeks. This includes reading the proposed project description, scoring the response to each assessment criterion and making substantive notes explaining the assessment. Assessors are expected to spend an average of 30 minutes per application. Full-time hours on weekdays are expected to be required, with the potential for additional hours on weekends to complete all assessments.
NCP Scholarship Program Assessors
Assess, score and provide comments on each application against the assessment criteria in the NCP Online system within the assessment period, using an assessment framework as guidance. Assessors should read the applicant’s proposed scholarship program, response to the assessment criteria, referee reports and other documents including CV where required, and provide an assessment and comments on each applicant’s ability to meet the assessment criteria. Assessors are expected to spend an average of 30 minutes per application. Full-time hours on weekdays are expected to be required, with the potential for additional hours on weekends to complete all assessments.
Skills and Experience
The independent assessor will have relevant skills and experience assessing scholarship and/or student mobility grant (or other grant) applications based on selection criteria. Assessors must have the ability to work independently and be available for the indicative time periods stated above.
Required skills and experience:
Experience and comprehensive understanding of the international education sector in Australia, preferably Australian Government scholarship programs and/or outbound student mobility and the value of these experiences to student learning.
Experience and comprehensive knowledge of one or more tertiary education systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
Experience in undertaking grant application assessment processes within defined timelines against established quality standards and policy priorities (mobility program only).
Demonstrated understanding of foreign language education in the Indo-Pacific context (desired, but not essential).
Applicants who are employed by or who have any other relationship with Australian universities that may participate in the NCP program through scholarship and mobility grant applications should provide details in their cover letter so that appropriate conflict of interest checks can be applied.
Benefits
Assessment Tasking Notes will have a minimum of $85 p/h + GST., with the final hourly rate confirmed as part of the Tasking Note for the specific assessment task being called down.
Expressions of interest
If you are interested in being added to the NCP Program Assessor Panel and are available in the period outlined above for work as an Assessor on the 2026 round, please submit a CV and cover letter setting out your skills and experience against the above criteria via the Palladium Careers page: https://thepalladiumgroup.com/careers. Please ensure you note in your cover letter if you are interested in NCP Mobility Program Assessor or NCP Scholarship Program Assessor roles (or both).
Applications close 16 June 2025. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.
For more information about the role, please send your inquiry to NCP Recruitment: ncp.reccruitment@thepalladiumgroup.com.
Please note - we are only accepting applications from candidates with full working rights in Australia as this role is unable to be sponsored. We do not accept resumes from recruitment agencies for this role.
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 or accommodation to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Palladium recognizes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.
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.
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