Full job description
Closing on: Jun 25, 2025
Job Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Lead
Project Name: Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program
Job type: Full time
Location of Position: Preference for Brisbane-based candidates, but highly qualified candidates in other locations will be considered
Reporting to: PLMSP Team Leader
Remuneration: TBC
Indicative LOE/Time Frame: Until Sept 2028
Citizenship: Must have the right to work in Australia
Application Deadline: June 25th
Application Instructions:
A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should effectively align your skills and experiences with the specific job responsibilities outlined in the position’s description, demonstrating your aptitude and enthusiasm for the role, your daily fee and current availability.
upload your cover letter and CV (Curriculum Vitae).
Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies, and communities to create lasting change. Over 38 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 1000 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com
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DEIAB Statement Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging
At Alinea International we value diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and belonging in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results.
Protection
Alinea is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Due to the nature of our work, all candidates will be subject to due diligence checks and extensive background checks where appropriate.
Project Description:
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is a signature initiative for the Australian Government that enables workers from + Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Timor-Leste to work in priority sectors in Australia. The Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program (PLMSP) builds on the successes of the Pacific Labour Facility (PLF) program, with a renewed focus on the provision of tailored support to worker sending countries to address their specific needs and priorities. Palladium is contracted to deliver PLMSP on behalf of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), with Alinea International engaged to deliver the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning component.
PLMSP’s role is to provide DFAT and governments in + PICs and Timor-Leste with support to enable workers to access PALM scheme in inclusive ways that maximise the benefits for the workers and national economies while minimising risks from labour mobility participation. PLMSP’s primary functions include capacity building for PALM scheme labour sending units; skills development and training for PALM workers; support for returning PALM workers and their families; information system management; monitoring, evaluation, research and learning; and communications.
About the work
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Lead is responsible for providing overarching management of a large multi-country and multicultural team of MERL specialists, coordination of MERL inputs across PLMSP and quality assurance of MERL team products. As a member of PLMSP’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the MERL lead also helps guide PLMSP’s strategy, operations, and engagement with DFAT, partner governments in the Pacific and Timor Leste and Australia’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).
The Role
Leadership and Management
Lead, coordinate and motivate a large, multi-country and multicultural team of MERL staff.
Lead the MERL team to deliver PLMSP End-of-Program Outcome 3 (providing Pacific and Timor Leste stakeholders with more and better information on labour mobility) by collecting and communicating useful information to PLMSP’s stakeholders.
In line with PLMSP’s MERL plan, oversee operational procedures and practices to deliver PLMSP’s MERL function in Australia, the Pacific and Timor Leste.
Input into PLMSP SLT strategic discussions on issues impacting program outcomes, especially evidence and design needs.
Drive a system-wide learning culture across the PLMSP and with key stakeholders, particularly through implementation of an adaptive management learning cycle.
Lead annual planning for the MERL stream, and coordinate MERL plans with those of other PLMSP streams.
Quality assure MERL team outputs, including annual reports, MERL methodologies, and evaluation and research plans and reports.
Ensure that gender equality, disability inclusion and social inclusion (GEDSI) and other cross-cutting priorities (e.g. climate change, worker agency) are appropriately addressed and integrated in MERL activities and products.
Work with the wider PLMSP SLT to explore, design and implement ways to best achieve (and demonstrate achievement of) the PLMSP’s outcomes.
Act as the PLMSP Focal Point for all data sharing obligations. Support appropriate data management (and use) practices across relevant functions and team members.
Review relevant communication and media content relating to PLMSP MERL activities.
Support PLMSP and PALM scheme commitments such as GEDSI, cultural competence, and Indigenous Australian engagement.
Contribute to and represent MERL team internal and external meetings (notably the research technical working group), including presenting on key issues and achievements.
Relationships
Proactively build and maintain effective working relationships with the primary clients and support the information needs and dissemination of products.
Promote effective internal working relationships with the PLMSP management and leaders, maintaining a high degree of professionalism and integrity.
Focus on self-development, looking for opportunities for continuous growth and development, acting on feedback in a positive way and developing skills in inspirational leadership.
Mentor and coach others both formally and informally, investing time in their success and ensuring messages from leadership are supported and clearly cascaded
Nurture and maintain positive and value-adding relationships between the MERL stream and other PLMSP streams and stakeholders.
Provide leadership and direction to the wider PLMSP team, motivating others to achieve goals through collaboration, trust-building and creating an inclusive work environment.
Human Resource Management
Manage a team of professional staff (located across partner countries)
Promote strong communication, coordination and collaboration across the various sections of the MERL stream, identifying synergies, gaps and overlaps (considering geographical spread of the team).
Ensure all team members understand and adhere to PLMSP policies and procedures, including through regular training and updates.
Coordinate with Alinea on MERL team management, appropriately managing staff in alignment with Palladium expectations.
Other
Other tasks as reasonably requested by the Team Leader.
Travel locally and internationally, as required.
Advocate for Australian development priorities.
Foster equality, diversity and inclusion, drawing on capabilities from within the country/region wherever possible.
Comply with, and advocate for, DFAT’s policies in all aspects of implementation, including gender, disability, fraud and anti-corruption, PSEAH, child protection and environmental and social safeguards. This includes incorporating policy principles into planning and everyday work, promoting process improvements, and reporting concerns to your Line Manager or Palladium’s Integrity Hotline (details on Palladium website).
Operate with high levels of integrity, consistent with the intent of DFAT’s Ethics, Integrity and Professional Standards Policy Manual.
Required Qualifications:
Tertiary qualifications in international development/relations, monitoring and evaluation, research methods, public policy, or a related field, with more than 10 years’ experience operating at senior levels.
Senior management experience and capabilities with strong interpersonal and communication skills with experience leading diverse teams.
An understanding of current issues in relation to circular labour mobility, including related policy and
regulatory frameworks, and the ability to translate these to implementation.
Highly experienced in providing strategic advice to senior officials to lead organisational change and build institutional capacity to implement priorities.
A demonstrated ability to build productive and sustainable working partnerships with a variety of
stakeholders (including partner government, civil society and the private sector).
Experience working with programs in the Pacific and/or Timor Leste, with a strong understanding of gender equality concepts and issues.
Ability to produce high quality deliverables within tight timeframes.
Strong ability to prepare accessible written reports and to present findings to a wide range of stakeholders.
Job Categories: Active Projects
Job Types: Full Time
Job Locations: Australia
Job Sectors: Monitoring Evaluation and Learning
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