The posting
Job Description
Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)
- Locally engaged personnel: October/November 2026 - 31 December 2027 with potential 2-year extension.
- Reserved for Fiji Nationals only
- Based in Suva, Fiji
- Please apply online by submitting a cover letter addressing how you meet the selection criteria of this role and up-to-date comprehensive CV.
Program Overview:
FPSP, also referred to as the ‘Platform’, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment, will contribute to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan.
The Platform will deliver key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities will identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs.
The Platform has three functional Outcomes:
- The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
- The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies
- The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.
AFHP Overview:
The Fiji Program Support Platform (the Platform) implements over fifty percent of Australia’s bilateral development support to Fiji across a range of sector programs in education, health, Australia Awards, disaster response, cyclone recovery, social infrastructure and technical assistance to improve public sector governance in Fiji.
The Platform integrates cross-cutting themes, including gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), climate and disaster resilience, across sectoral programs. In particular, the Platform seeks to strengthen program outcomes by better addressing the needs of targeted beneficiaries including those who are often marginalised.
The Australian Government is supporting Fiji’s health sector through the Australia Fiji Health Program (AFHP, the Program) working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
The program’s high-level End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs) are:
- Improved systems are used by MHMS and health workers for evidence-based planning and resource allocation (workforce and budget), clinical care, digital health and medical supply chains; and
- Targeted healthcare facilities equitably deliver improved primary health services, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and non-communicable disease (NCD) services.
The funding for the program is approximately AUD 45million over 9 years (5 years, with an option to extend a further 4 years) and delivered through a range of activities (interventions) to achieve the program’s objectives where implementation modalities include technical advice, procurement of technical services and goods, minor works and infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and training support, support to Ministry led initiatives and innovations, and grants to civil society organisations (CSOs).
AFHP is designed to support the MHMS achieve the goals and objectives in its Strategic Plan and Annual Operational Plans, and AFHP’s workplans are targeted to support specific components of the Ministry’s plans.
Recent natural disasters such as cyclones, and public health emergencies in Fiji including COVID-19 have highlighted major challenges for pandemic preparedness and response during epidemics and other health emergencies. In this context, around 10% of program funding will be allocated for MHMS to assign to emerging needs and priorities as they arise. Funding may be allocated toward preparedness and responses to public health emergencies, or related opportunities for reform and innovation.
Position Summary:
The Executive Support Coordinator provides high-level executive, governance coordination and administrative support to the AFHP HIV Advisor, who currently holds three key roles within Fiji’s national HIV response:
- Advising the Cabinet Sub-committee on the HIV Crisis, which supports whole-of-government policy, coordination and accountability;
- Serving as Interim Lead of the MHMS Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Unit, which translates strategic and policy direction into national programme and clinical service delivery; and
- Chairing the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce, which provides national coordination and strategic oversight across the response.
The Executive Support Coordinator position enables effective management of priorities, governance processes, stakeholder relationships, decisions and accountabilities across AFHP, FPSP, DFAT, MHMS and other key partners.
The position will require demonstrated ability to work across senior government processes supporting national strategy and coordination as well as day-to-day program and service delivery in a complex and evolving environment. Key responsibilities include coordinating executive workflows and meetings, preparing and quality-assuring briefs and correspondence, tracking decisions and actions, maintaining secure executive records, escalating priority issues and ensuring the Advisor is well prepared for high level engagements and decision points.
Key Responsibilities:
Executive office, briefing and priority management
- Manage the HIV Advisor’s executive calendar, forward schedule and priority workflow, maintaining a forward planner for governance deadlines, reporting milestones, official engagements, key program events and decision points, while resolving conflicts and ensuring sufficient preparation time for key decisions and engagements.
- Screen, prioritise and coordinate incoming requests, correspondence and submissions, referring technical or operational matters to the responsible officer.
- Develop, coordinate and review executive correspondence including but not limited to briefing packs, agendas, presentations, talking points and background material; ensuring products are high-quality, accurate, timely and tailored to the intended audience(s).
- Maintain version control and secure filing for executive and governance documents, contribute to the development and continuous improvement of systems, processes and knowledgemanagement practices that strengthen organisational capacity within the SRH/HIV unit and Taskforce.
- Support rapid reprioritisation and executive coordination during periods of heightened national-response activity or urgent response requirements.
Governance, decisions and action tracking
- Provide secretariat support for SRH/HIV unit leadership and governance forums led by, or requiring the participation of, the HIV Advisor
- Prepare agendas, coordinate papers, record decisions and maintain action and decision registers.
- Follow up agreed actions with responsible officers, monitor deadlines and escalate overdue or high-risk matters to the AFHP Advisor
- Consolidate concise updates on priority actions, dependencies and emerging issues for the HIV Advisor or AFHP/DFAT as required.
- Maintain an authoritative record of approvals, decisions, commitments and governance correspondence.
Stakeholder and engagement support
- Coordinate senior-level engagement between the HIV Advisor and FPSP leadership, DFAT, MHMS and other priority stakeholders.
- Support preparation for official visits, high-level meetings and strategic engagements, including protocols, briefing requirements, schedules and follow-up actions.
- Maintain executive stakeholder contact information and an engagement record.
- Liaise professionally and discreetly with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the HIV Advisor within delegated authority.
Information, risk and confidentiality
- Ensure sensitive, personal and commercial information is handled in accordance with MHMS and DFAT requirements.
- Identify gaps, conflicting deadlines and matters requiring escalation, while ensuring substantive risk assessment remains the responsibility of the relevant accountable technical or management lead.
- Exercise sound judgement, discretion and neutrality in managing confidential executive information.
SRH and HIV Unit Team contribution
- Contribute to surge arrangements, continuous improvement and a respectful, inclusive and collaborative workplace culture.
- Perform other duties reasonably required and aligned with the purpose and level of the position.
Key Working Relationships:
Reports to:
- HIV Advisor, Australia Fiji Health Program
Works closely with:
- MHMS SRH/HIV Unit
- MHMS Executive Support Unit, Finance and HR Units
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Australia Fiji Health Program
- Implementing partners and other stakeholders, as required
Selection Criteria:
Qualifications
- A tertiary qualification in business administration, management, public administration, communications, international development, health administration or another relevant field, or equivalent demonstrated professional experience.
Experience, knowledge and skills
- At least 8 years of relevant experience providing executive, governance, secretariat or senior program support in a complex organisation.
- Demonstrated ability to manage executive priorities, calendars, competing deadlines and sensitive workflows with limited supervision.
- Strong experience preparing and quality-assuring executive correspondence, briefs, meeting papers, minutes, presentations and decision records.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain action, decision, correspondence and document-control systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with strong attention to detail and the ability to present complex information concisely.
- High level of discretion, integrity and judgement in handling confidential, personal and commercially sensitive information.
- Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to work respectfully with senior government officials, donors, technical specialists and implementing partners.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint or comparable document-management systems.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure and evolving operating environment, while maintaining accuracy, discretion and sound judgement.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, anticipate requirements, identify priorities and escalate matters appropriately.
- Demonstrated cross-cultural competence and commitment to gender equality, disability and social inclusion, safeguarding and respectful workplace practices.
- Knowledge of Fiji’s government, health or development context and national coordination arrangements is desirable.
- Experience supporting emergency, outbreak, crisis-response or other complex whole-of-government coordination would be highly desirable.
- Experience supporting DFAT-funded or other donor-funded programs is desirable.
- Ability to communicate in iTaukei and/or Fiji Hindi is desirable.
How to apply
Applications close on 15 October 2026.
Please apply online by submitting a cover letter addressing how you meet the requirements of this role and an up-to-date comprehensive CV.
#LI-AUSBRIT #LI-JR1
Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.
Disclaimer: Abt Associates will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.
