Job Description

Climate Action
Adviser
Australia Awards
South - Asia & Mongolia

Australia Awards are provided to build the skills and knowledge of individuals
so that they can contribute to their country’s development, and to support the
ongoing development of links between Australia and the countries to which it
provides development assistance. The Australia Awards are an important part of
the Australian Government’s focus on public and economic diplomacy, and provide
long term Scholarships, Fellowships, Short Courses and other training
opportunities.

Australia Awards –
South Asia & Mongolia (AASAM) is managed by the Australian Government’s
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and is administered by
Palladium. It is a multi-country program with service delivery offices in
Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Kathmandu, Malé, Thimphu and Ulaanbaatar.
Leadership, coordination, and support are provided by a regional team based in
Colombo and Dhaka as well as in Palladium’s offices in Adelaide and Brisbane.

Australia’s
International Development Policy identifies climate change as the world’s
greatest shared threat. In common with all DFAT investments, AASAM seeks to
incorporate climate change as a cross-cutting imperative. Climate action is one
of the four key themes of AASAM’s Annual Plan 2026-27. The Program undertakes
to:

• support partner countries to address
  climate challenges through education and collaboration
• promote climate action as a priority field
  of study for Australia Awards Scholarships across all Program countries
• deliver Short Courses such as Building
  Water and Agriculture Resilience (Pakistan) and Fuel Crisis Response and
  Energy Transition (regional) and Australian Professional Opportunities
  (APOs) in climate change fields
• organise a program of site visits and
  engagement with subject matter experts specifically for scholars studying
  or working in climate change related fields
• support the regional Champions for the
  Environment and Climate Action alumni community of practice
• continue to award alumni grants to support
  local initiatives to combat climate change and mitigate disaster risk
• conduct all Program activities in an
  environmentally responsible manner.
  
  

In 2026, AASAM will,
for the first time, appoint a Climate Action Adviser to guide the Program’s
approach.

The Adviser will
report to the Team Leader, with extensive engagement with the Adelaide-based
Deputy Team Leader, the Coordinator - Scholar Enrichment Program, and the
Regional Alumni Engagement Coordinator to raise the awareness of and commitment
to climate action of Program scholars and alumni.

The position provides
advice, guidance, and training to the country teams in Colombo, Dhaka,
Islamabad, Malé, Thimphu, and Ulaanbaatar. The position will also engage with
other Australia-based managers and with the Program's GEDSI, Indigenous
Engagement, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisers.

Where appropriate, the
Adviser will represent the Program in external forums and in discussion with
relevant sections within DFAT in Canberra.

The Program is
seeking approximately 15 days of input from the Climate Action Adviser per
year, and the Adviser can be based out of any location in Australia.

Primary duties and
responsibilities:

The Climate Action
Adviser will be responsible for:

• shaping the Program’s thinking on and
  approach to climate change and climate action
• working with the Team Leader on the
  preparation of an annual Climate Action Plan
• providing advice on the implementation of
  that Plan
• leading the Australia Awards Climate
  Action Working Group to support climate related initiatives and ensure
  that the Program is informed by environmentally responsible management
  practices
• in collaboration with the Program’s
  Academic Adviser, supporting the Program team in promoting climate change
  as a priority field of study for Australia Awards Scholarships
• reviewing and commenting on Australia
  Awards Short Course tenders and Australia Awards Fellowships applications
  that have a climate change focus
• in collaboration with the Manager –
  Continuing Professional Development Solutions, proposing ideas to regional
  DFAT Posts for climate change-related APOs.
• in collaboration with the Program’s
  Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Adviser and Indigenous
  Engagement Adviser, identifying and making recommendations on initiatives
  to highlight intersectional approaches to climate change
• delivering presentations and facilitating
  discussions in relevant scholar and alumni forums
• in collaboration with the Regional Alumni
  Engagement Adviser, inspiring and encouraging the regional Champions for
  the Environment and Climate Action alumni community of practice
• enhancing the climate change awareness of
  Program scholars, alumni and staff.
  

Only submissions that
have outlined, in a cover letter, the applicant's experience with similar
duties and responsibilities as listed above will be considered for the
appointment.

Applications close
on Wednesday 29th July 9PM Adelaide Time.

Ideal candidates possess the following:

• Minimum five years’ previous experience in
  a Climate Action role on a DFAT-funded international development program
• Detailed understanding of the Climate
  Action priorities as outlined in Australia's International Development
  Policy.
• Understanding of the requirements of
  Australia Awards programs
• Experience of working with and within a
  diverse, dispersed multicultural team
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and
  collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders
• Proven capability in the preparation of
  high-quality plans and reports for external audiences
• High ethical standards and a commitment to
  integrity and professionalism
• Flexibility and responsiveness to respond
  at short notice to urgent requests
• Proven organisational skills and attention
  to detail, with ability to prioritise own workload and deliver quality
  outputs within agreed timeframes.
  

Our company provides
equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age,
disability or genetics.