Quality Assurance Auditor Pool – Strongim Wok Long TVET

• Short-term as required
• Travel within Papua New Guinea
• Open to international and PNG national candidates

About Palladium

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social, climate and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to help solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 2,000 employees operating in 75-plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies, the environment, and, most importantly, people's lives.

About PNG-Australia Strongim Wok Long TVET (SWLT)

The PNG–Australia Strongim Wok Long Technical and Vocational Education and Training (SWLT) program is a four-year, AUD 80 million investment by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to support Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) efforts to strengthen its TVET sector. Aligned with PNG’s national priority to build an educated and skilled workforce for resilient economic growth, SWLT aims to enhance the quality, relevance, and inclusiveness of skills development. The program supports improvements in national quality assurance systems, technical college standards, graduate employability, and Australia’s visible and trusted development partnership with PNG.

The program aligns with the broader goals of the Australia–PNG Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029, which emphasises locally led development, education investment, and inclusive growth, as well as PNG’s Higher and Technical Education Reform Act 2020.

This Opportunity

A pool of qualified Quality Assurance Auditors is being sought to work in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) Quality Assurance Division (QAD), as well as other appointed auditors, to conduct quality assurance audits of PNG’s public Technical Colleges (TCs).

These audits will assess institutional and program compliance with the PNG National Standards for Higher Education Institutional Registration and the PNG National Standards for Program Accreditation. The audit process is relatively new in this context and, accordingly, additional time and flexibility will be built into auditor engagements to enable appropriate support to TC’s throughout the audit process.

Auditors will be engaged on an as-needed basis in accordance with the PNG National Standards and Palladium policies. It is anticipated that between five and ten auditors will be identified through this recruitment process to support audits at up to ten (10) TC’s across PNG.

Each audit will have a defined number of input days, which will vary depending on the audit readiness of the individual Technical College, typically ranging from eight (8) to twelve (12) days per audit. By way of example, an audit may include three (3) days of remote preparation and report writing, one (1) day of in-country coordination, and five (5) days of on-site audit activities.

Primary responsibilities and activities may include:

• Conducting a thorough review of all documentation relating to the quality assurance process
• Participating, as a panel member or Panel Chair, in the DHERST Quality Assurance review process, including in all aspects of the site visits, interview sessions and panel-only discussion and decision making to ensure compliance of TVET institutions with national accreditation and quality standards.
• Identifying gaps and providing recommendations and actions to strengthen quality assurance systems and mechanisms
• Accepting responsibility for one or more Standards during the audit process and write/contribute to the audit report against those Standards.
• Participation in the development of questions to be asked by the panel at the site visit
• Developing conclusions or findings based on the evidence that is presented
• Contributing effectively to the development of the audit report
• Developing an understanding of the nature and vision of the institute or programme being reviewed
• Working effectively with DHERST staff and fellow panel members, and treating all colleagues, fellow panel members, DHERST staff and institutional staff or stakeholders with respect and courtesy
• Supporting TC’s, DHERST and fellow auditors to work through institutional audit process including supporting with the understanding audit standards, collection of evidence and explanation of audit recommendations
• Providing feedback to DHERST on the entire quality assurance review process
• Understanding and contributing to SWLT and DHERST gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) objectives as relevant to this role and participate in GEDSI learning and engagement as required
• Adhering to DFAT and Palladium safeguarding standards and policies and commit to prevent harm, and commit to promoting safe, inclusive environments, including reporting concerns appropriately
• Contributing to office learning culture by seeking out knowledge, sharing fresh perspectives and ideas, and taking initiative in problem-solving
• Understand and work in line with SWLT principles at all times.

Palladium, through the Strongim Wok Long TVET (SWLT) program, will provide support to auditors, including costs associated with travel, accommodation, security and per diems.

About you

You will have experience:

• Conducting and participating in quality assurance review (audit) processes against a set of standards in vocational education and training, or in other industry settings. Experience in Papua New Guinea or the Pacific is advantageous.
• Extensive knowledge of TVET training institutional environments as a trainer or manager meeting national quality assurance framework standards
• Strong commitment to quality assurance outcomes and effective peer review participation
• Positive engagement in diverse teams, supporting a results-driven culture of learning and inclusion, through good communication and effective relationship management skills
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously while contributing effectively within a team
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of locally-led, socially inclusive, politically informed and adaptive programming.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter, outlining your suitability in line with the requirements of the position to [email protected].

Closing date: Friday 15 May 2026

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 to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at [email protected] and we will be in touch to discuss.

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.