KEY INFORMATION
Position Title: Team Leader, Education (TLAus4Education)
Reports to: Cowater Contractor Representative
Location: Dili, Timor-Leste
Engagement: Long-Term Adviser
Duration: 12 months (with possibility for extension)
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The Timor-Leste Australia Partnership for Education (TLAus4Education) is funded by the Australian Government. It is one of three Australian partnership programs in Timor-Leste, alongside the partnerships for Health and for Disability Rights. Cowater will lead TLAus4Health and TLAus4Education, while The Asia Foundation is uniquely positioned to deliver TLAus4DisabilityRights. A shared commitment across the three partnerships will be to strengthen Timorese capability and institutions, invest in local organisations, and progressively support greater Timorese leadership in the design and delivery of development outcomes.
The program supports the Ministry of Education's priorities: better literacy, numeracy and student wellbeing for all children. It does this by strengthening leadership, teaching, community engagement and education systems. The program supports government-led reform through partnership, policy dialogue, coordination and institutional strengthening. It does not deliver education services directly.
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
The Team Leader is accountable for planning, managing and delivering the program. This includes overall program performance, resource priorities and risk management.
The role serves as the program's main representative and a trusted partner to government, development partners and the wider education sector. It builds and leads a high-performing, values-driven team, setting the standard for professional conduct and program culture.
The Team Leader supports the Ministry's priorities of improved literacy, numeracy and student wellbeing for all children through strengthened leadership, teaching, community engagement and education systems. The role focuses on supporting government-led reform through partnership, policy dialogue, coordination and institutional strengthening, rather than direct delivery of education services.
Working closely with the technical teams, this position leads internal program quality, MEL, GEDSI implementation and coordination. This makes sure the program provides high-quality advice, coordination and delivery in support of shared education outcomes.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategic and Technical Leadership
- Provide values- driven leadership, working collaboratively with the Ministry of Education, INFORDEPE and the Australian Embassy to establish the Program's strategic direction.
- Lead strategic and operational oversight of the Program, ensuring support is aligned with Government of Timor-Leste priorities and proactively drawing on national and international technical advice as required.
- Lead the joint annual workplan and budget with the Ministry of Education and INFORDEPE, including implementation reviews and learning.
- Support Ministry-led efforts to strengthen education systems. This could include professional development systems, sector coordination, policy implementation, evidence-informed decision making, and links between national, municipal and school level actors.
- Quality-assure program documents, reports and communications.
- Contribute to political economy analysis with the Australian Embassy, so the program's positioning and sequencing stay aligned with Australia's bilateral interests.
2. Governance, Risk and Safeguarding
- Set-up and support program governance and coordination. This includes preparing quality papers, workplans, budgets, risk information and decision records.
- Follow up agreed actions and facilitate collaborative decision-making among key stakeholders.
- Identify and manage risk and compliance. Make sure risk systems are properly resourced and conflicts of interest are escalated appropriately and managed.
- Report and escalate risks to Cowater and the Australian Embassy on time. This includes (but not limited to) education service delivery disruption, fraud, fiduciary, safeguarding, reputational, political, delivery, and climate and disaster risks.
- Lead safeguarding, child protection and do-no-harm practice in schools and communities. Make sure there are enough skilled staff and resources, and clear reporting, referral and compliance processes.
3. Team Leadership and People Management
- Lead and develop a high-performing, multi-disciplinary team with a culture of accountability and continuous learning.
- Directly manage the Education Program team: set expectations, give regular feedback and coaching, support professional development, and address underperformance.
- Support localisation by developing Timorese staff into roles with more responsibility.
- Make sure the program delivers measurable GEDSI results. This includes disability-inclusive education delivered in partnership with organisations of persons with disabilities.
4. Partnerships, Representation and Communications
- Build strong partnerships with the key government counterparts, development partners, civil society and organisations of persons with disabilities, to support coordinated, government-led sector development.
- Help the Ministry of Education and INFORDEPE identify their needs for embedded advisers and grants under the joint program of work.
- Lead the program's contribution to improved education partnerships, working with TLAus4Health, TLAus4DisabilityRights and other Australian-funded programs to identify and deliver shared priorities through effective national and municipal planning, coordination and learning.
- Work in close partnership with the Australian Embassy Education team. Respond to their strategic direction, and provide timely, accurate reporting, advice and escalation in line with contract and policy requirements.
- Represent the program at meetings, policy dialogue, sector coordination forums and public events, in coordination with the Embassy.
- Oversee the program's public diplomacy and communications. Make sure messages are coordinated with the Embassy, follow agreed clearance processes and promote the Australia-Timor-Leste education partnership.
5. Program Quality and Delivery
- Maintain a practical MEL system that meets Australian Government requirements and links with government systems.
- Make sure evidence is used regularly for management decisions, policy dialogue, learning and changes of direction.
- Oversee technical assistance, grants and partner support so they build institutional capability, reinforce government systems and deliver value for money.
- Make sure the program delivers measurable GEDSI results and promotes climate-resilient education services and learning environments in line with the EOPOs.
6. Key Working Relationships
- Ministry of Education Director Generals and National Directors, and the President of INFORDEPE (direct counterparts).
- Australian Embassy Education team.
- The Education Program team.
- The locally-led development hub
- Cowater Contractor Representative.
- The partnerships for Health and for Disability Rights, and the Shared Services Platform.
- Development partners, civil society and organisations of persons with disabilities.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education: Advanced degree in education, public policy, development or a related field (or equivalent qualifications and experience).
Essential Skills:
- Leadership/Governance: Proven senior leadership of complex, multi-sector programs over 12+ years, including as Team Leader or equivalent, with direct management of large, multi-disciplinary teams. Experience in development or public sector reform contexts is highly regarded. Experience managing high-level program governance, including steering committees and joint decision-making forums with partner governments and donors essential.
- Education systems: Experience in, or sound understanding of, education systems highly valued, along with the ability to identify and draw on technical expertise to support government partners.
- Partnership and reform: Proven experience supporting policy- or system-level change through partnerships with government and/or other key institutions. Demonstrated capability in facilitation, mentoring, organisational strengthening, partnership development or change management.
- Relationships and judgement: Exceptional stakeholder engagement, with a proven ability to build credibility, influence decisions and maintain relationships with senior officials and partners. Sound political judgement in complex, changing environments while protecting program integrity.
- GEDSI and cross-cutting priorities: Commitment to, and experience delivering, gender equality and disability inclusion with measurable results, as well as integrating climate change and other relevant cross-cutting priorities into program delivery.
- Risk: Experience managing fiduciary, fraud and safeguarding risks in government or donor-funded programs (or equivalent).
- Evidence and reporting: Experience leading outcome-focused MEL and adaptive management, including using evidence to change strategy and delivery. Strong communication skills, including high-quality, impactful reporting.
- Timor-Leste: Experience in Timor-Leste, including working with Timor-Leste institutions. Advanced knowledge of the education system or of public policy challenges highly regarded.
Desirable
- Experience with DFAT-funded or other donor-funded programs.
- Tetun (very highly regarded).
Language Proficiency
- Strong professional English, written and spoken.
Ethics and Compliance
This role must comply with all DFAT policies, contractual obligations and program operational requirements. The role must comply with:
- DFAT Child Protection and PSEAH policies
- Fraud, bribery and corruption prevention requirements
- Program Code of Conduct
- Conflict-of-interest obligations
- Privacy and confidentiality requirements.
Ways of Working
The Program works in a transparent, accountable and collaborative way. All team members are expected to work collaboratively across Health, Education, Disability Rights and Shared Services, share information early, manage risks proactively, and be clear about decisions and responsibilities. We value respect, professionalism and collective responsibility for delivery.
Performance Management
Performance will be assessed against:
- Ministry ownership: the joint workplan and decisions are genuinely government-led.
- Stakeholder alignment: no surprises, with timely advice and sound political judgement.
- Risk and safeguarding: issues are escalated on time and systems work.
- Team and localisation: an accountable team, with Timorese staff stepping up.
- Delivery, collaboration and evidence: milestones are met, MEL drives decisions, the team works well across technical teams and partners, and the program delivers value for money.
- GEDSI results: measurable outcomes.
Intellectual Property
All materials produced under this assignment will be the property of the Program and DFAT.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates are encouraged to apply by 9 November 2026/as soon as possible.
For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.
Cowater international strives to maintain a fair, transparent, and human centered recruitment process. As part of our commitment to responsible hiring practices and compliance with evolving recruitment regulations, we may use AI assisted tools to support limited aspects of our talent acquisition workflow, such as reviewing or shortlisting applications. These tools are used only to enhance efficiency and consistency in our processes. All assessments, interviews, and final hiring decisions are made exclusively by our human recruiting managers. Candidates may request additional information about the use of these tools or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process.
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.
ABOUT US
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies since 2017.
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