Program Officer

KEY INFORMATION

Functional alignment:

One of three Program Officer roles supporting SPRING, with:

• Program Officer – GEDSI (EOPOs 3 & 4)

• Program Officer – Social Protection and Subnational Governance (this role, covering EOPOs 1 & 2)

• Program Officer – Flexible/Roving (supporting all leads and EOPOs, on needs basis)

SUMMARY OF PROJECT

The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Philippine Government on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 40 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP ) between the Government of Australia and the Philippine Government. The investment will be the DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING will support efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and DFAT’s forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines.

SPRING will contribute to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippines Development Plan.

The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the Philippine Government to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities.

SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs):

• Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor.

• The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive.

• The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems.

• The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Program Officer – Social Protection provides program management, coordination and delivery support for SPRING activities contributing to End of Program Outcomes 1 and 2, under the technical direction of the Social Protection Manager.

The role focuses on the day‑to‑day delivery of activities, including work planning and activity design support, MEL inputs and reporting, logistics and procurement coordination, consultant management, budget tracking, to ensure social protection investments at national and subnational levels are implemented on time, to quality and within budget.

The role is also expected to provide substantive program support, including preparation of document drafts, synthesis of meeting notes and technical inputs, tracking of activity decisions, risks and follow‑up actions, and maintenance of documentation needed for timely implementation, reporting and learning.

While not a primary technical advisory role, the position offers structured opportunities for progressive learning and technical contribution in social protection systems, service delivery and subnational governance, supported by the Social Protection Manager and wider SPRING team.

The Program Officer works closely with counterparts in GEDSI, Subnational Governance and the operations team to ensure coordinated, efficient and inclusive implementation across SPRING’s national and local engagements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program and Activity Management

• Coordinate the planning, scheduling and delivery of activities under EOPOs 1 and 2, in line with approved work plans and technical guidance from the Social Protection Manager and Social Protection & Subnational Governance Lead.

• Support the development and updating of annual and quarterly work plans, activity budgets and implementation schedules for SP and subnational investments.

• Support the full activity cycle, including but not limited to the preparation of activity TORs, Activity Budget Forms, procurement requests, implementation tracking, completion documentation, payment support and filing of final deliverables.

• Track activity progress against milestones, manage risks and follow up actions to support timely and effective delivery.

• Coordinate procurement processes, inclu