Public Financial Management (PFM) Advisors - Expressions of Interest

The Pacific Recovery Economic Support Program (PRES) is seeking expressions of interest (EOIs) from Public Financial Management (PFM) Specialists to be included in our ever growing PFM technical advisory pool. 

From this recruitment process we hope to increase and diversify our current PFM technical advisory pool. The pool is valid until 31 December 2025 and over that period PFM technical advisory pool members may be engaged on a tasking note basis, either as an individual or as part of a team of agreed personnel.

This opportunity is open to individual consultants and the contracting mechanism will differ based on the task the Specialist will be engaged to undertake. Most of the assignments will be short-term and Australia-based, but there may be limited long-term, Pacific-based opportunities available.

Pacific Islanders and professionals with experience in the Pacific region are strongly encouraged to apply, as are individuals from marginalised and minority groups, and people with disabilities.

To express your interest in being included in the PFM technical advisory pool, please submit your most up to date resume and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

Applications close on Friday 15 August 2025. For any questions reach out to Natalie Cooke at natalie.cooke@adamsmithinternational.com

Program Overview

The Pacific Recovery Economic Support Program (PRES) is a demand-driven advisory support program that works with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades (DFAT’s) Office of the Pacific (OTP) to address needs identified by the Pacific Economic and Trade Branch (PEB) through tasking notes (TNs), and other branches of DFAT via Additional Services Orders (ASOs).  

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic re-shaped Australia’s engagement in the Pacific creating new challenges, and new demands. The PRES program makes technical expertise and support readily available to improve the effectiveness of DFAT’s economic response and recovery investments in the Pacific.  

About PRES

PRES acts as an operational hub, identifying emerging advisory support needs, recommending solutions, undertaking recruitment processes, and providing contracting, induction and oversight of/to advisers. The PRES program supports the development of strategy, design and evaluation of aid activities in sectors including:  

• Economic and fiscal governance 

• Financial sector  

• Private sector development  

• Trade and investment  

• Labour mobility and education  

• Agriculture and food security  

• Aviation and tourism  

• Digital economy and telecommunications and others.  

Key Core Team members within PRES also provide technical advisory support services in gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and economic policy to DFAT.   

Key Sections that engage PRES services from within PEB include:   

• Economic Policy and Partnerships Section (EPS)  

• Pacific Regional Trade Integration and Private Sector Growth Section (EGS)  

• OTP Economic Advisory Section (OTP Eco)  

PRES has also provided support services to Governance for Growth Vanuatu (GFG).

Position Overview

PRES is looking to increase and diversify its technical pool of Public Financial Management (PFM) Specialists valid until 31 December 2025. Tasks may be undertaken as individual specialist consultants or as part of a team of agreed personnel for a particular task. Individuals within the technical PFM pool will demonstrate a range of skills and experience that can be matched to a variety of inputs.

There is an opportunity for both short-term (less than 6 months of input, engaged on a sporadic basis or  based on a set number of input days in the 6 month period) and long term engagements (continuous daily inputs over an engagement of 6 months or more either in-country or remotely, or where 3 months or more of continuous inputs are required in-country). 

The Public Financial Management (PFM) Specialists could be based full-time within Pacific Island Country government ministries where they will provide strategic and technical advisory services to key government counterparts, and/or based remotely but travel in-country (either short-term or long-term) to provide DFAT or PICs with relevant public financial management technical inputs. The PFM Specialists may also be engaged to undertake purely desk-based tasks.

Specific Duties

Under the supervision of the PRES Team Leader, the PFM Specialists will provide the Office of the Pacific (OTP) with needs identified by the Pacific Economic and Trade Branch (PEB) or by other programs and Sections within DFAT, with technical advice and support to DFAT’s economic and governance investments in the Pacific.  Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide technical advice and support in reviewing key project and analytical documents prepared by implementing partners, other consultants, the Governments of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) or other development partners/donors.

• Provide strategic advice to OTP PEB in supporting the future direction and design of bilateral aid investments to support public financial management and economic governance.

• Develop and maintain an up-to-date and in-depth understanding of the public financial management, macro-economics and economic reform context across the Pacific to increase the effectiveness of Australia’s investments.

• Enhance Australian aid effectiveness by supporting various teams within DFAT in their engagement with partner government agencies and other development partners including key bilateral and multilateral institutions, civil society and private sector partners as appropriate.

• Support DFAT and/or it’s implementing partners to promote synergy and improved coordination between Australia’s bilateral, regional and global investments in the areas of public financial management and economic governance.

• As required, provide analysis, advice and capacity-building to PEB and other sections within DFAT or PICs on issues relevant to public financial management, economic governance or macroeconomic policy.

• Support potentially transformative and emergent PFM reform opportunities within PRES’ suite of activities.

• Support PFM coordination activities where required.

Selection Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, Public Financial Management, Economics, Law, Business, or a related field.

• At least 5 years’ relevant experience in public sector reform, procurement, economic policy, project management, or financial management (including accounting, budgeting, audit, etc.).

• Sound knowledge of governance and development, and an understanding of the main challenges for front-line service delivery and decentralisation in the Pacific.

• Extensive experience in financial management with applied knowledge of effective processes of internal control, and the broader procurement compliance/audit function.

• Proven success in individual and organisational capacity development, particularly the demonstrated ability to effectively share knowledge, mentor, and coach people.

• Understanding of the importance of cross-cutting development issues, such as gender, anti-corruption, and disability.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to draft reports, policy notes, and guidelines with minimal supervision.

• Strong organisational and administrative skills.

• A thorough knowledge and understanding of DFAT funding modalities, procurement requirements as well as reporting requirements.  

Reporting Arrangements

The PFM Adviser reports to the PRES Team Leader on policy inputs/outputs and to the PRES Deputy Team Leader in relation to tasking and contractual obligations and performance management.

Direct reporting arrangements will differ from task to task and will be clearly outlined in the tasking note for each specific engagement for the PFM Specialist.

Deadline for applications is 15 August 2025.