Solomon Islands Education Sector Support Program

Terms of Reference – Human Resources Adviser

The Solomon Islands Education Sector Support Program (ESSP) provides the implementation arrangements for the combined New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment to support the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) to implement its Education Strategic Framework 2016–2030 (ESF) and the National Education Action Plan (NEAP).

The ESSP promotes strengthened sector-wide donor coordination and provides the majority of funding through sector budget support. ESSP provides for targeted capacity development and funding for activities implemented by non-governmental organisations engaged in the provision of education.

ESSP is managed under the Australia-Solomon Islands Program Support (ASIPS) Facility by DT Global.

About the Role

The Human Resources Adviser provides capacity building support to the MEHRD Workforce Management and Development/Human Resource Management Unit, while maintaining compliance with SIG’s Ministry of Public Service, to accomplish the following:

• Developing a teacher workforce planning model to inform MEHRD planning.
• Updating the required qualification and standards for teachers.
• Developing an assessment process to determine placement of teachers against the updated qualification and standards.
• Developing and trialing an appropriate model for assessing teacher performance.
• Review and proposed adjustments to the process for the registration and appointment of teachers and inclusion on SIG’s payroll.
• Supporting MEHRD to develop and maintain efficient and effective human resource management capacity.
• Aligning MEHRD’s human resource management processes with legislative requirements.
• Providing training and coaching to human resources staff within MEHRD.

The Adviser will work closely with the Program Manager (Infrastructure and Safeguards) and the Finance Adviser to provide a consistent approach to support for MEHRD in relation to human resource management advice.

Additional assignments may be identified, prioritised, and acted on by the Adviser in consultation with the Deputy Secretary – Corporate Services, the Program Manager (Infrastructure and Safeguards) and the ESSP Team Leader.

This position will be remunerated based on the candidate’s skills and experience**.**

Expected results

The Adviser is expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• MEHRD has improved and more efficient human resource management processes that are timely, effective, accountable, and transparent and meet SIG Public Service requirements.
• Improved and enhanced teacher supply-demand, registration, appointment, and assessment systems.
• Counterparts are coached and trained in human resource management and compliance to SIG Public Service requirements.

Roles and responsibilities

The adviser will support MEHRD to:

1. Ensure SIG personnel management systems and processes are aligned with and correctly applied within MEHRD.
2. Provide training for MEHRD senior management, human resource management staff and Education Providers in human resource planning, performance management, compliance to standards, accountability measures and reporting, particularly in the application to teachers.
3. Conduct compliance checks and quality assurance on human resource management decisions by MEHRD and by Education Providers.
4. Improve registration, appointment, payroll, and performance assessment for teachers.
5. Improve the efficiency of MEHRD’s human resource management processes to ensure MEHRD’s procedures and practices align with SIG and forthcoming legislation requirements.
6. Other duties as required related to the terms of reference.

Deliverables

• Work plan: Outline how and when the adviser will support capacity development and deliver key outputs aligning these to the ESSP workplan. This will include agreed mutual accountability for ‘outputs’ from the adviser and the counterpart at MEHRD.
• Monthly progress reports: Report and summarise progress against agreed work plan activities and program outcomes, in the agreed format.
• Program progress reporting: Provide input for ESSP progress reports including achievements, challenges, and barriers to progressing or achieving activities agreed in the ESSP workplan.
• Exception reports: as required.
• Exit report: Submitted to Team Leader at leastone week prior to completion date: This report should provide an assessment of progress and achievements against the terms of reference and the agreed work plan.