Team Lead and MERLA Advisor | Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Job Title: Team Lead and MERLA Advisor
Project Name: Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Job Type: Contract (Part or Full Time)
Location of Position: Canberra, Australia
Reporting to: Strategy and Operations Lead
Remuneration: Competitive salary aligned with market rates, commensurate with experience
Time Frame: 12 to 18 months
Application Deadline: 16 September 2026
- A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should effectively align your skills and experiences with the specific job responsibilities outlined in the position’s description, demonstrating your aptitude and enthusiasm for the role, your daily fee and current availability.
- upload your cover letter and CV (Curriculum Vitae).
- Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. Alinea works with governments, investors, companies, and communities to create lasting change. Over 39 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 1,000 projects worldwide. For more information, please visit the Alinea International website. Alinea International does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment and hiring process. All offers of employment or job opportunities with Alinea International that include any form of a request for payment of fees or to collect information on bank accounts are fraudulent. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to your local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to Alinea International. At Alinea International, we value diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and belonging in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds, recognising that an inclusive workforce enriches our organisation and achieves smarter, more innovative results. Alinea is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Due to the nature of our work, all candidates will be subject to due diligence checks and extensive background checks where appropriate.
Project Description
The Australian Water Partnership (AWP) supports water sector outcomes through partnerships, technical assistance, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, learning and adaptive management. The program works with AWP staff, partners, DFAT, consultants, contractors and in-country stakeholders to generate evidence, strengthen performance, and support continuous learning across the portfolio.
About the Work
The Team Lead/MERLA Advisor works cooperatively within a small team to support monitoring, evaluation, reporting, learning and adaptive management across AWP. The role promotes a strong performance culture focused on the achievement of outcomes, the use of evidence, and the application of lessons learnt.
The role is responsible for maintaining and improving the AWP monitoring and evaluation system for Phase 3, in line with expectations set out in the Investment Design Document (IDD) and head contract, the Mid Term Review and other review and reflection processes. The Advisor will both lead Alinea’s advisory team (MERLA, GEDSI, Climate Resilience and other advisors as needed) and support the implementation of the AWP MEL system with AWP staff and partners, as outlined in the core accountabilities below.
Reports and Key Relationships
Reports to
Alinea: Co-CEO
AWP: Strategy and Operations Lead
Works with
Alinea: Operations manager, Advisors, Co-CEO
AWP: AWP General Manager; AWP Program Leads; Program Managers and Officers; eWater Ltd Corporate Services Manager; Executive Officer
Key relationships- Senior management team; DFAT and other external stakeholders; external consultants and contractors; in-country partners
Key Responsibilities
Lead the Alinea consultancy team working for AWP
- Monitor budget and timesheeting, approve expenses, review invoices to AWP
- Communicate budget and time requirements to team members
- Lead regular team meetings – sharing work and administrative instructions, facilitate collaboration as needed and seek additional staff support as required.
- Communicate regularly with the AWP Strategy and Operations Lead, agreed work priorities, budgeting and advisory needs
Lead and support implementation of the AWP MEL system (in conjunction with existing MERLA Advisor)
- Ensure ongoing improvement of MERLA templates and tools.
- Assess gaps and support needed to improve MEL across AWP, including for staff and partners, and identify practical measures to improve capability and capacity.
- Provide MEL support to AWP staff, consultants, contractors and in-country partners as required, including support for proposals, monitoring and reporting.
- Promote a strong evidence-based performance culture focused on outcomes, learning and continuous improvement.
AWP reporting and performance products
- Working closely with existing AWP MERLA Advisor consolidate and analyse information to design and deliver high-quality AWP performance products.
- Strengthen and operationalise the AWP MEL system
- Assess and refine AWP activity MEL performance measures and frameworks, both quantitative and qualitative, considering GEDSI and climate resilience among other priorities.
- Identify appropriate quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches, synthesis reports and reflections.
Evaluations and reviews
- Lead or contribute to reviews and evaluations commissioned by AWP as needs arise. This may include undertaking reviews directly or contributing to Terms of Reference where reviews are outsourced.
Learning and knowledge brokering
- Support and participate in partner workshops, Regional Working Groups and Steering Committee activities as required, including sharing MERLA outcomes and reflections and testing learning.
- Contribute to AWP’s learning and knowledge products and processes in line with the Learning and Knowledge Strategy. The scope of this contribution will be informed by the M&E Plan and the methods used to report on AWP’s performance over time.
General and other activities
- Adhere to all eWater Ltd and AWP policies, including travel, GEDSI and risk management policies.
- Contribute to and attend AWP team activities.
- Work collaboratively within a small team and autonomously.
Personnel Specification Qualifications, knowledge and experience
- Experience leading a small high performing and experienced team
- Qualifications focused on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), aid and development, or an equivalent combination of relevant MEL experience and education.
- Knowledge of, and experience using, a broad variety of MEL approaches for aid and development projects and/or organisations.
- Working knowledge of DFAT frameworks, including but not limited to the DFAT Monitoring and Evaluation Standards, Aid Programming Guide and Development Evaluation Policy.
- Minimum five years in a similar role, demonstrating a broad range of duties.
Desirable experience
- Demonstrated understanding of, and commitment to, the implementation of equity and workplace health and safety principles.
- Demonstrated experience in the water and/or environmental sector.
Skills and attributes
- Skills in leading through collaboration
- Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships with internal and external colleagues, clients and stakeholders, including those from different cultures.
- Ability to develop practical solutions using a collaborative approach.
- Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically.
- Ability to solve problems effectively and adapt to feedback.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail and a hands-on approach.
- Ability to demonstrate initiative and work autonomously while contributing as a strong team player.
