Aviation Regulatory Adviser/s - Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation (P4A)

Overview

Assignment: Aviation Regulatory Adviser/s (multiple) Counterpart: To be advised Program: Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation (P4A) Location: Home-office based with in-country travel to Pacific Island countries Timeline: Expected 12-18 month contract duration commencing in December 2026, depending on agreed workplan. Deadline for applications: 11:59pm AEDT on 25 October 2026

P4A Program Background

The Australia – Pacific Partnerships for Aviation (P4A) program aims to improve the Pacific aviation sectors’ efficiency and effectiveness in organisational decision-making, governance, safety and reliability, and coordination to enable aviation to better contribute to sustainable development outcomes. It is recognised that the small populations, lack of economic diversification and geographic remoteness of the Pacific constrain its growth and international competitiveness. However, aviation’s intersection with tourism, trade, labour mobility, and access to critical services such as healthcare and education can enable Pacific growth and prosperity. P4A is a five-year Australian Government initiative implemented by DFAT and Adam Smith International.

P4A will be delivered through three key outcome areas, including (but not limited to):

1. A stronger enabling environment, including improved governance, regulations, policies, and plans that strengthen the Pacific aviation sector and reform unsustainable practices.

2. Improved Safety, Quality and Reliability through strengthened technical capability and more common approaches that improve aviation operations' safety, quality, and reliability.

3. Greater coordination, cooperation, and connectivity are needed to maintain connectivity between Pacific Island countries and strengthen regional and bilateral coordination and cooperation in regulatory and operational areas.

P4A will also mainstream cross-cutting sectors to ensure outcomes strengthen child protection and safeguarding, climate change resilience and adaptation, support locally led leadership and improve Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) outcomes.

Assignment Background

The P4A program has offered technical expertise to Pacific partners to assist development of their national State Safety Programme (SSP) and National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP).

The SSP is an integrated set of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety outcomes at national levels and is supported by the NASP which will outline safety priorities, objectives and initiatives related to aviation safety oversight. The NASP will detail commitments and plans to improve organisational capabilities related to aviation safety oversight, reduce aviation operational safety risks and detail for the future intended focus areas, goals and initiatives complementing the SSP and supporting a desired level of safety performance.

Development and implementation of the SSP and NASP are essential to ensuring that States can achieve internationally accepted standards of safety oversight and will enable government to meet its obligations as a member State of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Each ICAO State is required to establish a State Safety Programme and National Aviation Safety Plan. Both are essential to ensuring State obligations as an ICAO member State.

P4A support will be led by Regulatory Advisers (Adviser) who will support one or more Pacific counterpart to develop the national SSP and NASP. Key tasks will include coordination with aviation actors across the sector to ensure engagement with the SSP/NASP process, capacity uplift and training, and liaison with other stakeholders to improve national aviation safety oversight capability. The Adviser will work closely with relevant officials and counterparts to support the development of a coordinated State Safety Programme and National Aviation Safety Plan.

Objective

The objective of this assignment is for an Adviser/s to assist Pacific counterparts with the development of national State Safety Programme (SSP) and National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP).

Scope of Work

• Develop the national SSP and NASP in close collaboration with the relevant regulatory authority and other aviation operators / service providers, taking into account the size of the national aviation sector and its capacity constraints, while ensuring compliance.

• Consider how a realistic and deliverable SSP/NASP can be appropriately scaled for a small, capacity-constrained aviation system, while ensuring an acceptable degree of compliance.

• Provide technical advisory to counterparts / other relevant aviation actors.

• Engage collaboratively and constructively with counterparts and regional organisations, and undertake all work in a collaborative and constructive manner which supports skills transfer and the professional development of counterparts.

• Ensure that the SSP/NASP considers the appropriate role of relevant regional organisations and the particularities of the national aviation context.

• Recommend training and capacity-building initiatives in response to needs/gaps identified as part of the SSP/NASP process. This is expected to include Safety Management Systems (SMS) awareness training.

• Design and deliver training and capacity-building initiatives to boost national compliance with Annex 19 and other relevant ICAO standards, with the aim of ensuring that there are sustainable improvements in capacity in Pacific partners' aviation system.

• Identify and undertake measures to ensure national ownership of the SSP and NASP, and the long-term sustainability of any capacity-building initiatives.

• Ensure that the SSP and NASP takes into account regional context and challenges

• If required, facilitate the establishment of relevant intra-sector committees, working groups or taskforces.

• Consider improvements in collection, utilisation and sharing of safety related data.

• Undertake other duties in support of P4A initiatives, as directed.

Deliverables and Level of Effort

Deliverables

• Capacity-Development Approach: report proposing approach to capacity-building / professional development (timing to be agreed)

• State Safety Programme (draft and final reports)

• National Aviation Safety Plan (draft and final reports)

• Completion Report including (i) work / activities undertaken during the assignment; (ii) approach taken to support development of partner capacity and professional development; (iii) key achievements, learnings and recommendations arising from the SSP and NASP.

• Brief Monthly reports outlining key activities undertaken during the reporting period, and any emerging or current issues.

A detailed Schedule of Deliverables and Workplan will be agreed during the contract negotiation period, and will include expected in-country travel, home-office inputs and deliverables.

Level of Effort

This assignment is expected to commence in December 2026, for an estimated duration of 12-18 months depending on agreed workplan. An approximate LOE of 0.5FTE – 0.75FTE is anticipated, depending on the agreed workplan. The assignments are expected to be delivered through a combination of in-country inputs and home-office inputs.

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in aviation, safety management or a related field, or equivalent industry or regulatory experience.

• A minimum of 10 years’ significant experience in aviation safety oversight, safety management or regulatory work, including with or alongside a civil aviation authority.

• Demonstrated experience developing or implementing a State Safety Programme and/or National Aviation Safety Plan in line with ICAO Annex 19 and associated guidance material.

• Sound working knowledge of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Safety Management Systems (SMS) and State safety oversight obligations.

• Experience scaling regulatory frameworks so they are realistic for small, capacity-constrained aviation systems while maintaining an acceptable level of compliance.

• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver training and capacity-building initiatives, including SMS awareness training.

• Experience working in Pacific Island countries, or a similar operating environment, and knowledge of their aviation sector.

• Excellent report-writing skills, with a track record of producing high-quality technical and strategic documents.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Experience working collaboratively in a development partner context.

• Familiarity with regional aviation bodies (e.g. the Pacific Aviation Safety Office) and regional safety oversight arrangements.

• Experience with ICAO audit processes, such as the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), and preparing States for them.

• Experience improving the collection, analysis and sharing of safety data.

• Experience establishing and facilitating multi-stakeholder committees, working groups or taskforces.

• Experience applying Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles, and in stakeholder and community engagement.

• Experience working with multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong mentoring and capacity-building skills, with a focus on skills transfer and local ownership.

How to apply

For all Applicants:

Please submit a CV and cover letter via our online platform.

Your cover letter should detail your expertise, experience, and alignment with the requirements of the P4A program. The cover letter should also outline your daily (8 hour) rate in AUD.

Organisations may nominate an individual consultant. The contracting arrangements should be clear in the accompanying cover letter.

Responses will be evaluated based on demonstrated expertise, relevant experience and the requirements of P4A program.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm AEDT on 25 October 2026.