The Trust's Protecting Our Places Contestable Grants Team is looking for independent reviewers from across New South Wales with knowledge and expertise to assist in reviewing project progress and final reports and making recommendations for effectively managing awarded grants. Expressions of interest for the Protecting Our Places program are open from 21 August to 22 September 2023.
This is a fabulous opportunity for selected reviewers to work with community and build further understanding of the cultural and environmental projects happening on Country while contributing your skills and knowledge to deliver better outcomes for the environment and Aboriginal community organisations of New South Wales.
The Contestable Grants Team currently administers 8 active grant programs, including:
- Restoration and Rehabilitation
- Protecting Our Places
- Environmental Education
- Environmental Research
- Bush Connect
- Saving Our Species Contestable Grants Program
- Saving our Species Partnerships Program
- River Connections.
We are looking for people with a high level of expertise and/or research experience in one or more of the following areas:
- land and/or cultural resource management
- restoration ecology
- threatened species management
- ecological/cultural fire practices/management
- invasive species management
- community engagement/education
- Aboriginal community-run projects.
What is required?
Track the implementation and progress of all projects towards their expected outcomes.
Independent reviewers review project progress from reports submitted annually and final reports to determine the level of project performance against the approved project plan.
Grant instalments are paid once a progress/milestone report is submitted and the independent reviewer confirms that satisfactory progress has been demonstrated.
This process provides Trust Administration with an opportunity to work with the grantee to resolve any grant delivery, budgetary or management issues. In addition, it also allows for projects to be adaptively managed to ensure good outcomes for Country, community, and the environment.
Reviewer role
Review project reporting materials received from the grantee and complete a project progress/final reviewer report for each project.
The process requires the reviewer to:
- read all documents provided in the reviewer package (including Annual/Final Progress Report, budget spreadsheet, project measures, supporting documents and so on) and assess progress against the project plan – for example, is the grantee on track to achieve project outcomes?
- check and verify whether evidence of all project outputs expected have been provided (or not) with the progress/final report, including any required monitoring outputs
- complete all sections of the report review template, including:
- providing feedback to Trust grant administrators on project performance – for example, implementation, demonstration of outputs/outcomes and checking whether budget expenditure is on track
- identifying information/documents absent from progress/final reports that need to be provided to complete the review
- providing advice/recommendations for grantees to address (either before release of funding instalments or in the general course of the project delivery).
Trust expectations
- Reviews will be completed on provided templates from information provided in the reviewer package.
- Reviews are to be submitted within 10 working days from the date sent by Trust Administration.
- Actual or perceived conflict of interests are declared immediately to the Trust before any review is commenced – Trust Administration will then reallocate to another reviewer.
- Reviewers are to seek clarification from Trust Administration if unclear on information provided.
- All information contained within the reviewer package must be treated as confidential, and all reviewers must sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
- All reviews submitted to Trust Administration are considered confidential, with the identity of both the reviewer and/or their employer not disclosed to grantees under any circumstances.
- Trust Administration will provide periodic coaching, particularly at commencement, to assist the reviewer to meet the required standards.
- Trust Administration reserves the right to request amendments to reviewer reports that are not completed to a reasonable level of quality, lack sufficient detail or are incomplete.
Remuneration
The rate of payment for reviews ranges between $90 to $100 per hour (excluding GST) depending on the demonstrated level of experience in reviewing grant reports.
Depending on the project's complexity, grant program and whether the review to be undertaken is either a progress or final report, reviews generally take between 2 to 5 hours to complete.
Reviewers are appointed for one year, with the potential for extension.
Note: the inclusion of a person in the reviewer pool does not guarantee work.
Selection criteria
- High level of expertise in one or more of the following areas: land and cultural resource management, restoration ecology, threatened species management, monitoring (MER), ecological/cultural fire practices/management, invasive species management, community engagement/education and Aboriginal community run projects.
- Experience in project governance, budget management and risk assessment.
- The capacity to provide expert advice, including evidence of integrity, independence, impartiality, good judgement, and environmental and social awareness.
- The capacity and flexibility to undertake reviews within the required timeframe.
- Highly desirable: experience in grants and understanding of the opportunities and constraints of grant delivered projects and adaptive management principles.
- It is preferred that you are an Aboriginal person (but not essential).
- Based in New South Wales.
- Have had experience working with Aboriginal communities, can provide balanced advice, and act with integrity.
How to apply
To complete an Expression of Interest, please complete the online form and upload the following:
- cover letter (maximum 2 pages) referencing how you address the skills and experience selection criteria – refer to sample cover letter (DOCX 86KB)
- current curriculum vitae (CV) (maximum of 3 pages) – refer to sample CV (DOCX 87KB).
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