Trade Policy Specialist

We are searching for an experienced Trade Policy Specialist to work on the Katalis Phase II program in Jakarta, Indonesia. Palladium is in the business of making the world a better place, and we believe that collaborative models and systemic approaches are the way to achieve progress and success. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 2,500 employees operating in 90-plus countries, we help improve economies, societies, and, most importantly, people's lives. Palladium is part of the GISI Consulting Group, a company that unites some of the world’s top project management and engineering consulting firms to innovate and accelerate solutions on a global scale. Program Overview Katalis Phase II (2026–2031) is a partnership between the governments of Australia and Indonesia, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and implemented in collaboration with the Government of Indonesia. The program strengthens bilateral economic engagement under the Indonesia–Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA‑CEPA) through two mutually reinforcing pillars: Pillar 1: IA‑CEPA institutional architecture policy reform (secretariat and implementation support). Pillar 2: Skills, Businesses Inclusive Growth, including the Katalis Business Partnership Fund (KBPF) to test, scale, and commercialize inclusive, climate‑smart business models with Indonesian SMEs and Australian partners. About the Role The Trade Policy Specialist provides high‑quality technical and analytical support to strengthen the implementation of Pillar 1 of Katalis Phase 2. The role focuses on generating rigorous, evidence‑based analysis on trade and economic policy issues, including non‑tariff barriers, regulatory constraints, trade facilitation and political economy dynamics, and translating this analysis into practical policy insights, briefs and recommendations to support IA-CEPA implementation. Working under the direction of the Trade Policy and Public Sector Engagement Lead, and in close coordination with Government of Indonesia counterparts (particularly the Ministry of Trade and Bappenas), the Specialist will serve as a key technical resource to IA‑CEPA institutions. The role supports improved policy coordination, decision‑making and reform execution by providing timely analytical inputs, policy notes, and technical advice aligned with IA‑CEPA priorities. Primary Responsibilities IA‑CEPA Governance Technical Support - Provide targeted technical and analytical inputs to IA‑CEPA governance mechanisms (JC, ECC, SC, SIPCC), ensuring discussions address implementation bottlenecks and reform priorities. - Prepare evidence-based briefing materials, diagnostics, and analytical summaries reflecting trade constraints, NTBs, and sector challenges. - Support tracking of technical issues, reform actions, and implementation follow-up, aligned with agreed commitments. Trade Policy Analysis and Evidence Generation - Conduct applied analysis of trade policies, regulatory constraints, and IA‑CEPA implementation gaps, with strong focus on non-tariff barriers (NTBs), regulatory fragmentation, and trade facilitation bottlenecks. - Produce high-quality policy briefs, diagnostics, and technical notes to support evidence-based reform prioritization. - Develop practical, implementable policy recommendations addressing administrative burdens, regulatory inconsistencies, and market access constraints. IA‑CEPA Implementation and Reform Support (Pillar 1) - Support the technical design and implementation of trade-related reforms, ensuring alignment with IA‑CEPA commitments and emerging implementation challenges. - Provide technical inputs to roadmaps, action plans, and review processes, with focus on closing policy-to-practice gaps. - Apply and maintain technical tracking tools and evidence systems to monitor reform progress, identify bottlenecks, and inform adaptive responses. NTB Reform and Private Sector Feedback Integration - Lead sector-level NTB diagnostics, including identification of administrative barriers (e.g. licensing, registration, compliance processes). - Establish and strengthen mechanisms to systematically capture private sector feedback on trade constraints. - Translate business and investor insights into actionable policy and regulatory reform proposals. Stakeholder Engagement and Technical Policy Dialogue - Facilitate technical-level policy dialogue and structured engagements to surface implementation challenges and reform priorities. - Support design and delivery of targeted public–private consultations and sector-focused discussions. Document and synthesize inputs into clear policy actions, reform options, and follow-up priorities. Institutional Strengthening (Technical Focus) - Conduct institutional capacity assessments to identify gaps affecting IA‑CEPA implementation (e.g. coordination, data use, regulatory processes). - Provide targeted technical support to strengthen policy analysis capability, data utilisation and transparency, and reform tracking and monitoring systems. - Support counterparts in applying evidence-based approaches to trade policy reform and implementation challenges. Monitoring, Learning, and Adaptive Implementation - Contribute analytical inputs to monitoring, reporting, and learning processes, focusing on NTB reduction progress, implementation gaps, and reform effectiveness. - Support Problem‑Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approaches by feeding real-time evidence into problem-solving and reform iteration. - Capture and synthesize lessons learned from implementation experience and sector engagement. Knowledge Translation and Policy Integration - Translate lessons from Pillar 2 partnerships, sector pilots, and private sector experience into trade policy insights. - Contribute to policy-relevant knowledge products that inform reform sequencing, regulatory improvements, and market access. Collaboration, Compliance, and People Management - Work closely with the TPPSE Lead, Program Management Specialists (Bappenas and Kemendag), other Katalis team, DFAT and government counterparts to ensure technical inputs inform coordination and strategic processes. - Align outputs with IA‑CEPA priorities, implementation needs, and DFAT policy objectives. - Provide direct supervision of assigned team members, including task allocation, quality assurance, and performance support. - Mentor and coach team members to strengthen technical capability, analytical quality, and professional development. - Ensure compliance with DFAT and Palladium standards (GEDSI, safeguards, integrity). - Undertake any other responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.