EMB: MALAWI Vacancy Vulnerability Officer

Background

The Government of Ireland has been providing assistance to Malawi since 2002. Ireland’s current strategy (2016-2020) for Malawi is guided by Government of Ireland foreign policy, ‘The Global Island, Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World’, and Ireland’s policy for international development, ‘One World One Future’. Aligned with Government of Malawi’s National Growth and Development Strategy, Irish Aid’s Malawi programme aims to increase the resilience of poor households to economic, social and environmental shocks.

Working with a range of partner organisations in Malawi, Irish Aid’s programme has been developed with strong focus on vulnerability, household resilience, food and nutrition security and governance. In implementing the strategy, the Embassy will continue to work with several implementing partners, including government and non-governmental organisations. The country strategy also seeks to further Ireland’s aid effectiveness commitment in promoting collaboration and joint programming with other Development Partners.

Role of Vulnerability Advisor

A key aspect of Ireland’s future programme will be to support the strengthening of systems to improve service delivery relating to food security and household resilience particularly at District level. This involves regular engagement on vulnerability issues with relevant programme and development partners and coordination and alignment of the Resilience portfolio with Malawian national policies, strategies, and systems where appropriate.

The role includes strategic planning, technical advice, and the assessment of programme partners proposals and monitoring of agreed programmes through the resilience pillar of the Irish Aid Country Strategy and with a selected number of its external partners. Of particular concern also is the need to ensure there is compliance, by partners with agreed MoUs including the relevant programmes, policies and strategies of Irish Aid.

To this end, it has been agreed to contract the services of a full-time Vulnerability Advisor to work within the Resilience team while also working closely with other colleagues within the Embassy to support the oversight and implementation of the country strategy programme.

Responsibilities of Vulnerability Advisor

• Become familiar with the new Irish Aid country strategy plan, the existing and proposed implementing partners and the management structures and support systems being established at the Embassy to oversee implementation of the programme.

• Provide technical expertise to assure alignment of the Resilience portfolio with Malawian national policies, strategies, and systems where appropriate.

• Develop and maintain close contact and relationships with the Government of Malawi, Development partners and NGOs in order to move the Resilience portfolio forward in a constructive and consultative manner.

• Participate in joint development partner discussions and keep up to date with international best practices, approaches and frameworks about strengthening national programmes promoting community and household resilience in areas of relevance to the CSP objectives, including social protection, Disaster Risk Management, Humanitarian response, household energy, gender equality, combating the spread of HIV & Aids and responses to Humanitarian crisis.

• Participate in the Enhancing Community Resilience Programme (ECRP) with DFID and the Royal Norwegian Embassy and ensure that the activities of the ECRP best reflect the strategies and activities outlined in the CSP and Irish Aid policy.

• In coordination with the Senior Management, represent the Embassy in meetings of relevant sector working groups, steering, technical committees, and others as appropriate and advise the Embassy team of issues of relevance to the Irish Aid programme.

• Assist in the identification of activities/programmes addressing vulnerability or promoting resilience that could be supported by Irish Aid. In co-ordination with Senior Management, assume responsibility for the management and monitoring of programmes under the Resilience Pillar of the Malawi CSP.

• Strategically engage with partners in identifying risks and developing strategies to mitigate the identified risk

• In coordination with Senior Management, monitor the mainstreaming of Irish Aid policy priority issues across the three pillars of the country programme: Gender; Good Governance; HIV/AIDS; Environment and Climate Change; and Human Rights.

• Prepare MoUs for relevant financial allocations granted under the Resilience Pillar of the Malawi CSP.

• Prepare and disseminate regular reports on the impact and results of Resilience Pillar activities in coordination with other team members.

• Work in cooperation with other internal teams implementing CSP activities and advise them on issues related to the field of Resilience and addressing the different determinants of vulnerability.

• Ensure that all administrative and accountability requirements related to the Resilience portfolio are handled in accordance with established policies and procedures of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland.

• As required, prepare, facilitate, coordinate, and participate in, evaluations, conferences, seminars, and Irish Aid communities of practices or other activities related to support for Resilience.

• Provide support for other activities included in the Embassy Business Plans as requested

Skills and experience

Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have a well established track record of good performance in the area of addressing vulnerability and promoting resilience. Candidates should be familiar with national and international best practices for promoting resilience, programme planning and management – particularly the challenges to effective organisational delivery that is presented in a context such as Malawi.

Specifically the following qualifications and competencies are required:

• Academic qualification (preferably at master’s level)  as well as 5 years progressively responsible management experience in areas of relevance to the requirements of this position (e.g. Agriculture, Social Protection  Vulnerability, Disaster Risk Management, etc.,) Applications from candidates without a masters level qualification may be considered only if they can demonstrate significant experience at an equivalent senior level.

• Ability to demonstrate critical understanding of the determinants of poverty and vulnerability and their effects on development context in Malawi.

• Familiarity with key national policies, institutions, and programmes combatting vulnerability and promoting household resilience (e.g. Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, Social Protection, Energy, Gender Equality, Humanitarian Responses, etc.). 

• Sound knowledge and experience of recent development and approaches in international practices in the fields of gender equality, social development/protection, Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change, Household Energy and mainstreaming of issues relating to vulnerability including HIV/AIDS.

• Knowledge, skill and experience in the identification, appraisal, design , evaluation and management of risk in  resilience programmes,  and especially in the areas of Social Protection and Disaster Risk Management , Household Energy and Humanitarian Assistance

• Evidence of learning from previous experience of participating in programmes relating to vulnerability in Malawi and in particular risk reduction, social protection and other programmes in Malawi relating to vulnerability.

• Skills and experience in interfacing with civil society organisations and a good knowledge of Civil Society Organisations active in the Vulnerability, Social Protection and Disaster Risk Management Sector in Malawi.

• Good team working, communication and other personal effectiveness skills (such as networking and negotiating) are essential.

• Demonstrable experience of working with government, non-Government and donor agencies.

• Familiarity with the key principles and practice of effective aid delivery.

• High degree of integrity and trust.

• A very high standard in oral and written English.

• Good understanding of the policies and approaches of Irish Aid.

Conditions of employment

This successful applicant will be offered a 2-year contract following an initial probationary period of six months. The contract will include a requirement for regular performance assessment.

The successful candidate will be based in the Irish Embassy, Lilongwe and will report to senior management. Though Lilongwe based, they will be expected to undertake in-country travel from time to time and international travel occasionally.

The salary which is non-negotiable is set according to a scale, the starting point of which is MK 1,467,382 per month.  The salary is subject to PAYE.

How to apply

To apply for this position please forward a covering letter of no more than two pages which demonstrates relevant experience.  The letter should be accompanied by your Curriculum Vitae detailing qualifications and work experience to date, together with details of three referees which should include e-mail addresses. 

Please note that applications should be sent by e-mail 

By submitting information electronically, parties accept that data may not be fully secure. Parties may alternatively bring their application, marking clearly for which position they are applying, to the Embassy of Ireland, Arwa House, City centre, Lilongwe.

Any personal information submitted to us will only be used for its intended purposes and will be destroyed when no longer needed. Any other processing or disclosure of personal data is not allowed other than in the exceptional circumstances provided for under the Data Protection Acts.

Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be received not later than the closing date of Monday 27^th February, 2017- 12 noon sharp for both electronic and physically delivered applications.

Applicants must mark clearly which of these three positions they are interested in. Failure to do so will result in the application not being accepted.

Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.  Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.  The Embassy of Ireland is committed to a Policy of Equal Opportunity.

 

 

Embassy of Ireland, Lilongwe, February, 2017