Programme Manager – Malawi

CISP is looking for a Programme Manager to support the development of its country programme in Malawi.

CISP started its activities in Malawi in 1999. Interventions are focused on agriculture and rural development, management of natural and environmental resources, economic empowerment, food security.

CISP’s programme aims at contributing towards improved resilience of communities in central and northern regions of Malawi to unpredictable climate challenges. More specifically, actions aim to enhance the capacity of communities in Karonga and Nkhotakota districts to stabilize their food and nutrition security, generate sustainable livelihoods and safeguard their livelihood assets against the effects of climate change.

Smart Climate aims at enhancing the ability of communities in the districts of Karonga and Nkhotakota to stabilise their food and nutritional security, generate sustainable livelihoods sustainable livelihoods, protect and safeguard their resources from the effects of climate change. It works on:

• Strengthening food self-sufficiency through climate-resilient and nutrition-conscious strategies, farming practices and behaviour.
• Promoting the rice value chain, by improving the management, networking, marketing and access to credit capabilities of rice cooperatives.
• Improving the effectiveness of community-based decision support systems in the agricultural sector and in reducing the risk of disasters.

The PM will be in charge of supervising the implementation of the ongoing AICS funded project, and of contributing to the identification and pursuit of new opportunities.
The duty station will be in Lilongwe, with travels in Nkhotakota, Karonga (current intervention sites) and other districts, according to the need.

Programme management/development

• Ensure coordination and quality management of projects implemented in Malawi in compliance with CISP’s management system and donor’s requirements, with particular focus on the livelihood and food security sector.
• Ensure continuous relations with donors, submission of quality and timely narrative and financial reports. Support processes of external evaluations and audits.
• In coordination with CISP HQ, ensure innovative approaches are included in existing and future programs in order to increase positive impact on project beneficiaries.
• Carry out field missions to monitor ongoing projects and strengthen the collaboration with partners and beneficiaries.
• In collaboration with the Country Representative provide overall support and guidance to CISP local partner organization with a strong focus on organizational development to achieve set objectives, as well as compliance.
• In collaboration with the Country Representative support and supervise day to day programme implementation, including staff management, revisions to project design, work-plans, activities and planning, budgets and recruitment of project staff.

General tasks

• Attend meetings and workshops with local authorities, donor representatives or key stakeholders.
• Attend Project Steering Committees meetings.
• Ensure quality and timely communication and reporting with all relevant stakeholders such as colleagues and partners, authorities.
• Facilitate and oversee capacity building, in-service training sessions, on-the-job training and mentoring support to CISP staff and partners.
• Guarantee coordination of CISP promotion activities in the country, by ensuring constant supervision of the development of new proposals.
• Support the Country Representative in further development of the Country Strategy / the Country Strategic Planning.
• With the advice and under the supervision of the headquarters, ensure the strategic development of the programs and the presence of the organization in the country.
• Ensure compliance with the procedures and policies of CISP and donors.
• Identify possible partnerships both at specific project level and at strategic level.
• Ensure CISP qualified visibility and accountability.

Managerial and administrative responsibilities

• Supervision of project financial planning.
• Ensure compliance of all expenditures and purchases with CISP management system, donor procedures and the requirements of national legislation.
• Ensure the management of human resources deployed by CISP in the programme.