Self Help Africa
Self Help Africa Malawi is an international non-governmental organisation working to create opportunities for lasting improvement in peoples’ lives. We work in partnership with others to support a range of livelihoods and food security, WASH and health, sustainable energy and gender equality programmes reaching over 1,000,000 people a year across Malawi. Globally, we work in nine countries across Africa, Asia and South America, however our Malawi programme is by far and away our largest and most established country programme. SHA currently operates in 17 districts in Malawi, supporting 24 on-going projects. This is an exciting time to join us as we seek to tackle the global challenges in progressive and innovative ways.
Job Purpose
WASH Programme Manager provides overall strategic leadership, direction, management and programme development for WASH Programme portfolio in line with SHA Global strategy, Country Programme Strategy and WASH framework. S/he is responsible for Identifying and securing funding for new WASH programmatic work while also growing funding base for the existing donor partners.
Duties and responsibilities
1. Programme Management and Oversight
1.1 Quality Assurance
- Ensure the programme portfolio is delivered in line with good practice and quality benchmarks in line with sector-based standard operating standards and GESI tools etc
- Provide technical support to programme implementation and build the capacity of Country programme teams to deliver consistently good quality programmes through field visits and workshops
- Work with the Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Working Group through National MEAL Manager to ensure that we are documenting learning and integrating it into programme design and delivery.
- Ensure MEAL data collected is in line with national MEAL framework through participatory M&E approaches and integrating feedback from staff, partners and project participants.
- Ensure value for money and efficiency across the programme cycle
1.2 Compliance & Risk
- Oversee the development and timely submission of high-quality donor technical and financial reports, in collaboration with projects and operations colleagues
- Ensure that processes are in place to allow for systematic and inclusive feedback to communities and stakeholders on all programme reports and evaluations undertaken
- Working with Project Managers to ensure all projects develop annual, quarterly and monthly plans and that these are actioned and reported against
- Deliver a consolidated risk assessment for the programme portfolio every month and ensure mitigation measures are actioned and followed
- Ensure that every project has monthly review process
- Ensure adequate oversight on all financial transactions and project activities to reduce the risk of non-compliance with policies and risk of fraud
- Ensure annual procurement planning and that all project procurement is cost effective in line with donor and organisational policy
- Ensure that project implementation is complying to donor driven policy and direction, such as the DSA policy, and engaging in communication and advocacy through the Management Team where donor direction is not in line with the Malawi 2063 or the organisation’s vision and mission
1.3 Finance
- Oversee internal monthly financial reports and project budgets and cashflow forecasts
- Ensure full project spend without disallowance
- Authorise all project related expenditure in line with SHAs Delegation of Authority framework
- Support and oversee project related procurements
1.4 Safeguarding
- Ensure that all projects have an active trained safeguarding focal point who can effectively disseminate the reporting channels and policy
- Ensure that all project have a safeguarding plan and report against this during monthly meetings
- Ensure that reporting channels are promoted and visible across all projects in the portfolio
- Ensure all staff, partners and stakeholders sign, comply and promote the SHA Safeguarding policy and code of conduct
2. Strategy and Programme Development
- Working within the Malawi Country strategy, and working with other Programme Managers, towards the delivery of our Strategic Objectives and ensuring integration across our work
- Feed into the development of new Country Programme policies and position papers
- Keep up-to-date with global good practice, technology, approaches and emerging trends, as well as innovative ideas, translating them to the Malawi context
- Capture learning and adapt programming accordingly to maximise impact for communities
- Feed into and promote our Community-Led programming policy work
3. Business Development
- Maintain long term donor relations to ensure continuation and growth of existing funding
- Keep abreast of new funding opportunities and oversee the development of high-quality proposals for existing and new funders based on organisational learning
- Diversify funding sources and secure funding for existing and new areas of focus in line with the CP strategy
4.People Management
- Ensure all staff members in your portfolio have completed an induction, have passed probation and that annual PDRs are conducted
- Ensure the portfolio has the right team in place in line with the strategy and the values of the organisation
- Ensure that the portfolio can retain and attract skilled and experienced gender balanced teams
- Ensure that you are promoting wellbeing across your team and that staff are encouraged to take their leave entitlements and access training and wellbeing opportunities provided by the organisation
- Cultivate a culture of accountability, adherence to group policies, and prioritization of staff welfare and security
5.Partnership & Representation
- Ensure we are working in line with the locally-led development approach
- Actively work to develop partnerships across academia, local partners, government
- Building networks and alliance at national level with government, private sector, academia, donors and local organisations
- Ensure active engagement at district level with all relevant governmentstructures
- Act as the primary focal point for all donors that fund the programme portfolio
- Liaise with Government of Malawi counterparts (national and district) and ensure we are visible and working in line with Government needs and priorities
- Represent SHA at workshops and conferences, ensuring our organisation and work is visible
- Maintain and expand our partnerships across Government, academia, private sector, NGOs and wider civil society, working in coordination with our Partnerships Manager
- Proactively engages in relevant fora and working groups to achieve systemic change within the sector.
- Ensure all programme learning is shared internally and externally
Minimum Requirements
- Master’s degree in water sanitation engineering, rural development, management, environmental health or related development field.
- Minimum of 8 years-experience in WASH and 5 years’ experience working at a managerial level with strong strategic development and management background
- Able to develop strong WASH fundraising proposals and concept notes
- Demonstrated experience in strengthening elements of WASH systems
- Demonstrable experience in leadership, budgeting, financial, human resource management
- Demonstrated experience in designing innovative programmes, writing high quality proposals with a good win rate track record.
- Demonstrated soft skills – critical thinking, problem solving, analytical thinking, detail-oriented, negotiation, and communication
Required Skills
- Excellent strategic judgement, planning, co-ordination and prioritisation skills.
- Excellent communication and team-working skills, with the ability to build good relations, both internally and externally
- Self-starter, capable of innovatively developing the programme.
- Attention to detail and a flexible approach to work.
- Determined hard worker, capable of rapid and quality on a high workload
- Demonstrated cross cultural communication skills and commitment to safeguarding
- Adaptable and responsive disposition relative to the demands and development of the programme
How to apply
Qualified and interested candidates who meet the stated requirements must submit a completed Application Form, downloadable on https://gsha.box.com/v/applicationform. The completed application form should be uploaded together with the Cover letter, Curriculum Vitae and Copies Certificates saved in your name to
No hard copies / physical applications will be accepted. Please note the zipped Folder will not be accessed.
Closing date for the receipt of completed application forms is 12:00 Midnight of 18th August 2024. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted
Self Help Africa takes the safety and well-being of all those we work with, and our staff, very seriously. We have a zero-tolerance policy on abuse. Our recruitment is safe, meaning that we recruit staff with the highest values and standards of ethical behaviour. Self Help Africa has a Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy, which reflects our commitment to protecting the people with whom we work. All candidates will be expected to comply with this policy and its procedures.
For more information about SHA, please visit our website at http://www.selfhelpafrica.org.
SHA is an equal opportunity employer.