Program Manager

The Hunger Project Malawi (THP Malawi) has been operating in Malawi since 1999 and is currently working in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Neno, Mwanza, Nsanje, Ntcheu, Phalombe and Salima districts. Our programs are based on an innovative, holistic approach which empowers women and men living in rural villages to become the agents of their own development and make sustainable progress in overcoming hunger and poverty.

THP Malawi has received funding from a European Foundation to implement the THRIVE (Together for Human Resilience, Inclusion and Vibrant Ecosystems) program in Rumphi. The Foundation has committed to fund the first part of THP Malawi’s ambitious THRIVE program, in collaboration with The Hunger Project the Netherlands. The funding has been granted up until September 2029.

THRIVE

THRIVE aims to improve the capacity and capability of people living within the proximity of Nyika National Park and the north of Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve to sustainably manage their own livelihoods, whilst conserving and protecting the local ecosystem, enabling them to end their own hunger and poverty. Our bold plan is to encircle the Nyika National Park with self-reliant communities in the timespan of fifteen years through a two-phased approach. The program will be implemented together with the Women’s Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC), a renowned Malawian women’s rights NGO, The Centre for Economic Governance and Accountability in Africa (CEGAA), a regional CSO with expertise in budget monitoring and expenditure tracking and connected advocacy, Peace Parks Foundation and the Nyika/Vwaza Trust.

THP Malawi is recruiting for the following position for this program:

PROGRAM MANAGER

Position Summary

The program manager will be responsible for managing the program and reports directly to the Country Director of THP Malawi, and works closely alongside the Head of Programs and the THRIVE Senior Program Accountant.

All program staff within THRIVE report directly to the Program Manager. The successful candidate will be working in Rumphi and the starting date for this position is October 1st, 2025 (earlier, if possible, but no later).

Responsibilities of the Program Manager:

• Lead the THRIVE program team and work closely with the THRIVE finance team;
• Ensure sound internal communication between the different partners and with the Steering Committee and PMU (Program Management Unit);
• Function as the primary contact for the partners, (local) government functionaries as well as Peace Parks Foundation and the Nyika/Vwaza Trust;
• Facilitate program development, alignment and joint decision-making on program implementation and
  annual planning with all partners as well as the Peace Parks Foundation and the Nika/Vwaza Trust;
• Facilitate adaptive management: continuously monitor, evaluate, learn, and adjust THRIVE actions and arrangements and document these changes;
• Support the active and meaningful participation of local partners, ensure community representation as equal partners and support Shift the Power concepts in THRIVE;
• Prepare and facilitate the bi-annual Steering Committee meetings and ensure documentation is available for these meetings in a timely manner;
• Chair the Program Management Unit (PMU) which consists of representatives from all partners and is the day-to-day management of the program (meetings on a quarterly basis);
• Ensure reporting from all partners is available on a quarterly basis for the PMU meetings;
• Ensure planning for the subsequent year is submitted to the funder in a timely manner, allowing for a review by THP Netherlands;
• Ensure adequate bi-annual reporting to the funder, allowing for a review by THP Netherlands;
• Actively support the fundraising efforts for phase 2 of THRIVE.

Experience, Education and Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Nutrition, Gender or related field
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field (Nutrition, Agriculture, Sociology etc.) will be an added advantage
• Minimum of 10 years of work in program management, holding responsibility over a large scale (5 million USD plus) program with contracted sub-partners as well as relationships with (local) government;
• Demonstrable expertise with gender programming;
• Demonstrable financial program management experience;
• Demonstrable leadership and staff supervision experience;
• Demonstrable experience with community-led development.

Personal Skills:

• Critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills;
• The ability to adapt plans in order to achieve goals (adaptive management skills);
• Relationship management skills with the ability to work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders (government, donor, internal);
• Attention to detail, accuracy and timeliness in monitoring and reporting progress;
• Ability to produce high quality written reports, highlighting lessons learned and changes made;
• Proactive, results- and service-oriented;
• Strong organizational and time management skills to meet sensitive deadlines.

Required Language Skills:

Excellent English verbal and written communication skills and fluency in Tumbuka. Candidates must be willing to work in Rumphi.

How to apply:

Interested candidates who meet the above criteria, should send 1) their resumes with names and contacts of two traceable referees and 2) a motivation cover letter electronically not later than September 5, 2025 to: recruitment.thrive@thp.org. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

THP Malawi does not tolerate any form of fraud and/or sexual misconduct. Successful candidates will be subject to rigorous background checks.