Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC)

NATIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE COMMITTEE
Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project – GESD 2.0
Agreement No:  IDA-E6540
Individual Consultant-Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
No: MW-NLGFC-563903-CS-INDIV
Date of Issue: 20th August ,2026 

1.0  Background 

The Government of Malawi (GoM) through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has received financing towards the cost of Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project. The NLGFC intends to apply part of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under the contract for hiring Occupational Health and Safety Specialist on a three – year contract renewable annually based on performance and availability of financial resources or mutually agreed by both parties.

NLGFC therefore invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates to fill the position of Occupational Health and Safety Specialist tenable at the NLGFC Offices. The terms of Reference (TORs) for Occupational Health and Safety Specialist are as follows:

The Objectives of the Assignment

The main aim of this assignment is to ensure that all OHS risks and impacts are managed in accordance with national Occupational Health and Safety Policies and framework, World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), and Good International Industry Practice (GIIP). Working with other team members, the Occupational Health and Safety Specialist will ensure the implementation of the project’s occupational health and safety safeguards instruments, monitor compliance by project implementers and report progress in all the 28 district and 4 municipal local authorities.

3. Duties and Responsibilities

The duties will include but will not be limited to:

  1. Considering World Bank Environmental Health Safety Guidelines (EHSG), Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), compile OHS procedures update where applicable the OHS strategy, system and the operational plans for the district led subcomponent which falls under the National Local Government Finance Committee PIU;
  2. Together with OHS officers of contractors, develop, update, coordinate and facilitate the development and/or revision of and OHS risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the various activities under the applicable activities of the Project;
  3. Liaise with other specialists (including Environmental, Social, Project Engineer, etc.) in the team on OHS matters to review severe OHS incidents, recurring minor incidents, and near misses that have occurred on project with the aim to further mitigate these from repeating;
  4. Facilitate the development of Health and Safety Manual and a health and Safety Management plan for the local authorities implemented project activities and incorporate the relevant OHS measures (including emergency preparedness and response measures) into the Labour Management Procedures (LMP) and community Safety;
  5. Conducting Occupational Health Safety site inspections on a regular basis with adequate frequency;
  6. Identify potential hazards to project workers and community members;
  7. Ensure preventive and protective measures, including modification, substitution, or elimination of hazardous conditions or substances;
  8. Ensure applicable protective equipment to protect against residual risks is provided;
  9. Providing internal audits on Occupational Health and Safety issues all project sites implemented by local authorities;
  10. Facilitating wellness health awareness and screening Programs in all the local authorities;
  11. Ensure training requirements for project workers, and where necessary community members, are included, and training records are maintained;
  12. Support project teams and clients in investigating the root cause/s of the incidents and developing appropriate remedial and mitigation measures;
  13. Prepare and deliver reports to the project on OHS incidents, patterns of incidents, and proposed recommendations;
  14. Develop and implement a comprehensive intervention to improve worker OHS, and Community Health and Safety for communities directly impacted by the project;
  15. Develop and implement a training program on Occupational Health and Safety for local authorities and contractors; and maintain training records;
  16. Document and report occupational accidents, diseases and incidents;
  17. Recommend measures to help protect workers, and community members, from potentially hazardous work methods, working at heights, scaffolding measures, working adjacent to flowing water, hazardous substances and waste management and disposal, and other relevant processes, or materials;
  18. Advise communities and/or institutions/local authorities regarding health or safety issues;
  19. Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations;
  20. Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans;
  21. Document and report on job hazard assessments, identified mitigation measures, permits to work, standard operating procedures developed to carry out work safely based on Job Hazard Assessment (JHA) and Permission To Work (PTW), all incidents or near misses, use of first aid kits, tool box talks, training programme for workers, labour procedures, signed codes of conduct by all persons working on or visiting the site, contracts of all workers, activity ESMP, Contractors ESMP, any permits for the work or resources used for the work, etc.;
  22. Describe emergency prevention and preparedness and response arrangements to emergency situations, and report significant incidents to the LG PIU and World Bank within 48 hours;
  23. Review and inputs into community emergency procedure plans for subcomponent activities;
  24. Propose remedies for adverse impacts such as occupational injuries, deaths, disability and disease;
  25. Inspect work environments to ensure safety for the workers and community in all project sites;
  26. Conduct safety training or education programs, job hazard assessments, and demonstrate the use of safety equipment, and maintain training records;
  27. Investigate health-related complaints and inspect facilities to ensure that they comply with public health legislation and regulations, and World Bank’s ESF and ESHS requirements, and project ESMF;
  28. Develop or maintain medical monitoring programs for employees and contractors;
  29. Set up monitoring systems for the sites, including file management on site for Toolbox talks and topics, ongoing skills and training development, SOPs, permits to work, incident reports, monitoring First Aid kits, etc. Ensuring first aid kits are appropriately stocked to type of activities anticipated on sites, etc;
  30. Develop and review and monitoring emergency procedures for sites including ensuring correct fire prevent controls and training in place, etc;
  31. Coordinate “right-to-know” programs regarding hazardous chemicals or other substances, and safety procedure;
  32. Maintain or update Emergency Response Plans or procedures, as well as waste management plan, traffic safety management plan, hazardous substances management plan, etc., with necessary SOPs or safety procedures developed in the OHS strategy and plan; and
  33. Apply ESS4 to anticipate and avoid adverse impacts on the health and safety of project-affected communities during the project life cycle from both routine and non-routine circumstances, including to avoid or minimize community expose to project-related traffic and road safety risks, diseases and hazardous materials, effective measures to address emergency events, and ensure safeguarding of personnel and property is carried out in a manner that avoids or minimizes risks to the project affected communities.

4.  Qualifications and Experience

The candidate should meet the following qualifications:

  1. Master’s Degree in disciplines such as Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Quality and Safety), Environmental Health and Safety.
  2. A qualification and or international certificate in OHS such as NEBOSH, or similar.
  3. A minimum of 8 years of relevant working experience in developing, implementing and/or supervising OHS in construction, with experience in transport infrastructure, energy, hydropower, DRM and or extractives sectors.
  4. Knowledge of OHS management systems, including experience auditing/ assessing health and safety programs and systems.
  5. Membership of professional bodies and experience in implementing World Bank funded projects and/or other multilateral banks’ OHS policies will be an added advantage.
  6. Demonstrated ability to assess technical issues of occupational health and safety and to effect a cultural change to create a culture of safety across a workplace or organization
  7. Have excellent oral and written communication skills in English, as well as team participation and management skills
  8. Proficiency in using computer applications e.g. MS Word, Excel and Power Point.

5. DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The assignment is expected to span a total period of up to three (3) years, with annual performance reviews and contract extensions subject to satisfactory performance.

6. LOCATION OF EMPLOYMENT 

The OHS Specialist will be based at the National Local Government Finance Committee Head Office in Lilongwe. The OHS Specialist will be required to travel to district authorities and to project sites in Malawi to engage with district officials to guide and improve project implementation.

7. REPORTING

The Occupational Health and Safety Specialist will primarily report to the Project Coordinator with a technical reporting line to the Director of Social Economic Services at the NLGFC for technical matters and will work in collaboration with local authorities and other specialists under the project; Environmental Safeguards Specialist, Social Safeguards Specialist, and Project Engineers.

8. MODE OF APPLICATION

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14. 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations of IPF Borrowers” dated September, 2025 (“Procurement regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest and A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant (INDV) selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information including the detailed Terms of Reference (TORs) can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 7:30 hours to 12:00 hours and from 13:00 hours to 16:30 hours except on Weekends and Public Holidays

9. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Interested applicants who meet the above requirements should submit application letters together with concise Curriculum Vitae (CV), National ID, and copies of relevant certificates to the address below not later than 17.30 hours on Friday, 11th September 2026.

The National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) is committed to diversifying Gender equality in its operations and strongly encourages women to apply for the above vacant position. 

The Executive Director
National Local Government Finance Committee
Area 14, Red Cross Building
Presidential Way
P.O Box 31162
Lilongwe 3
Or through the following email address: recruitment@nlgfc.gov.mw / ed@nlgfc.gov.mw

Only shortlisted applicants will be considered for further assessments.

To apply for this job please visit www.nlgfc.gov.mw.