Director of Technical Services

The Malawi School of Government (MSG), having been tasked by the Roads Fund Administration (RFA) to conduct this executive search, invites applications from suitably qualified, experienced and results-oriented professionals for the position of Director of Technical Services at RFA. This is a senior executive leadership role requiring an accomplished engineering professional with technical credibility, strategic perspective, managerial capability and integrity to lead the technical function and contribute to the effective delivery of RFA’s mandate.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Director of Technical Services will provide strategic and technical leadership for RFA’s technical services function. The successful candidate will be expected to guide technical planning and oversight, promote sound engineering and infrastructure-management practices, strengthen systems and controls, and ensure that technical work is delivered to appropriate standards of quality, value, accountability, and performance. The Director will contribute to corporate strategy and executive decision-making and will build effective working relationships with public institutions, infrastructure stakeholders, professional bodies, service providers, and other relevant partners.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Technical Services Department, translating RFA’s corporate objectives into departmental plans, priorities, performance measures, and implementation programmes.
• Lead the development, review, and implementation of technical policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, and systems relevant to the department’s mandate.
• Provide high-level engineering and technical advice to the Chief Executive and senior management on infrastructure-related matters, technical risks, priorities, and organizational performance.
• Oversee technical planning, appraisal, monitoring, and review activities within the department, ensuring that decisions are evidence-based, technically sound, and aligned with applicable legislation, policies, standards, and approved plans.
• Promote quality assurance, value for money, risk management, and effective controls across technical processes and assignments.
• Lead the development and monitoring of departmental budgets, work plans, procurement inputs, resource requirements, and performance reports in collaboration with relevant corporate functions.
• Establish and maintain effective systems for monitoring technical performance, identifying implementation challenges, managing risks, and recommending corrective actions.
• Provide leadership in the management, development, motivation, and performance assessment of departmental staff; strengthen succession planning, professional development, and a culture of accountability.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with government ministries and agencies, local authorities, engineering and infrastructure institutions, development partners, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that technical records, reports, data, and management information are accurate, timely, appropriately maintained, and used to inform decisions.
• Promote innovation, continuous improvement, appropriate use of technology, and adoption of good engineering and infrastructure-management practices.
• Represent RFA in technical meetings, committees, consultations, and other forums as assigned.
• Carry out any other duties consistent with the position and the strategic objectives of RFA.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from a recognized and accredited institution. A Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Highway Engineering, Transportation Engineering or a related field will be an added advantage.
• Must be registered as a Professional Engineer with the Malawi Engineering Institution (MEI) and hold valid registration in good standing. Applicants must provide current evidence of professional registration.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuing professional development, professional ethics and compliance with applicable engineering standards.
• Additional qualifications in Project Management, Infrastructure Management, Business Administration or a related field will be an added advantage

EXPERIENCE

• At least 10 years of progressive post-graduate experience in civil engineering, including technical monitoring and evaluation, engineering audits, project management, design review, construction supervision and quality assurance of civil infrastructure projects, preferably in the road subsector.
• At least five (5) years of relevant post-professional registration experience with the Malawi Engineering Institution (MEI).
• Demonstrated experience in managing and supervising road infrastructure projects, including road design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, contract administration and compliance with engineering standards.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary technical teams, manage complex infrastructure programmes and deliver results within large public-sector or similarly complex institutional environments.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, operational management, budgeting, resource mobilization, performance management, risk management and technical reporting.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with senior government officials, Boards, executive management, development partners, professional institutions, contractors and other infrastructure-sector stakeholders.
• Experience in infrastructure policy development, engineering standards, quality assurance, technical audits or institutional systems strengthening will be an added advantage.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES

• Strategic thinking and sound executive judgement, with the ability to connect technical priorities to organizational strategy and public value.
• Strong leadership, people-management, team-building, coaching, and performance-management skills.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, accountability, impartiality, and ethical conduct.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, negotiation, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, lead change, exercise sound judgement under pressure, and deliver against agreed results.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and the ability to build collaborative working relationships across institutional boundaries.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested candidates who meet the requirements should submit a signed application letter, a detailed and up-to-date Curriculum Vitae, copies of relevant academic and professional certificates, evidence of current professional engineering registration, and contact details for at least three traceable referees. The application should clearly demonstrate how the candidate’s qualifications, experience and leadership record meet the requirements of the position.

Applications must be submitted (physically or through email) through the Malawi School of Government and addressed to:

The Director General
Malawi School of Government
P.O. Box 30801
Lilongwe 3
Malawi

Email: recruitment@msg.ac.mw

Closing date: Tuesday, November 24, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged

RFA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from suitably qualified candidates. RFA reserves the right to verify information provided by applicants and to amend or discontinue the recruitment process in accordance with its procedures.