Technical Assistant

Palladium

1       Palladium Job Description: Technical Assistant (MACI Project, Malawi)

Position Title: Technical Assistant

Location: Malawi (one position in Kasungu and one in Lilongwe)

Project: Malawi Agricultural Commercialization Initiative (MACI)

Reports to: Palladium’s MACI Consultancy Team Lead

Contract Type: Full-time, 24 months with potential to extend

1.1      Palladium Overview

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a global team and network of experts, we help improve economies, societies, and, most importantly, people’s lives.

Palladium has a long-term presence in Malawi. We recently implemented the highly successful USAID-funded Agricultural Diversification Project (AgDiv) and currently implement the Irish-funded Growth Poles project.

Palladium is a child-safe organization and provides equal employment opportunities to all participants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran, or marital status.

1.2      Project Overview

The MACI project is funded by the Government of Norway and implemented by AGRA. MACI aims to reduce fragmentation in Malawi’s agricultural sector by bringing actors together within defined geographic and commodity clusters. Strategic outcomes include enhanced coordination, improved market access and policy reform, and strengthened production and commercialization. MACI builds on and harmonizes existing efforts such as AGCOM, TRADE Programme, Growth Poles, Mega Farms, and UCHI.

1.3      Role Purpose

The Technical Assistants will be embedded within MACI clusters as operational arms of the AGRA Malawi team. The roles will provide day-to-day technical support for the operationalization of commodity compacts, facilitate coordination of field-based interventions, mobilize stakeholders, and support knowledge management and scale-up activities.

1.4      Key Responsibilities

  • Support implementation of cluster-level activities outlined in the CCCs (Commodity Cluster Compacts).
  • Facilitate coordination of field-based interventions and actor commitments.
  • Convene and support district-level multi-stakeholder platforms to drive collective action.
  • Promote inclusive participation of farmers, SMEs, processors, financial institutions, local government, and non-state actors on specific value chains.
  • Document lessons, case studies, and evidence from cluster-level interventions.
  • Support adaptive learning and communication across the MACI project.
  • Provide targeted technical assistance and foster collaborative problem-solving across key thematic areas, including input and seed system development, access to finance and investment readiness, aggregation and structured trade, digital innovation in service delivery, and policy reform.
  • Support project administration, reporting, and logistical arrangements as required.

1.5      Qualifications and Experience

  • Education
    • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Development Studies, Rural Development, or related field.
    • A Master’s degree in any of the above disciplines will be considered an added advantage.
  • Professional Experience
    • At least 7–10 years of progressive experience in agricultural value chain development, market facilitation, or agribusiness support, preferably with smallholder systems.
    • Demonstrated ability to mobilize and coordinate multiple stakeholders at district level, including farmer organizations, SMEs, processors, financial institutions, local government, and NGOs.
    • Experience in facilitating structured trade, aggregation models, and private sector partnerships in rural settings.
    • Hands-on experience supporting district-level platforms and decentralized coordination structures (e.g., DECs, DAECCs).
    • Familiarity with soybean and/or groundnut value chains will be a strong advantage.
  • Technical Competencies
    • Strong skills in project management, facilitation, and adaptive delivery.
    • Working knowledge of CSA practices, digital agriculture tools, and inclusive agribusiness approaches.
    • Capacity to generate field-level evidence, lessons, and case studies for adaptive learning.
  • Other Skills
    • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with ability to navigate politically sensitive and multi-stakeholder environments.
    • Proficiency in English is required; fluency in Chichewa and other local languages is highly desirable.
    • Commitment to AGRA’s I-RISE values (Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, Equity).
    • Ability and willingness to be based in the district (Kasungu or Lilongwe) with significant field travel.

1.6      How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a CV and cover letter outlining relevant experience and motivation for the role to HRGPMW@thepalladiumgroup.com by Tuesday the 14th of October, 2025.

Please indicate the location(s) in which you are interested (Kasungu and/or Lilongwe).

Please note that hiring for these positions is contingent upon Palladium being selected to implement this consultancy as a subcontractor to AGRA on the MACI project.