Technical Coordinator – Anticipatory Action (AA)

Job Title: Technical Coordinator – Anticipatory Action (AA)

Project: ECHO ARISE – ARISE: Acting Together for Responsive and Integrated Systems for children’s access to Education in Emergencies 

Location: Stationed in Zomba district, Implementation in Zomba and Balaka

Reporting to: Program Manager

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Duration: 21 months

Start Date: As soon as possible

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Acting Together for Responsive and Integrated Systems for Children’s Access to Education in Emergencies (ARISE) is an ECHO HIP funded 2-year regional program that aims to enhance girls’ and boys’ access to safe, protective, inclusive and uninterrupted learning and supportive services for their well-being during crises in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The project specifically aims to strengthen the education and protection systems (at regional, national, district and community level) to proactively anticipate, prepare, adapt and respond to multi hazard shocks while utilizing an integrated approachthat brings together Education in Emergencies (EiE), Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPHA) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to ensure there is comprehensive continuity of learning for girls and boys in safe, protective, supportive and inclusive environments during crisis, as part of addressing the SADCs 2024 Drought Appeal’s concern regarding education disruption and child wellbeing.

ARISE prioritizes inclusion through targeted support for vulnerable groups, especially girls, out of school children and children with disabilities, responding to ECHO HIP 2025 Pillar II on EiE as well as strengthening the priorities of Pillar 1 and 3.  ARISE has also prioritized comprehensive locally-led preparedness, anticipatory action and rapid response of multi-hazard shocks.

ARISE project is led by Save the Children, and in Malawi will be implemented in Zomba and Balaka districts by Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

Purpose of the Role

Reporting to the Program Manager for the ARISE project, the Technical Coordinator for Anticipatory Action (AA)will be responsible for providing technical leadership in the implementation and monitoring of high-quality Anticipatory Action interventions integrated within the ARISE project as well as providing overall coordination of implementing project interventions in each of the impact districts of Zomba and Balaka.

With technical support from Save the Children, the post holder will coordinate the quality implementation of key integrated approaches of anticipatory action as stipulated in this project within the two districts of Zomba and Balaka, while working closely with DoDMA, schools and communities to best prepare and mitigate emergencies. This will help to ensure that learning is not disrupted during emergencies.

The post holder will also work closely with the Technical Coordinator for Anticipatory Action in ARISE project to ensure early warning systems are effectively used to develop timely and proactive risk mitigation actions within the integrated frameworks of EiE, CPHA and MHPSS.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Implementation and Coordination

• Lead implementation of anticipatory action activities in Balaka & Zomba.
• Lead the rollout of anticipatory action activities and ensure alignment with the ECHO ARISE results framework and emergency preparedness plans.
• Coordinate the operationalization of Early Action Protocols (EAPs) tailored to education and child protection systems.
• Ensure anticipatory interventions (e.g., pre-positioning of learning and protection materials, cash transfers, temporary shelters) are implemented before hazard impact.
• Facilitate contingency planning sessions with school committees, local government officials, and community leaders.
• Ensure timely and coordinated delivery of early action protocols based on community-based early warning indicators.
• Work closely with Field Officers and MEAL staff to track progress and identify and resolve operational issues.

2. Technical Support and Capacity Building

• Develop and adapt training modules and tools on anticipatory action, early warning, and disaster risk reduction for schools and community-based structures.
• Lead training and coaching for school disaster risk management committees (DRMCs), community civil protection committees (CPCs), and local authorities on localized anticipatory action planning.
• Provide technical guidance on hazard mapping, risk profiling, and scenario planning to inform community-specific response plans.
• Promote integration of AA principles into school development plans and local disaster preparedness strategies.
• Support training and mentoring of staff, local leaders, and youth groups on AA frameworks.
• Build capacity of local structures on risk mapping, preparedness, and decision-making.

3. Community Engagement and Early Warning Activation

• Facilitate the development and testing of localized early warning systems.
• Guide the identification and validation of community-based early warning indicators for floods, droughts, storms, or disease outbreaks.
• Establish and maintain clear thresholds and triggers for activating education and protection-related early actions.
• Ensure early warning messages reach all relevant actors especially schools, learners, and caregivers through inclusive and accessible communication channels (e.g., community radio, SMS, megaphones).
• Collaborate with meteorological, health, and agricultural services to obtain timely hazard forecasts.
• Ensure timely dissemination of early warning messages and activation of agreed-upon triggers.
• Promote inclusive participation of women and youth in anticipatory decision-making.

4. Data Collection and Reporting

• Work with the MEAL Manager to collect evidence on AA outcomes and community resilience.
• Document lessons learned and best practices for internal learning and donor reporting.
• Work with the MEAL team to develop indicators and data collection tools to track the effectiveness of anticipatory actions and community resilience.
• Lead after-action reviews, scenario-based simulations, and reflection sessions to test and improve local preparedness and response mechanisms.
• Document success stories, challenges, and lessons learned to inform adaptive programming and donor reporting.
• Contribute to development of knowledge products (e.g., briefs, guidelines, manuals) that promote uptake of anticipatory action in Malawi’s education sector.

5. Coordination and Representation

• Represent the anticipatory action component in local district-level coordination platforms.
• Represent the anticipatory action component in district civil protection committees, education cluster meetings, and EWEA technical working groups.
• Coordinate efforts with other technical coordinators (e.g., Child Protection & MHPSS) to ensure coherent, integrated responses.
• Liaise with relevant government agencies, humanitarian partners, and consortium members to align AA strategies with national policies and frameworks (e.g., Malawi DRM Policy, Education Cluster Preparedness Plans).
• Support GENET’s advocacy and policy dialogue on anticipatory action, risk-informed education, and school safety.
• Coordinate with other GENET staff, consortium partners, and relevant government stakeholders to ensure alignment with broader resilience and humanitarian programming.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Disaster Risk Reduction, Environmental Science, Community Development, or related field. Master’s degree is an advantage.
• At 5 years’ experience implementing community-based preparedness, EWEA, or DRR programs.
• Proven experience with anticipatory action programming or early warning system development.
• Familiarity with EiE, CPiE, or school safety frameworks.
• Experience in training, facilitation, and coordination with community-based organizations and government institutions.
• Strong understanding of participatory risk assessment and inclusive preparedness approaches.
• Fluent in English and Chichewa.

Competencies

• Strong analytical and planning skills
• Community mobilization and participatory training skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital data tools (e.g., Kobo, ODK)
• Commitment to gender equality and safeguarding

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role to recruitment@genetmalawi.org  by 11^thJuly, 2025 5pm CAT. Please include Technical Coordinator for AA – ECHO ARISE in the subject line.