Vacancy: Governance Advisor

Background

The Government of Ireland has been providing assistance to Malawi since 2002. Ireland’s current strategy (2016-2020) for Malawi is guided by Government of Ireland foreign policy, ‘The Global Island, Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World’, and Ireland’s policy for international development, ‘One World One Future’. Aligned with Government of Malawi’s National Growth and Development Strategy, Irish Aid’s Malawi programme aims to increase the resilience of poor households to economic, social and environmental shocks.

Working with a range of partner organisations in Malawi, Irish Aid’s programme has been developed with strong focus on vulnerability, household resilience, food and nutrition security and governance. The country strategy also seeks to further Ireland’s aid effectiveness commitment in promoting collaboration and joint programming with other Development Partners.

Role of Governance Advisor

The Embassy of Ireland wishes to contract the services of a full-time Governance Advisor.  The primary responsibility of this post will be to contribute to improved governance in Malawi in order to enhance development outcomes, particularly for the more vulnerable communities. 

The Governance Advisor will provide leadership for a range of Irish Aid’s Governance initiatives and will provide the Embassy team with robust analysis to support Ireland’s country strategy, programmes and practices in Malawi.

Specifically the Governance Advisor will:

1. Ensure that the Ireland’s country strategy and programmes are guided by appropriate advice and informed by relevant analysis with respect to the evolving governance and political economy context for development assistance in Malawi.

2. Guided by Irish Aid’s country strategy for Malawi, support the design, appraisal and development of programmes to address specific governance challenges.

• Promote continuous improvements in ongoing Governance programmes, including in public sector reform; public finance management; institutional strengthening; accountable governance; and access to justice interventions.
• Provide leadership in the design and appraisal and implementation of future programme partnerships in line with Government of Malawi policy, strategy and plans.
• Encourage an increased awareness of emerging research and best practices to ensure Governance learning is integrated in new programmes.
• Working with Irish Aid’s programme advisors, provide relevant technical analysis and advice to promote good governance across development and humanitarian programmes in Malawi – including agriculture, nutrition and resilience building interventions and mainstreaming issues of HIV/AIDS, Gender, Environment and Human Rights.

3. Provide leadership and management oversight for a portfolio of programme partnerships (including multi-donor funding agreements) for the effective delivery of planned development outcomes.

• Manage partnership engagement and performance including programme budgets, timelines, risks and funding arrangements. Through ongoing monitoring ensure compliance with Irish Aid policies and procedures.
• Strengthen the evidence base for Governance programmes and ensure appropriate reporting, monitoring and evaluation of progress and results throughout the full programme management cycle.
• Co-ordinate research and documentation of experiences, lessons learnt, best practice and overall performance of the programme. Actively contribute to strengthening Irish Aid’s governance related engagement in research, policy fora, and global programmes.

4. Promote effective networks and partnership dialogue engagement with Government of Malawi, Development Partners, Civil Society, Policy and Research institutions to achieve better collaboration for greater results.

• Ensure Embassy of Ireland is appropriately represented in policy, programme and technical dialogue with Government, other Development Partner, Civil Society and other stakeholders. 
• Contribute to policy and technical working groups which aim to improve development outcomes through strengthening local and national governance systems. 
• Support the ongoing business processes for the Embassy particularly in the building of evidence to inform future policy and programming plans and management briefings. 
• Work with the Embassy Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor to ensure a systematic approach to knowledge management and communication of programme results. 
• Contribute to the preparation of internal Embassy reports and prepare appropriate briefings and analysis as required for high level official meetings.

Skills and experience

Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have strong competency and a well-established track record of good performance in the area of Governance. 

Specifically the following qualifications and competencies are required:

• Academic qualification (preferably at master’s level) in international development, public administration, public finance management, political science, or other relevant disciplines. Applications from candidates without a master's level qualification may be considered only if they can demonstrate significant experience at an equivalent senior level.

• A minimum of 4 years professional experience with at least 2 years’ relevant experience working as advisor or specialist in international development.

• Experience in the design, development, planning Governance programmes and expert knowledge on the workings of Government structures and Civil Society Organisations in Malawi.

• Experience and demonstrated proficiency in policy analysis and in the management and synthesis of varied quantitative and qualitative data.

• Experience in influencing policies at senior levels including working with bilateral and multilateral donors

• Familiar with the key principles and practice of effective aid delivery. An understanding and familiarity with a range of approaches and tools for development programmes, such as, Political Economy Analysis, Theory of Change, Managing for Development Results.

• Strong IT and Knowledge Management skills, particularly database-related

• Excellent written and verbal skills in English

• High degree of integrity and trust.

• Good team working, communication and other personal effectiveness skills (such as networking and negotiating)

• Good understanding of the policies and approaches of Irish Aid.

Conditions of employment

This successful applicant will be offered a two year contract following an initial probationary period of six months. The contract will include a requirement for regular performance assessment.

The successful candidate will be based in the Irish Embassy, Lilongwe and will report to the Deputy Head of Development. Though Lilongwe based, they will be expected to undertake in-country travel from time to time and international travel occasionally. 

The salary which is non-negotiable is set according to a scale, the starting point of which is MK 1,467,382 per month.  The salary is subject to PAYE.

 

How to apply

To apply for this position please forward a covering letter of no more than two pages which demonstrates relevant experience.  The letter should be accompanied by your Curriculum Vitae detailing qualifications and work experience to date, together with details of three referees which should include e-mail addresses.  

Please note that applications should be sent by e-mail.

By submitting information electronically, parties accept that data may not be fully secure. Parties may alternatively bring their application, marking clearly for which position they are applying, to the Embassy of Ireland, Arwa House, City centre, Lilongwe.

Any personal information submitted to us will only be used for its intended purposes and will be destroyed when no longer needed. Any other processing or disclosure of personal data is not allowed other than in the exceptional circumstances provided for under the Data Protection Acts.

Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be received not later than the closing date of Monday 27^th February, 2017- 12 noon sharp for both electronic and physically delivered applications.

Applicants must mark clearly which of these three positions they are interested in. Failure to do so will result in the application not being accepted.

Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.  Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.  The Embassy of Ireland is committed to a Policy of Equal Opportunity.

Embassy of Ireland, Lilongwe, February, 2017