Background
Since 1964, UNDP has been active in Malawi, aiding the Government in its development agenda by supporting policies, establishing partnerships, and enhancing institutional capacities to achieve national development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNDP Malawi’s Country Programme Document (CPD) for 2024-2028 aligns with the Malawi Vision 2063 and its first 10-Year Implementation Plan, aiming to support Malawi in meeting the SDGs by 2030. This comprehensive programme addresses the interconnected challenges of poverty, inequality, and vulnerability to shocks, organized within two principal portfolios:
Governance: This portfolio focuses on strengthening effective, accountable, and inclusive governance. It promotes civic engagement, human rights, the rule of law, peace, and democracy, alongside improving data generation and analysis. Resilience and Sustainable Growth (RSG): This portfolio focuses on economic innovation, inclusive business, job creation, and renewable energy access. It also aims to help Malawi adapt to climate change and build resilience to disasters.Resilience and Sustainable Growth (RSG) Portfolio
The RSG Portfolio adopts a multifaceted approach combining inclusive growth, sustainability, climate adaptation, resilience to shocks, and agricultural development. It integrates natural resource management, poverty-environment linkages, disaster risk management, and agricultural value chain commercialization. The portfolio engages a broad range of stakeholders, including government entities, development partners, and multilateral agencies. UNDP's resilience programming within the RSG Portfolio specifically targets the mitigation of threats, risks, and impacts of climate change and related economic and social shocks. The RSG Portfolio also includes a dynamic private sector development programme that employs various de-risking financial instruments to support private sector investments in the country. This programme is designed to assist entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, from business incubation to acceleration and growth across different economic sectors.
The resilience programming takes a holistic approach, addressing interconnected issues such as governance, public services, inclusive economic opportunities, natural resource management, and agricultural development. The primary outcomes target enhancing socio-economic resilience, equitable access to economic opportunities, sustainable natural resource management, and increased agricultural productivity and income for smallholder farmers. This is achieved through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including government, UN partners, civil society, the private sector, and academia.
Agriculture and Commercialization
Agriculture is the backbone of Malawi's economy, employing over 70% of the population and significantly contributing to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 24.7%. While subsistence farming has predominated, there is a growing emphasis on commercialization to unlock the sector's full potential. This transition from traditional, subsistence-oriented farming to market-oriented, profit-driven activities aligns with the Government’s Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) growth strategy. This shift is crucial for enhancing food security, increasing farmers' incomes, promoting rural development, and achieving broader economic growth objectives. Achieving meaningful commercialization requires targeted interventions, supportive policies, and a solid anchorage for the private sector. Since 2014, UNDP has actively supported the private sector in advancing sustainable development through diverse initiatives and partnerships in agriculture, collaborating closely with mainstream Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Through collaboration with private sector entities and leveraging relevant past experiences, the UCHI Strengthening Agricultural Commercialization Project will provide the technical expertise, resources, and networks necessary to tackle challenges related to agricultural commercialization and generate market and financial opportunities for smallholder farmers (SHFs). The project advocates market-oriented business practices and stimulates market and financial opportunities within priority value chains.
Despite agriculture's economic significance, gender disparities persist, limiting women's participation in commercial farming and agribusiness. It is on this note that UNDP is seeking to acquire the services of a Gender Specialist who will ensure the UCHI Agriculture Commercialization Project adopts a gender-responsive approach, empowering women and marginalized groups.
The Gender Officer will provide technical expertise to integrate gender across all UCHI Agriculture Commercialization project outputs. The incumbent will work closely with project staff, government institutions, project donors and the FOs/SMEs to promote gender equality, women's empowerment, and inclusive economic participation in the project’s agricultural commercialization efforts.
Duties and Responsibilities
Effective Gender Mainstreaming into the Project
Develop gender mainstreaming tools, including training guidelines and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for gender-responsive performance management within the UCHI Agriculture Commercialization Project; Conduct gender analysis to identify gender disparities and opportunities in the target value chains and communities; Based on the analysis, design and implement a responsive gender action plan tailored for the UCHI Agriculture Commercialization project aligned to project objectives; Provide substantive oversight of the project’s activities ensuring gender mainstreaming at all levels of the project including financial, procurement and administrative processes; Identify strategic actions as necessary, to be undertaken to improve the quality of implementation, support achievement of related results, and manage the effective application of the project’s Gender Marker; Advise the project team on opportunities for women economic empowerment including but not limited to income generating activities, financial inclusion, governance training, etc.; Introduce gender capacity building targeting both men and women; and promote men’s active role as champions of change towards equality at HH, FO and community levels; Introduce innovative gender mainstreaming tools including the Gender Action Learning Systems – GALS.Monitoring and Reporting
Provide technical advice on integrating gender considerations into project monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks; Prepare periodic reports on gender integration, progress and impact within the project; Provide advice on appropriate gender sensitive indicators across the project and support the project team in the monitoring and reporting of results/outputs and objectives against agreed indicators, in close collaboration with the UCHI Agriculture Commercialization Project’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist; Provide substantive inputs into all reports (semi-annual, annual and donor reports) to ensure they are gender sensitive and have included all required gender considerations; Introduce a community feedback mechanism to give room to project beneficiaries to report any forms of misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse; and provide feedback on project implementation.Knowledge Building and Advocacy
Ensure that all UCHI Agriculture Commercialization Project staff and beneficiaries are equipped to sustain mainstreaming gender equality objectives/goals in their respective areas of work; Maintain relationships with UCHI partners including other UN agencies, donors, and government agencies on matters related to the promotion of national commitments to gender equality with a view of ensuring strategic partnerships and strengthening collaboration in the implementation of the gender action plan within the UCHI Agriculture Commercialization Project; Consolidate gender lessons learned and recommendations for dialogue, advocacy, and future programming, and organize dissemination of learning with key project partners; Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice where good practices in terms of gender mainstreaming are showcased.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Gender Officer will be based at the UNDP Malawi’s UCHI – Agriculture Commercialization Project Office in Lilongwe, with in-country travel to various districts as required. The Gender Officer will report to the UCHI Project Manager, and work in close collaboration with other relevant project staff.
Competencies
CORE
Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Management: Communication
Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and chose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.Business Development: Knowledge facilitation
Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.Business Direction & Strategy Effective Decision Making
Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.Business Direction & Strategy Negotiate and influence
Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates “win-win” situations.2030 Agenda: People
Gender mainstreamingRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Social Sciences or relevant related fields is required OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in a relevant field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in gender mainstreaming, women’s empowerment, and inclusive development.Required Skills
Proven experience in conducting gender analyses, designing gender-responsive interventions, and working with farmer organizations and private sector actors.Desired Skills
Experience in agriculture or rural development programs is preferable; Strong understanding of Malawi’s gender policies, rural development frameworks, and international gender equality commitments; Experience in assessing gender barriers at community level and development of tailored interventions to address inequalities and increase women’s power and agency; Experience in gender-related capacity-building, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy; Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills.Required Languages
Fluency in English with proficiency in effective written and oral communications is required. Fluency in Chichewa is required. Knowledge of other local languages is an asset.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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