Ministry Of Natural Resources And Climate Change
MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
ASSIGNMENTS UNDER TRANSFORMATIONAL ADAPTATION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE LAKE CHILWA BASIN OF MALAWI PROJECT (TRANSFORM)
1.0 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The Malawi Government has received financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the
Transformational Adaptation for Climate Resiliencein the Lake Chilwa Basin of Malawi (TRANSFORM). In the Lake Chilwa basin in southern Malawi, local communities are increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change. Since the 1960s, Malawi has experienced an increase in annual temperatures, prolonged dry seasons, increasingly variable rainfall patterns and more frequent heavy rainfall events. These climatic changes have been particularly acute in the Lake Chilwa basin where they have contributed to a rise in the intensity and frequency of climate hazards such as droughts and floods associated with: i) a decline in the capacity of ecosystems in the basin to regulate the hydrological cycle; ii) a decrease in Lake Chilwa’s water levels; and iii) a reduction in the productivity of fisheries and rainfed agriculture.
TRANSFORM Project aims to reduce the vulnerability of communities surrounding the lake to the adverse effects of climate change by strengthening the resilience of livelihoods through
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and financing of sustainable, climate-resilient enterprises. Specific interventions implemented under TRANSFORM will include: i) enhancing the capacity of communities and institutions to plan, implement and monitor EbA interventions that build the adaptive capacity of the basin; ii) improving small-scale producers’ access to lucrative markets for climate-resilient products and value chains through diversification of product/service offerings and alternative livelihoods, as well as by enhancing access to microfinance, social protection and insurance; and iii) facilitating the adoption of alternative and climate-resilient livelihoods.
These interventions will see more robust and coordinated relationships between the private sector and small-scale producers, facilitated by concessional financing, improved
infrastructure and technologies, thereby enabling a long-term resilience building and vulnerability reduction in the Lake Chilwa basin and across the rest of Malawi.
The project will be implemented in Machinga, Zomba and Phalombe Districts. It is against this background that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change would like to
recruit personnel to spearhead the management and implementation of the TRANSFORM project.
The Ministry therefore, would like to invite applications from suitable candidates to fill the vacant positions that exist within the Project Management Unit (PMU) at the Environmental
Affairs Department.
1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The objective of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of communities surrounding Lake Chilwa to the adverse effects of climate change by strengthening the resilience of livelihoods
through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and financing of climate-resilient enterprises in Lake Chilwa, and scaled up to other regions of Malawi: This will be addressed through 3
components:
(i) Component 1: Enhancing financing and investment in adaptation options and climate-resilient enterprises in the Lake Chilwa basin, with potential for upscaling to other regions
of Malawi. this will contribute to the outcome of enhanced public and private sector investment in and strengthened market linkages for upscaling sustainable, climate-resilient
enterprises to provide communities with alternative sources of income.
(ii) Component 2: Implementation of EbA and Sustainable climate-resilient livelihoods. This will contribute to the attainment of outcome 1 which is Reduced vulnerability of communities in target districts to climate change through the implementation of EbA interventions and the introduction of innovative sustainable climate-resilient livelihoods in preparation for scaling up through Outcomes 1 and 3.
(iii) Component 3: Strengthening the enabling environment for upscaling of initiatives aimed at climate-resilient development across Malawi. This will contribute to the outcome of
Strengthened enabling environment for district and community-level institutions to plan, implement and monitor Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), in readiness for receiving
funding under the SCFF.
2.0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change through the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is implementing a Transformation adaptation for Climate Resilience in the Lake Chilwa Basin in Malawi project (TRANSFORM). It is against this background that the Ministry would therefore like to seek the services of a (i)Project Manager, (ii) Monitoring and
Evaluation Officer, (iii) Safeguards Officer, (iv) Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, (v) Project Coordinators, (vi) Project Procurement Officer, (vii) Finance and Administrative Officer, (viii) Finance and Administrative Assistants to manage day to day operations of the project for a period of 60 months.
The Project Manager, the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, the Project Safeguards Officer, the Project Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, the Finance and Administration Officer and the project Procurement Officer will operate from the Project Management Unit (PMU) based at the Environmental Affairs Department offices in Lilongwe and will be reporting to the Director of Environmental Affairs. The District Project Coordinators and Finance and Administration Assistants will operate from Machinga, Zomba and Phalombe Districts and will report to the Project Manager based at Environmental Affairs Department in Lilongwe.
2.2. DISTRICT PROJECT COORDINATOR
2.2.1 Overall Description of the duties
The District Project Coordinator will be responsible for day-to-day management and implementation and monitoring and reporting of project interventions in the district in collaboration with the project implementing sectors. The District Project Coordinators will be based in Machinga, Phalombe and Zomba District Councils on full time basis for a period of 60 months. The District Project Coordinator will be reporting to the District Commissioner through the Environmental District Officer (EDO), and the Director of Environmental Affairs (DEA) through the Project Manager.
District Project Coordinator
60 months/ over 5 years
The District Project Coordinator will be based in Machinga, Phalombe and Zomba District Councils. The District Project Coordinator will be reporting to the District Commissioner
through the Environmental District Officer (EDO), who is the coordinator for the Project, the Director of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and the Project Manager.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and supervision of the Project Manager and the District Commissioner, the District Project Coordinator will carry out the following tasks:
- Assist the Project Manager and District Councils in day-to-day management, implementation and oversight of project activities in relation to the agreed work plan;
- Promote coordination of TRANSFORM project activities with district implementing sectors and other stakeholders under the guidance of the EDO, Project Manager and EAD.
- Promote increased awareness of relevant government sectors to mainstream Climate Change Adaptation into their plans, programmes, and projects.
- Liaise with the project support team at the local and district level and provide managerial and technical support.
- Provide appropriate support to district staff, including budgeting assistance and basic translation of the project objectives into activities for implementation.
- Support in preparing draft work plans for the Project in conjunction with other project team members at the central and district level.
- Assist district project team in drafting and finalising work plans and budgets (revision) for submission to the Project Manager.
- Support in conducting assessments, monitoring, and evaluating project activities for reporting progress.
- Assist the M&E officer in matters related to M&E and knowledge resources management;
- Preparation of progress reports;
- In liaison with the district project implementing team, ensure that quarterly, annual reports and other reports are prepared and submitted on time;
- Ensure all project documentation (progress reports, consulting and other technical reports, minutes of meetings, etc.) are adequately maintained in hard and electronic copies in an efficient and readily accessible filing system, for when required by Project Coordination Committee, National Technical Committee on Climate Change and the National Steering Committee, on Climate Change, UNDP, project consultants and other PMU staff; and
- Provide PMU-related administrative and logistical assistance;
- Performing any other duties as required
Minimum Education requirements
Bachelor degree or equivalent in degree with specialization in Environmental Sciences, climate change management, Environment and Natural Resources management,
development Studies, and agriculture from an accredited University is a must.
Minimum years of relevant work experience
Minimum of 5 years working experience in the area of development, and natural resources management.
Required skills and competencies
- Proven experience in project planning and management.
- Proven experience in national or sectoral development planning processes
- Knowledge and working experience in Malawi related to environment, climate change, resilience and development issues and processes;
- Knowledgeable of government procedures would be an added advantage
- Strong financial oversight management skills
- Strong team working skills and willingness to travel and work with rural communities
- Self-motivated, well organized, and ability to lead; ability to work with minimum supervision while ensuring work as part of a larger team
- Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly.
- Familiarity with institutional, planning and regulatory structures, and rural livelihoods in Malawi
- Computer knowledge and office software packages (MS Word, Excel,)
Required Language(s)
English and Chichewa
Method Of Application
Interested applicants that satisfy the requirements in the ToRs should submit their applications includinga signed application letter indicating the position they are applying for with an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV); Names and Contacts of Three Traceable Referees; Copies of Certificates by 04:30 PM on 24th November, 2023 to: The Director Environmental Affairs, Lingadzi House, P/Bag 394, LILONGWE 3.