Project Manager

POSITION                     : PROGRAM MANAGER

LOCATION                   : Lilongwe, Malawi

CLOSING DATE            : 19th October, 2026

ABOUT ASWiM

The Association of Social Workers in Malawi (ASWiM) is a legally registered professional association established in May 2019 to promote and protect the social work profession and the well-being of the people it serves. ASWiM is governed by a National Executive Committee, Secretariat and Board of Trustees, with regional chapters in the Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Regions. Its membership includes student and practising social workers from both the public and private sectors.

BACKGROUND

ASWiM is anticipating an award for a child development, care, and protection project. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen national systems that protect vulnerable children, support families, and improve early childhood development through locally led and sustainable approaches. The project will improve outcomes for vulnerable children by strengthening child protection systems, supporting families and caregivers, advancing integrated early childhood development and health services, strengthening referrals and case management, promoting family-based care, and reducing reliance on residential care. Recruitment for all candidates is contingent upon successful award of the project and confirmation of project funding.

JOB SUMMARY

As a member of the project team, the Program Manager will provide overall technical and operational leadership for project implementation. The position will coordinate project planning, implementation, partner engagement, monitoring, reporting and learning in collaboration with Government of Malawi counterparts, local partners, community structures and other stakeholders.

Reporting to the National Coordinator and ASWIM General Secretary, the Program Manager will ensure that project activities are implemented in accordance with approved workplans, program quality principles and standards, donor requirements and relevant Government of Malawi policies and standards.

ROLES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

·      Lead the overall coordination and implementation of assigned project activities in accordance with the approved workplan and implementation plan.

·      Develop and monitor annual, quarterly and monthly implementation plans.

·      Coordinate with Government of Malawi institutions, district councils, local partners, community structures and other stakeholders.

·      Provide technical leadership on child protection, social work, case management, family strengthening, referrals, family-based care and related interventions.

·      Ensure quality and timely delivery of project activities in accordance with donor requirements.

·      Coordinate partner engagement, technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities.

·      Monitor project implementation, identify challenges and facilitate timely corrective action.

·      Work closely with the MEAL Officer to track project performance, results and learning.

·      Lead preparation and review of project reports and other donor deliverables.

·      Support development and review of technical tools, guidelines, training materials and implementation approaches.

·      Ensure effective integration of safeguarding, gender, disability inclusion, accountability and other cross-cutting priorities.

·      Represent ASWiM in relevant technical meetings, coordination platforms and stakeholder engagements.

·      Promote documentation and sharing of lessons learned, promising practices and project innovations.

·      Support project budget planning and ensure implementation remains aligned with approved budgets.

·      Provide leadership and supervision to project staff.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

·      Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Sociology, Development Studies or Community Development

·      A Master’s degree in Social Work will be an added advantage.

·      Active registration with ASWIM as a paid-up member is a MUST

·      Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in child protection, social work, community development or related programming.

·      Demonstrated experience in programme/project management and coordination.

·      Experience working with Government of Malawi institutions and district structures.

·      Experience working with NGOs and/or donor-funded programmes.

·      Strong knowledge of child protection, social welfare and social work systems in Malawi.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

·      Strong programme planning, coordination and management skills.

·      Good understanding of child protection and social work systems.

·      Knowledge of Malawian and International legislations and policies for children

·      Excellent report writing and communication skills.

·      Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills.

·      Ability to analyse programme performance and identify implementation challenges.

·      Ability to work effectively with diverse teams and communities.

·      Proficient in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

·      Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.

·      Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.

·      Fluency in English and Chichewa.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

· Internal:ASWiM Board, NEC, National Secretariat and Project Team

· External: Government ministries and departments, district councils, local partners, community structures, faith-based organisations, civil society organisations and other project stakeholders.

SAFEGUARDING

·      ASWiM is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse, exploitation and harm. The successful candidate will be required to comply with ASWiM safeguarding policies, Code of Conduct and other applicable standards.

Interested candidates should submit:

·      A current CV

·      A cover letter explaining their suitability for the position.

·      Contact details for three professional referees.

·      Copies of relevant academic and professional qualifications

·      2026 ASWIM Membership Registration Certificate

Applications should be submitted to: [email protected]

ASWiM is an equal opportunity organisation and encourages all suitably qualified candidates to apply.