Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Malawi is implementing the CATALYZE Malawi Project (2025-2028), a transformative project that is leveraging a portfolio approach to drive the country’s green transition, foster entrepreneurship growth, and unlock alternative financing mechanisms. The project seeks to catalyze a more sustainable, competitive, and resilient economy by promoting environmentally responsible economic practices, nurturing entrepreneurial ventures, and creating an enabling environment for business growth. Key to the project is the development of innovative financing solutions aimed at scaling high-impact, sustainable enterprises that contribute to Malawi’s broader economic transformation.
The CATALYZE Malawi Project is designed to align with the Government of Malawi's agenda for private-sector-led growth, supporting national efforts to achieve sustainable economic development. The project emphasizes business incubation, accelerates the growth of startups, and fosters an ecosystem that attracts impact investments to drive innovation and productivity. It focuses on key sectors essential for Malawi’s growth, including agriculture, industrialization, and renewable energy among others, positioning these as pillars of a green and inclusive economy.
Within this framework, UNDP Malawi has established itself as a vital partner for growth, innovation, and job creation, addressing systemic challenges that hinder private sector development. Building on the successes and lessons from its predecessor, the Private Sector Development (PSD) II Project, CATALYZE incorporates a suite of strategic initiatives that prioritize entrepreneurship development, enhanced access to finance, and scalable innovations for sustainable enterprise growth.
The project’s flagship initiatives are pivotal in delivering essential risk capital to startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and larger companies. These initiatives aim to unlock entrepreneurial potential, attract impact investments, and accelerate the adoption of climate-smart practices. By doing so, they enable businesses to thrive while supporting Malawi's transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy.
Given the project’s substantial scale, complexity, and ambitious objectives, it is vital to ensure that the team is equipped with the necessary capacity to deliver results effectively. The addition of a Grant Officer is proposed to bolster the team’s capacity, ensuring that the project achieves its intended outcomes within the set timeline. This is particularly important as the scope and complexity of the project pillars demand specialized expertise, dedicated support and resources.
It is on this note that UNDP is seeking to acquire services of a National Grant Officer to provide grant management support services primarily across the Growth Accelerator Malawi (GA), the Green Economic Transition Facility (GETF), and the Export Growth and Competitiveness Facility (EGCF) under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator Green/Inclusive Growth and in close collaboration with the UNDP Programme Analyst, Private Sector Development and with the GETF/GA Service Provider.
Duties and Responsibilities
Ensure Fiduciary Management
The National Grant Officer will closely monitor and have functions applying to all the projects already contracted. The National Grant Officer will manage milestones on behalf of the GA, GETF and EGCF and be accountable to UNDP for such actions. The services provided will include:
Managing a portfolio of contracted projects; The National Grant Officer will ensure that payments are linked to progress milestones, that are contractually binding, ensuring that each individual project is on course to deliver its planned objectives as set out in the various facilities detailed project proposals and in the Milestone sheets, contractually binding for each grantee; Monitoring the disbursement of funds to grantees and prepare detailed records, with all the documentary evidence, of how funds are utilized based on the contracted purposes; Preparing milestone verification reports containing verified expenditure for each milestone and requests for disbursement to UNDP and will ensure adequate cash flow management for the grant-making activities of the Fund.Ensure Monitoring and Reporting
The National Grant Officer will provide effective monitoring and reporting, focusing on the following results:
Maintain the implemented Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system that measures the results and impacts of funded projects in each window, and work with Grantees and other relevant partners to ensure implementation of the M&E system; Monitoring closely the portfolio at risk; Monitoring the progress of projects against the original application and the implementation agreement or any agreed revisions thereof, and in the event, that the project departs from the original plan or other difficulties arise, work with the Grantee to address and resolve the shortcomings, seeking the advice and guidance of the Investment Panel and UNDP as necessary; Take such action as is necessary, in accordance with the provisions of the contract, in the event that the integrity of the instruments or its funds are put at risk by any funded project; Ensuring that the instruments operate transparently and according to schedule; Ensuring that contracts with Grantees allow for adequate supervision and impact assessment, and that outcomes and impacts of the funded projects are measurable and measured; Alert UNDP at the earliest possible opportunity of any unsatisfactory Grantee performance; Providing details to the Steering Committee of the policy and institutional changes suggested by grantees that are needed to increase pro-poor impacts and bring about systemic change in the market for each intervention; Preparing a baseline report at the start of the grant implementation and End-line Impact reports for each of the contracted grantees that will complete their contractual obligations and conclude all the milestones; The National Grant Officer will report to UNDP and will make presentations on progress during monthly meetings organized with the funding partners and during the project Steering Committee meetings held every semester; The National Grant Officer will need to carefully monitor and assess impact of projects for the different windows against the objectives of each window, providing regular written Quarterly technical and financial progress reports to UNDP detailing; projects in the pipeline and stage reached budget (actual and forecast) and any management issues for consideration.Provision of Technical advisory across CATALYZE project outputs
The National Grant Officer will provide support, as needed, for the development of additional financial instruments under the CATALYZE Malawi project; The incumbent will conduct research, as required, in emerging areas such as venture capital, angel investment, green and climate finance, and contribute to the design and implementation of new initiatives; Flexibility will be required in undertaking tasks beyond the financial instruments for which the expert was initially hired; The Officer will offer grant management expertise to support Agricultural Commercialization outputs, as needed; The incumbent will provide key inputs to enhance the enabling environment for entrepreneurs and promote sustainability in the greening space as projects are implemented.Facilitate knowledge and capacity building and knowledge sharing
Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners; Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
This position will be based at the UNDP Malawi Country Office in Lilongwe, with frequent in-country travel to support beneficiary companies. The incumbent will report to the Programme Coordinator for Inclusive/Green Business and work in close collaboration with the Programme Analyst for Private Sector Development. Additionally, the role requires periodic presence at the premises of the Service Provider contracted for the GA/GETF, working closely with other Grant Officers and Business Acceleration Officers.
Competencies Core Competencies Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work. Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking. Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning. Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process. Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously. Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership. Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.Functional/Technical competencies
Business Direction & Strategy:
Strategic Thinking: Develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.Business Direction & Strategy
Business Acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization.Business Direction & Strategy
Effective Decision Making: Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.Business Development
Integration within the UN: Ability to identify, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.Business Development: Knowledge Generation
Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.Business Direction and Strategy
System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness
Effectiveness: Programmatic Risk Management and Analysis.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (masters’ degree or equivalent) in Economics, International Development Studies, Organizational Development, or related field is required. A first-level university degree in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in management of a similar size of grant is required.Required skills:
Sound-track record of experience in Enterprise Challenge Fund management services for private and international organizations is required; At least two years of enterprise challenge fund management experience and track-record is required; Demonstrated experience in Programme/Project management is required; At least two years specialist experience and knowledge in the development of performance management plans and assessment of economic, social and environmental impacts, use of grants to trigger innovation and social or financial fund management, matching grant schemes, or venture capital/private equity vehicles.Desired skills:
Demonstrated ability to engage with private sector players at senior management level and ability to diligently monitor a complex investment portfolio of projects; Demonstrated ability to provide financial management advice on the implementation of the projects; Demonstrated ability to monitor risks for all grantees and provide timely solutions; Demonstrated experience working in Africa with the private sector; experience in Malawi; Experience in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and financial innovation, including an up to date understanding of market access frontiers for the poor and how they may be shifted through commercial innovation.Languages:
Fluency in English and Chichewa is required.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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