Background

Habitat for Humanity Malawi seeks to recruit a Project Officer to support the GMF-funded initiative aimed at upgrading informal settlements in Mzuzu City. This project focuses on constructing new disaster-resilient homes, repairing existing housing units, and strengthening women-led Savings and Loan Groups to enhance financial inclusion and secure land tenure, contributing to resilient and sustainable urban communities.

This recruitment is part of the organization’s institutional strengthening and strategic realignment process in line with the new Country Strategy (2025–2030). The strategy emphasizes three focus areas:

• Building more and better homes
• Transforming Housing systems
• Inspiring action for housing – through partnerships, innovation, and volunteerism

Job Summary

The Project Officer will lead the overall coordination and day-to-day implementation of the GMF-funded project in Mzuzu City. This initiative focuses on upgrading the informal settlements of Geisha and Nkholongo through a holistic package of housing support, land tenure security, and financial inclusion. The role involves managing the construction of new homes, facilitating repairs for existing units, and empowering women-led Savings and Loan Groups (SLGs) to build resilience.

Reports to

Habitability and HDRR Manager

Main Responsibilities

Project Implementation and Coordination

• Lead the daily coordination and implementation of project activities in Geisha and Nkholongo, ensuring adherence to the project schedule and implementation plan.
• Manage the construction of 6 new disaster-resilient homes and the repair of 22 existing housing units, working closely with the Construction Supervisor to ensure quality and timeliness.

Financial Inclusion and Livelihoods Strengthening

• Oversee the strengthening of 10 women-led Savings and Loan Groups (SLGs), providing capacity building in financial literacy, business skills, and group management.
• Facilitate the management of the Housing fund to expand access to microloans for housing improvements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Integration

• Serve as the primary liaison between HFHM and stakeholders, including the Mzuzu City Council, Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare.
• Facilitate roundtable discussions and meetings to advocate for the integration of housing and land tenure issues into City’s policies and planning frameworks.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEAL) and Reporting

• Drive the creation and implementation of MEAL frameworks and data collection tools to track project progress against key indicators (e.g., houses constructed, tenure secured, savings increased).
• Conduct daily or periodic field monitoring visits to verify activity implementation and beneficiary satisfaction.

Financial and Resource Management

• Provide day-to-day management of project resources, ensuring efficient utilization and value for money.
• Collaborate with the Finance Specialist to monitor project expenditures, enforce internal controls, and ensure compliance with the approved budget.

Education Qualification and Experience

Education: Bachelor’s degree in project management, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Urban Development, or a closely related field.

Experience: Minimum of 4-5 years of progressive experience in community mobilization, development project management preferably in housing, urban development, or livelihood programming

• Proven experience in managing community-based interventions, including construction projects and financial inclusion/VSLA initiatives.

Safeguarding covenant:

Habitat Malawi in affiliation to HFHI work towards safeguarding the right of its stakeholders, as such any unwelcome sexual advances, comments, expressed & implied unnecessary demand for a Service, unnecessary touch, joke, gesture are strictly not tolerated in any form.

• Lead the daily coordination and implementation of project activities in Geisha and Nkholongo, ensuring adherence to the project schedule and implementation plan.
• Manage the construction of 6 new disaster-resilient homes and the repair of 22 existing housing units, working closely with the Construction Supervisor to ensure quality and timeliness.
• Oversee the strengthening of 10 women-led Savings and Loan Groups (SLGs), providing capacity building in financial literacy, business skills, and group management.
• Facilitate the management of the Housing fund to expand access to microloans for housing improvements.
• Serve as the primary liaison between HFHM and stakeholders, including the Mzuzu City Council, Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare.
• Facilitate roundtable discussions and meetings to advocate for the integration of housing and land tenure issues into City’s policies and planning frameworks.
• Drive the creation and implementation of MEAL frameworks and data collection tools to track project progress against key indicators (e.g., houses constructed, tenure secured, savings increased).
• Conduct daily or periodic field monitoring visits to verify activity implementation and beneficiary satisfaction.
• Provide day-to-day management of project resources, ensuring efficient utilization and value for money.
• Collaborate with the Finance Specialist to monitor project expenditures, enforce internal controls, and ensure compliance with the approved budget.

• Community mobilization
• Development project management
• Housing project management
• Urban development project management
• Livelihood programming
• Community-based interventions management
• Construction project management
• Financial inclusion initiatives management
• VSLA initiatives management
• Financial literacy training
• Business skills training
• Group management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Policy advocacy
• MEAL framework development
• Data collection tool development
• Field monitoring
• Resource management
• Budget monitoring
• Internal controls enforcement

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Urban Development, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 4-5 years of progressive experience in community mobilization, development project management preferably in housing, urban development, or livelihood programming
• Proven experience in managing community-based interventions, including construction projects and financial inclusion/VSLA initiatives.