The Climate Resilience Specialist will lead WFP Malawi’s efforts to strengthen community resilience and adaptive capacity in the face of increasing climate shocks such as floods, droughts, and erratic rainfall, which threaten food security and progress toward the Zero Hunger initiative (SDG 2). The position will provide technical leadership and oversight for WFP Malawi’s climate adaptation initiatives, particularly projects under climate‑related financing mechanisms, ensuring evidence‑based design, compliant and timely implementation, robust monitoring, and strong partnerships.

Through this role, the Climate Resilience Specialist will ensure that climate adaptation interventions effectively protect and strengthen food systems, livelihoods, and nutritional outcomes for vulnerable populations, thereby contributing to sustained reductions in hunger and malnutrition. The position will also ensure that cross‑cutting priorities, including gender equality, protection, accountability to affected populations (AAP), and environmental and social safeguards, are systematically mainstreamed across all climate resilience and adaptation interventions, in line with WFP corporate commitments and the Zero Hunger agenda.

A. Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Management

• Provide technical leadership for climate adaptation and mitigation across adaptation projects, ensuring alignment with WFP Strategic Plan, Country Strategic Plan (CSP), Government policies, and donor requirements.
• Lead annual and multi-year work planning, budgeting, risk management, and results tracking for climate resilience projects and ZHV model.
• Coordinate with internal teams (Programme, RAM/M&E, Supply Chain, Finance, Partnerships, Gender & Protection, Safeguards) for integrated delivery.

B. Project Design, Implementation & Compliance

• Oversee day-to-day implementation of Climate Adaptation projects and ZHV, guiding field teams and cooperating partners on climate-smart interventions (e.g., climate services, anticipatory action, climate-resilient livelihoods, watershed management, ecosystem restoration, water security, shock-responsive systems).
• Ensure compliance with donor policies (e.g., Adaptation Fund, GCF standards), WFP governance, Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS), risk management, fiduciary requirements, visibility/communications, and audit readiness.
• Develop/update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical guidance, and operational tools for climate activities.

C. Government & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as technical focal point with Government (e.g., DoDMA, Ministry of Natural Resources & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Climate and Meteorological Services), UN agencies, IFIs, NGOs, academia, and private sector.
• Support policy dialogue, coordination platforms (e.g., climate working groups), and alignment with national frameworks (NDC, NAP, DRM policy, sector strategies).
• Strengthen capacity of government and community institutions on climate risk management and adaptation.
• Support the preparation of the Field Level Agreements and/or memoranda of understanding between WFP and NGO-partners and government departments.

D. Monitoring, Evaluation, Evidence & Learning

• Lead development and implementation of results frameworks, M&E plans, baselines, midlines, endlines, and learning agendas for climate projects.
• Ensure integration of climate risk analytics (e.g., vulnerability mapping, seasonal forecasts, EW data), outcome monitoring, and cost-effectiveness/Value-for-Money assessments.
• Produce high-quality reports (donor, corporate), knowledge products, case studies, and lessons learned; facilitate adaptive management.

E. Integration of Cross-Cutting Priorities

• Mainstream Gender, Protection/Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Disability Inclusion, and Youth in design and delivery—ensuring meaningful participation and equitable benefit.
• Apply Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS), grievance mechanisms, and safeguards monitoring; ensure do-no-harm and conflict sensitivity.
• Promote nutrition- and market-sensitive approaches within climate programming; where relevant, link to social protection systems.

F. Partnerships, Resource Mobilization & Communications

• Support proposal development, concept notes, and resource mobilization for climate resilience, including GCF and other climate funds.
• Manage technical contributions to donor briefings, visibility plans, and communications content (human interest stories, factsheets, social media).
• Coordinate partner performance management, capacity assessments, and technical backstopping.

G. Operations, Budgeting & Procurement

• Work with Supply Chain and Finance to plan climate-relevant procurements (e.g., tools, seedlings, equipment, services) and track budget utilization.
• Prepare and review TORs for service providers/consultants, technical specifications, and deliverable-based contracts.
• Maintain risk registers, mitigation plans, and ensure audit compliance.

SUMMARY OF KEY DELIVERABLES:

• Annual Work Plan & Budget for the climate portfolio (GCF & Adaptation), approved and disseminated.
• Updated SOPs/technical guidance for key interventions (e.g., climate services, watershed management, anticipatory action).
• M&E framework and data collection tools operational; quarterly progress reports submitted on time.
• Donor reports (financial & narrative) of high quality and on schedule.
• Government and partner capacity-building plan executed; training materials and session reports delivered.
• ESS instruments (screening, ESMPs, GRM) implemented; incident logs and mitigation actions documented.
• Knowledge products (at least 2/year) and learning events conducted; lessons integrated into adaptive management.
• Resource mobilization inputs (at least 2 concept notes/proposals per year) prepared.

Timeline & Reporting

The Climate Resilience Specialist will be full time from June 2026 to February 2027.  The Climate Resilience Specialist will be under the line management of the Activity Manager for Integrated Resilience Programme.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in Climate Science, Environmental Management, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Disaster Risk Management, or related field; or first university degree with additional relevant experience.
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in climate adaptation/resilienceprogramming, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated experience managing Climate Adaptation Fund/bilateral climate projects, including compliance, M&E, and stakeholder engagement.
• Technical expertise in at least two of: climate services/EWS, anticipatory action, community-based adaptation, ecosystem/watershed management, water resources, nature-based solutions, social protection linkages, livelihood diversification.
• Proven track record in government coordination, partner management, and capacity building.
• Strong analytical, writing, and reporting skills; familiarity with WFP corporate systems is an asset.
• Fluency in English required; knowledge of Chichewa or other local languages is an advantage.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration.
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Training and/or experience in word processing, spreadsheet, and project management software as well as other standard WFP software packages and systems.

• Provide technical leadership for climate adaptation and mitigation across adaptation projects, ensuring alignment with WFP Strategic Plan, Country Strategic Plan (CSP), Government policies, and donor requirements.
• Lead annual and multi-year work planning, budgeting, risk management, and results tracking for climate resilience projects and ZHV model.
• Coordinate with internal teams (Programme, RAM/M&E, Supply Chain, Finance, Partnerships, Gender & Protection, Safeguards) for integrated delivery.
• Oversee day-to-day implementation of Climate Adaptation projects and ZHV, guiding field teams and cooperating partners on climate-smart interventions (e.g., climate services, anticipatory action, climate-resilient livelihoods, watershed management, ecosystem restoration, water security, shock-responsive systems).
• Ensure compliance with donor policies (e.g., Adaptation Fund, GCF standards), WFP governance, Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS), risk management, fiduciary requirements, visibility/communications, and audit readiness.
• Develop/update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical guidance, and operational tools for climate activities.
• Serve as technical focal point with Government (e.g., DoDMA, Ministry of Natural Resources & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Climate and Meteorological Services), UN agencies, IFIs, NGOs, academia, and private sector.
• Support policy dialogue, coordination platforms (e.g., climate working groups), and alignment with national frameworks (NDC, NAP, DRM policy, sector strategies).
• Strengthen capacity of government and community institutions on climate risk management and adaptation.
• Support the preparation of the Field Level Agreements and/or memoranda of understanding between WFP and NGO-partners and government departments.
• Lead development and implementation of results frameworks, M&E plans, baselines, midlines, endlines, and learning agendas for climate projects.
• Ensure integration of climate risk analytics (e.g., vulnerability mapping, seasonal forecasts, EW data), outcome monitoring, and cost-effectiveness/Value-for-Money assessments.
• Produce high-quality reports (donor, corporate), knowledge products, case studies, and lessons learned; facilitate adaptive management.
• Mainstream Gender, Protection/Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Disability Inclusion, and Youth in design and delivery—ensuring meaningful participation and equitable benefit.
• Apply Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS), grievance mechanisms, and safeguards monitoring; ensure do-no-harm and conflict sensitivity.
• Promote nutrition- and market-sensitive approaches within climate programming; where relevant, link to social protection systems.