The Opportunity

Save the Children is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position of Innovation Specialist (Health) – Bundle Up! Nutrition for Small and Sick Newborns for the Malawi Country Office, based in Lilongwe. The position is a two-year contract and reports directly to the Innovations Manager, with matrix technical support from the Health Technical Advisor.

The Innovation Specialist will provide technical leadership in the implementation of the Bundle Up! Nutrition for Small and Sick Newborns innovation project at Kamuzu Central Hospital. The role holder will be responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring, and reporting on project activities while applying Human-Centred Design (HCD) and Innovation Friendly Procurement approaches to identify, test, and scale innovative solutions that improve nutrition outcomes for small and sick newborns.

Working closely with healthcare workers, mothers and caregivers, the Ministry of Health, private sector partners, and other stakeholders, the Innovation Specialist will facilitate co-design processes, strengthen partnerships, coordinate innovation activities, and support the adoption and scale-up of tested solutions. The role also includes representing the project in national technical forums, supporting evidence generation, and ensuring high-quality project implementation in line with Save the Children’s Innovation Strategy and donor requirements.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder may be required to work outside the normal role profile and adjust working hours accordingly.

To be successful, you will bring/have:

Education:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Design Strategy, Innovation, Manufacturing Engineering, Business Information Technology, or a related design discipline.
• Additional qualifications or certifications in Product Development, Product Management, or Health and Nutrition for newborn care will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing innovation projects.
• Experience managing innovation programmes, partnerships, or innovation incubators/accelerators within the public, private, or NGO sectors.
• Strong understanding of health, nutrition, and newborn care policies and practices in Malawi.
• Experience applying Human-Centred Design and facilitating innovation workshops.
• Experience managing projects, budgets, procurement processes, and partnerships.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, including working with government, private sector, and development partners.
• Excellent workshop facilitation, coaching, mentoring, and capacity-strengthening skills.
• Strong analytical, report writing, monitoring, evaluation, and documentation skills.

Skills:

• Excellent communication skills in both English and Chichewa.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and digital collaboration tools such as Figma.
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments with multiple competing priorities.

• Provide technical leadership in the implementation of the Bundle Up! Nutrition for Small and Sick Newborns innovation project at Kamuzu Central Hospital.
• Responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring, and reporting on project activities.
• Apply Human-Centred Design (HCD) and Innovation Friendly Procurement approaches to identify, test, and scale innovative solutions that improve nutrition outcomes for small and sick newborns.
• Facilitate co-design processes with healthcare workers, mothers and caregivers, the Ministry of Health, private sector partners, and other stakeholders.
• Strengthen partnerships.
• Coordinate innovation activities.
• Support the adoption and scale-up of tested solutions.
• Represent the project in national technical forums.
• Support evidence generation.
• Ensure high-quality project implementation in line with Save the Children’s Innovation Strategy and donor requirements.
• In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder may be required to work outside the normal role profile and adjust working hours accordingly.

• Excellent communication skills in both English and Chichewa.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and digital collaboration tools such as Figma.
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments with multiple competing priorities.
• Human-Centred Design (HCD) application.
• Workshop facilitation.
• Coaching.
• Mentoring.
• Capacity-strengthening.
• Analytical skills.
• Report writing.
• Monitoring and evaluation skills.
• Documentation skills.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Relationship management.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Design Strategy, Innovation, Manufacturing Engineering, Business Information Technology, or a related design discipline.
• Additional qualifications or certifications in Product Development, Product Management, or Health and Nutrition for newborn care will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing innovation projects.
• Experience managing innovation programmes, partnerships, or innovation incubators/accelerators within the public, private, or NGO sectors.
• Strong understanding of health, nutrition, and newborn care policies and practices in Malawi.
• Experience applying Human-Centred Design and facilitating innovation workshops.
• Experience managing projects, budgets, procurement processes, and partnerships.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, including working with government, private sector, and development partners.
• Excellent workshop facilitation, coaching, mentoring, and capacity-strengthening skills.
• Strong analytical, report writing, monitoring, evaluation, and documentation skills.