Senior Development Advisor (SC10, Lilongwe)
- Short Posting Period (12d): 12 days between posting and deadline — shorter than the typical 2–4 week window for UN professional positions.
Job Description
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
11 May 2026-23:59-GMT+02:00 Central Africa Time (Blantyre)WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.
ABOUT WFP
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.
To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org [link removed] and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube [link removed], LinkedIn [link removed], Instagram [link removed], Facebook [link removed], Twitter [link removed], TikTok [link removed].
WHY JOIN WFP?
WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).
ORGANIZATIONALCONTEXT:
Malawi is a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa, ranking172ndout of193countries on the2025Human Development Index. With most livelihoods dependent on agriculture, Malawians are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate-related shocks and stresses. Most rural families experience poverty, with those headed by women suffering the most. Climate-induced shocks, the lingering effects of COVID-19, the impact of the conflict in Ukraineand Iran, rapidly rising inflation and an overalldifficult economiclandscapethreaten food and nutrition security for theforeseeable future. Food and fuel prices have been on the rise, reaching record highs for the post-harvest period and eroding the limited purchasing power of Malawi’s poor and ultra-poor households, who already survive on less than US$165 per person, per year.
The World Food Programme (WFP) Malawi is undergoing a strategic repositioning aimed at strengthening its alignment with national priorities, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and supporting the Government of Malawi in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with a particular emphasis on reaching Zero Hunger (SDG 2), and aligning with Government strategies, particularly its Vision 2063. achieving sustainable development goals.
To advance this agenda, WFP Malawiseeksto recruit aSenior DevelopmentAdviserwho will provide strategic, analytical and coordination support to the Office of the Country Director.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Theposition reports directly to the Country Director (CD)and willbe responsible forthe following:
Strategic Analysis,Policy Engagement and Government Relations
Monitor and analyze political, social, economic, and humanitarian developments with potential implications for WFP operations, providing concise briefs and recommendations to the CountryDirector.
Conduct policyresearch and analysis tobroadly guideWFP Malawi’s decision-making and strategic planning.
Driveengagementwith senior government officials, development partners and regional organizations andassistthe Country Director instrategicpolicy dialogues.
Ensure all WFP interventions are well alignedwith Malawi’s national priorities and policy frameworks through consistent follow-up.
Monitor national policy developments andadvisethe Country Director on implications for WFP programs and positioning.
Gather socio-political insights to support WFP’s effective positioning vis-à-vis nationalgovernments, regional and international institutions with the aimtoinfluence the policyagenda.
Inter-Agency Coordination and Representation
Represent WFP in inter-agency working groups, task forces, and policy-level discussions, ensuring coordinated engagement and follow-through.
Coordinate and manage inter-agency issues,circulateinformation to relevant units,andensureconsistent participation.
Partnerships, External Relations, and Resource Mobilization
Support WFP Malawi partnerships team with identification, preparation, and submission of new funding opportunities in close coordination with the Government of Malawi.
Strengthen WFP’s relationship with key donors and financial institutions, including the World Bank, Global Fund, African Development Bank, and others, byfacilitatingregular communication and joint engagement with government stakeholders.
Contribute to building trust and collaboration between WFP, the Government of Malawi, and development partners to enhance long-term financing for resilience and food security initiatives.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:
Education:Advanced University degree in Political Science, International Development, DevelopmentStudies,International Relations, Law, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree withadditionalyears of related work experience and/or trainings/courses
Experience:
At least10ormore years of relevant professional workexperiencein policy analysis, strategy development, inter-agency coordination, partnership building,or related fields.
Experience as a senior government official (e.g., former Minister, Principal Secretary, or equivalent) is highly desirable.
Knowledge & Skills
Strong analytical and political economy analysis skills.
Good understanding of government and corporate strategies.
Solid grasp of Malawi’s political and development landscape including key national institutions, policy processes, and strategic frameworks.
Experience in developing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Excellent communication, writing,and presentation abilities.
Ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP processes and systems.
High levelof discretionand diplomacy.
Good interpersonal and diplomatic skillsand ability to work inamulticultural environment.
Experience working with UN agencies, government institutions,and/or international organizations.
Languages
Fluency in(level C) in English languageand Chichewa.
Contract Duration: 6 months (with possible extension)
WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.
Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework [link removed]
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: [email protected] [link removed]
NO FEE DISCLAIMER
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.
We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected] [link removed]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.
At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.
All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
