PROJECT MANAGER

OVERVIEW

CARE International is a leading development organisation dedicated to saving lives, fighting poverty, and achieving social justice, with a special emphasis on women and girls. The organisation works with partners and communities to empower marginalised and vulnerable people to exercise their rights and improve their livelihoods.

CARE Malawi invites applications from professionally qualified and experienced candidates for the position of Project Manager under the SOAR/Bezos Family Foundation (BFF) Project in Lilongwe District.

The Project Manager will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, coordination, and oversight of project implementation. The role will focus on improving education outcomes and life skills development for students while supporting government uptake and expansion of accelerated education programmes.

JOB TYPE: Full Time

Date Posted: Tuesday, 20th October, 2026

Application Deadline: Tuesday, 27th October, 2026

POSITION: PROJECT MANAGER

JOB SUMMARY

The Project Manager will lead the planning, implementation, monitoring, financial management, reporting, and learning activities of the SOAR/BFF Project. The successful candidate will ensure that project interventions achieve their objectives and targets in line with donor requirements, CARE Malawi policies, and Government of Malawi priorities.

The role will also strengthen collaboration with government institutions, implementing partners, civil society organisations, and communities to promote effective, sustainable, and accountable education interventions.

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Project Leadership and Implementation

• Provide overall leadership and management of the SOAR/BFF Project.
• Ensure project activities are implemented in line with approved project documents, donor agreements, workplans, budgets, and organisational policies.
• Lead strategic planning and implementation processes to achieve project goals, outcomes, and targets.
• Develop annual, quarterly, and monthly workplans and implementation schedules in collaboration with government partners and other CARE Malawi projects.
• Coordinate and supervise day-to-day project activities across all intervention areas.
• Ensure technical excellence and quality implementation of project interventions.

2. Education Programme Development and Scale-Up

• Lead interventions aimed at improving education outcomes and life skills development for students.
• Support government uptake and expansion of accelerated education provision.
• Work with government partners to co-design and implement a multi-year roadmap for scaling up accelerated education.
• Promote evidence-based programming and the application of best practices in education and life skills development.
• Ensure project interventions are designed and implemented with sustainability and future expansion in mind.

3. Financial and Resource Management

• Oversee project budget planning, implementation, monitoring, and forecasting.
• Ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable use of project resources.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and implementation plans.
• Support effective financial management and compliance with donor and organisational requirements.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Provide strategic guidance to project accountability and learning systems.
• Liaise with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator to obtain timely monitoring data.
• Track project indicators, targets, and performance measures.
• Use monitoring findings and contextual trends to guide planning and project adaptation.
• Promote evidence-based decision-making and continuous learning.

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

• Maintain strong partnerships with the Ministry of Education, District Councils, District Education Offices, and other relevant government institutions.
• Build and maintain relationships with implementing partners, civil society organisations, community structures, private sector actors, and development partners.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement to promote collaboration and ownership of project interventions.
• Work with partners to support effective and sustainable project implementation.

6. Staff Management and Development

• Supervise, mentor, coach, and support project staff to achieve high performance.
• Conduct performance planning, monitoring, and appraisal processes for direct reports.
• Provide strategic guidance and support to project teams.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, and professional development.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Science, or another relevant field.
• Have at least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience managing donor-funded development projects.
• Have at least three (3) years of experience in management or technical leadership of large-scale education programmes.
• Demonstrate experience implementing education and social-emotional learning programmes.
• Have proven experience in project planning, implementation, budget management, reporting, and stakeholder coordination.
• Have experience collaborating with the Ministry of Education (MoEST) and district-level education structures.
• Demonstrate experience managing partnerships with civil society organisations, community-based organisations, and development partners.
• Have experience supervising, mentoring, and managing multidisciplinary teams.

ADDED ADVANTAGE

• Professional certification or training in Project Management, Programme Management, Education Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, or Leadership.
• Familiarity with Education Management Information Systems (EMIS), education sector planning processes, and data-driven decision-making.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong team-building and relationship-management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage and resolve conflicts constructively.
• A proactive, action-oriented approach to work.
• Strong leadership, planning, and organisational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with government partners, communities, and development stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Chichewa.

SAFEGUARDING AND PROTECTION

CARE has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. The organisation's Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy outlines the expected behaviour and responsibilities of staff and CARE-related personnel, including consultants, vendors, partners, and project participants.

All potential candidates will be required to complete a Self-Declaration Form. Successful candidates will be expected to sign and comply with the Code of Behaviour contained in the PSEA Policy.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, experience, and competency requirements should submit an application letter and a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) by email.

Email: mwicarerecruit@care.org

Applications should be addressed to:

The Country Director

CARE Malawi

P/Bag A89

Lilongwe, Malawi

Closing Date: Tuesday, 27th October, 2026

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.