Local Stakeholder Engagement Expert - Malawi

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Local Stakeholder Engagement Expert - Malawi for a energy, water sanitation, transport consultancy assignment financed by UNICEF in Malawi.

Aninver Development Partners is preparing a proposal for an upcoming UNICEF consultancy in Malawi focused on supporting the transition from handpumps to solar-powered water systems in rural communities. The assignment addresses a technically and politically sensitive sector, evaluating the performance, life-cycle costs, management sustainability, and socio-economic benefits of both technologies to guide future investments.

To ensure robust local execution, we are seeking a dedicated Local Stakeholder Engagement Expert to facilitate district-level field visits, stakeholder consultations, and data gathering across multiple target districts in Malawi. The successful candidate will play a critical role in bridging national and community-level actors while upholding rigorous standards of neutrality and inclusion.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Support district-level field data collection across 4-6 target districts in Malawi.
• Facilitate balanced and inclusive consultations with diverse stakeholders, including district water offices, service providers, and community representatives.
• Gather qualitative and quantitative insights on rural water supply performance, user perspectives, and management models.

Scope of work

• Design and implement participatory stakeholder engagement plans for field data collection.
• Conduct field visits to selected rural water supply sites transitioning between handpump and solar systems.
• Engage with both proponents and critics of each technology to ensure balanced and unbiased information gathering.
• Support the validation of technical, financial, and social data collected from local sites.
• Document community readiness, trust, user priorities, and acceptance of various management models.
• Assist in mapping local institutional structures and supporting coordination between district authorities and communities.

Your role as Local Stakeholder Engagement Expert - Malawi

• Lead and coordinate district-level stakeholder engagement activities and field logistics across the designated project areas.
• Organize and facilitate consultative meetings, focus group discussions, and interviews with local government officials, water user committees, and community members.
• Ensure balanced representation and capture diverse perspectives from both advocates and skeptics of solar and handpump technologies.
• Support the broader multi-disciplinary team in gathering localized qualitative and quantitative data.
• Assist in identifying and engaging vulnerable groups to ensure inclusive participation regarding water access and time-saving benefits.
• Contribute local contextual insights to help interpret findings and draft stakeholder engagement reports.

Requirements

• Proven professional experience in stakeholder engagement, community mobilization, or field research within the water or rural development sectors in Malawi.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues involving local government authorities, private service providers, and rural communities.
• Familiarity with Malawi's rural water supply systems, institutional frameworks, and community-based management models.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and participatory facilitation skills.
• Fluency in English and local languages spoken in the project districts.
• National of, or based in, the project country

Desirable

• Prior experience working on UNICEF or other international donor-funded projects in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector.
• Experience applying gender-sensitive and inclusive participatory methodologies in rural settings.

A locally experienced engagement specialist with deep knowledge of Malawi's rural water sector, excellent facilitation skills, and a proven ability to manage sensitive community consultations objectively.

Assignment details

• Location: Malawi
• Financed by: UNICEF
• Sector: Energy, water sanitation, transport
• Estimated duration: 4 months
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a UNICEF-financed project in Malawi.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? This position requires a national of, or a professional based in, the project country.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.