Development Worker (m/f/d) as Advisor – Civil Society Strengthening and Social Accountability
Malawi
Our model for success is a better life for everyone and purposeful tasks for our employees. For more than 50 years, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as a company of the German Federal Government, has been supporting the implementation of development policy goals worldwide. Together with partner organisations in 120 countries, we are involved in a diverse range of projects. If you want to make a difference in the world and develop yourself in the process, you've come to the right place.
- Job-ID: V000063477
- Location: Lilongwe
- Assignment period: 01.04.2026 - 31.12.2027
- Job Category: Strategy and Management advice
- Working hours: full-time
- Application deadline: 18.02.2026
Our Offer
The Strengthening Public Financial and Economic Management in Malawi (PFEM) program, implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) from April 2022 to March 2028, aims to improve Malawi’s economic governance and accountability in the management of public resources. Within this broader framework, the Multi-Donor Action “Strengthening Public Financial and Economic Management (PFEM) – Tikuze Malawi”, jointly commissioned by BMZ and the European Union (EU) (May 2024 – December 2027), focuses on enhancing the efficiency of anti-corruption and anti-fraud systems. The Action combines support to public financial management (PFM) reforms with assistance to key integrity and accountability institutions, operating across five results areas: (1) Domestic resource mobilization, (2) Budget execution and expenditure management, (3) Oversight of public resources, (4) Investigation and prosecution of corruption, and (5) Asset forfeiture. Cross-cutting themes include digitalization, institutional cooperation, information-sharing, change management, and —starting in 2026—collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) in preventing and combating corruption.
Your tasks
- Provide advisory support and capacity development for CSOs in Malawi in organizational strengthening, strategic planning, and effective anti-corruption engagement
- Provide technical backstopping to partner CSOs in designing and implementing anti-corruption advocacy and citizen-engagement strategies, including supporting innovative approaches that enhance project effectiveness and outreach
- Facilitate collaboration and structured dialogue between CSOs, oversight institutions, and media actors
- Provide expertise on governance, transparency, human rights, and gender equality within anti-corruption initiatives
- Strengthen monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) capacities of partner organizations, including data-collection and reporting methods
- Support and train staff of partner CSOs through on-the-job mentoring and skills development
- Support networking and coalition-building, promoting coordination among civil-society networks, investigative media, and citizen-engagement platforms
- Promote knowledge sharing and organizational learning to improve partners’ adaptability, innovation, and long-term sustainability
- Advising partners in project-management, resource-mobilization and sustainability processes, ensuring compliance with GIZ and donor standards.
- Contribute to PFEM knowledge management and reporting, providing field insights on the impact of CSO-state collaboration
Your Profile
Required criteria:
- At least Bachelor's degree in Economics, Governance, Political Science, Law, Development Studies, Public Administration/ Policy; or a related field
- Many years of professional experience in international cooperation and advisory work with civil-society or public-sector organizations
- Proven experience in organizational development, change management, and/or capacity building in intercultural contexts
- Demonstrated familiarity with government-CSO collaboration regarding social accountability
- Excellent analytical, facilitation, and communication skills in English; written and spoken
- Strong team orientation and ability to foster collaboration across institutional boundaries
- Resilience, adaptability, and proactive problem-solving in dynamic environments as well as commitment to gender equality, inclusiveness, and participatory approaches
Desirable criteria:
- Expertise in anti-corruption, transparency and/or public-finance oversight
- Strong understanding of Malawian or Sub-Saharan governance environments
- A specialization in gender or human rights is an asset as well as a high degree of integrity, empathy, and ethical conduct
- Experience in multi-stakeholder coordination and managing complex partnerships
Location information
We are pleased to offer you a first impression on topics such as climate, shopping and services, the school situation and health care in Malawi.
In general, the security situation is calm. GIZ staff must adhere to security measures at all times. Please also check the county-specific information provided by the German Federal Foreign Office. A contact person for security risk management is appointed at the local GIZ office. GIZ does not impose any restrictions on life partners and family members to move with you to the country of deployment. Please note that the general and personal living conditions in the country of assignment may meet with different legal and social acceptance. We gladly support you with our many years of experience.
Further information on country-specific advice from the Federal Foreign Office at https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en.
Notes
GIZ's Development Service is looking forward to applications of candidates with a professional qualification and / or university degree and at least two years of professional experience. In addition you hold the German nationality or the nationality of a member state of the European Union.
Willingness to travel on a regular basis is required.
For general questions from dependent partners about local employment - please contact us at: map@giz.de
Please observe the provisions of the country-specific vaccination regulations for entry and work in the country of assignment.
Please understand that we can accept and process in principle only applications via our E-recruiting system. Following the confirmation of your succesful application, kindly check your spam / junk mail folder on a regular basis, since some provider classify emails form our recruiting system as spam.
Our benefits
- We are a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development and work to build a future worth living around the world. We support projects in over 130 countries to achieve goals sustainably together with our partners.
- Your work will begin with an onboarding and preparation phase that will give you initial insights into GIZ and lay the groundwork for your upcoming assignment, establishing new contacts and building up your network.
- Extensive check-ups and preventive measures (e.g. on appointment, before the outward journey, during the stay in a country of assignment, in an emergency) are provided to our staff and the family members accompanying them as a matter of course.
- As a development worker, you can use the project vehicle for trips to school or to visit a doctor or can receive a monthly lump-sum mobility allowance instead. The project vehicle can also be used for personal trips with your manager’s approval.
- As an employee/development worker, you will receive extensive additional benefits (e.g. monthly expatriate allowance, family allowances, private group health insurance) during your assignment, in addition to your remuneration / basic subsistence allowance.
- To enable you to get ready for your assignment as a development worker and your outward journey, you will be given outward journey leave following your preparation time in Germany.
- We will cover a large portion of the childcare costs for dependent children under 14 who are accompanying you if your partner is not doing so and is not a development worker or integrated expert themselves. Most nursery and school fees are paid.
- We will reimburse you for your rental costs based on the rent index for your country as well as paying you an equipment and furnishing allowance on top.
- You and the members of your family accompanying you will be covered by our health and liability insurance, while your family members will also benefit from accident insurance. In countries in crisis, we operate a comprehensive risk management system for your protection, which minimises personal dangers and risks.
About us
The basis for service as a development worker is the Development Workers Act (EhfG) and a comprehensive package of benefits based on it. This includes, among other things, targeted professional and personal preparation. We offer the opportunity to work in an innovative, globally active development institution. Your competencies are in demand in an interdisciplinary team on site.
GIZ is a signatory of the Diversity Charter. Recognition, appreciation and inclusion of diversity in the company are important to us. All employees shall be valued - regardless of gender and gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, social background, age or sexual orientation.
We support equal opportunities and welcome applications from people with disabilities.
Contact & Application
+49 6196/79-3200
hrsc@giz.de
