National Consultant: Mid-Term Review of UNFPA Malawi 9th Country Programme, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi

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National Consultant: Mid-Term Review of UNFPA Malawi 9th Country Programme

Lilongwe, Malawi

Job Details

• Job ID: 34363
• Posted: May 22, 2026, 07:38 AM
• Application Deadline: May 30, 2026, 03:59 AM
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
• Grade: NOC
• Vacancy Type: Individual Consultancy
• Contract Type: Non-Rotational
• Duration: 4 months
• Required Education & Experience: Master's Degree with 5 years of experience
• Languages: Fluent in English and Chichewa (both spoken and written)
• Vacancy Timeline: 1 Week

Position Overview

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Malawi is currently implementing its 9th Country Programme (CP, 2024-2028). This initiative supports the Malawian Government in achieving national objectives outlined in Malawi Vision 2063, the Malawi 2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1), the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and the Programme of Action for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). As the CP reaches its midpoint in 2026, the Country Office (CO) requires a thorough Mid-Term Review (MTR) to ensure the programme remains relevant, efficient, effective, and sustainable.

The Malawi CO is navigating two significant shifts: Firstly, global strategic alignment necessitates adapting the 9th CP to align with new focus areas introduced in the UNFPA Global Strategic Plan (2026-2029). Secondly, resource constraints, influenced by changes in the funding landscape globally and locally, demand a critical review of the Results and Resources Framework (RRF) to ensure targets are realistic and achievable with available financial resources.

Your Impact

UNFPA stands as the lead United Nations agency dedicated to achieving a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 serves as a roadmap for resilience and renewal in a complex global environment, aiming to accelerate the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is advanced through four interconnected outcomes: addressing the unmet need for family planning, eliminating preventable maternal deaths, eradicating gender-based violence and harmful practices, and adapting to demographic changes through evidence-based and rights-based policies.

In an era where fundamental human rights are increasingly at risk, UNFPA seeks principled and ethical staff who embody international norms and standards and are prepared to defend them with courage and conviction. We are looking for individuals who can drive transformation, inspire action, deliver high-impact and sustainable results, and build strong external relations, communications, and partnerships in a dynamic development and funding landscape. Transparency, exceptional resource management, and a commitment to achieving excellence in programme outcomes are essential.

Job Purpose

The Mid-Term Review will provide the foundation for necessary adjustments, updating the 9th CP, including its Theory of Change (ToC) and RRF, to align with the new Strategic Plan and recent contextual shifts for the remainder of the programme cycle. This critical management exercise aims to recalibrate the 9th CP by ensuring its RRF and ToC are aligned with the new 2026-2029 SP and the evolving national funding landscape. To this end, the CO is seeking to engage a national consultant to conduct the Mid-Term Review of the 9th Country Programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Progress Assessment: Evaluate the progress, or lack thereof, towards the expected outputs of the Country Programme. Identify enabling and constraining factors, and highlight any unexpected results, positive or negative.
• Strategic Alignment: Ensure the 9th CP priorities and strategies are aligned with and updated according to the new UNFPA Strategic Plan (2026-2029).
• Theory of Change Revision: Conduct a critical review and update the CP's Theory of Change to reflect the current socio-economic and funding context. This will also inform the rationalization of the RRF.
• RRF Rationalization: Update indicators, baselines, and targets within the Results and Resources Framework to ensure they remain realistic, strategic, and achievable given available resources, in alignment with the revised ToC.
• Response to Changing Context: Analyze the impact of the evolving global and national funding scenarios on programme delivery. Recommend necessary adjustments and document strategies for the 9th CP to address these changes for the remainder of its cycle, also informing updates to the UNSDCF.

Activities Involved

The consultant will collaborate closely with the CO management team and engage with programme and operations teams. Guidance will be sought from UNFPA's East and Southern Africa Regional Office, particularly for the review of inception and findings reports. The process will involve a desk review of existing literature, interviews and focus group discussions with implementing partners, team reflection sessions, and a dissemination workshop with the CO team.

The MTR is designed to answer the following key questions. The consultant will refine and finalize these questions in the inception report, subject to approval by the Country Office.

• EQ 1 (Effectiveness): To what extent has the 9th CP achieved its cumulative output targets for 2024-2026, and how have contextual changes influenced these results?
• EQ 2 (Relevance): How effectively do the current 9th CP priorities align with the new UNFPA Global Strategic Plan (2026-2029) and recent national contexts?
• EQ 3 (Efficiency): Considering the changing funding landscape, how effectively has the Country Office reallocated resources and leveraged partnerships to sustain essential service delivery for the most vulnerable populations ("furthest behind first")?
• EQ 4 (Sustainability): Based on implementation experience to date, what specific adjustments are required for the Theory of Change and Results and Resources Framework (RRF) to ensure targets for 2027-2028 remain realistic, strategic, and impactful?

Methodology

The review will primarily employ a qualitative methodology, incorporating desk reviews and the collection of secondary data from relevant reports, publications, websites, and other available documentation. The consultant is expected to utilize triangulation to ensure the validity of findings.

• The consultant will conduct interviews with selected stakeholders, including implementing partners (IPs) such as government entities, professional associations, civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions, as well as development partners. Consultations will also be held with selected members of the UNFPA Country Office team.
• UNFPA will provide a list of focal persons from implementing partners, development partners, NGOs, and CSOs from whom respondents will be selected. For efficiency, virtual interviews and consultations are recommended where feasible, including for collecting data from district-level perspectives.

Additional Information

Interested candidates are requested to submit or provide a link to their two most recent evaluation or mid-term review reports.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

A Master's degree in Public Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation, Demography, Public Health, or a related field is required.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in conducting evaluations, strategic planning, and developing/evaluating country programmes.
• Demonstrated prior experience in conducting evaluations, assessments, and technical/programme reviews of country programmes, preferably within the UN system.
• For the national consultant, significant experience and a strong understanding of the Malawian context are essential.
• Familiarity with UNFPA programmes and mandates will be considered an asset.
• Excellent communication and report-writing skills are necessary.

Languages:

Proficiency in both Chichewa and English is required.

Compensation and Benefits:

The consultant will be remunerated according to UNFPA's consultancy payment guidelines.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA fosters a work environment that embodies the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity, and a healthy work-life balance. We are committed to achieving gender parity within the organization and strongly encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request to facilitate their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in appointment, training, compensation, and selection, irrespective of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are central to UNFPA's workforce philosophy - learn more by clicking here.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment are subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance, and other administrative requirements. UNFPA does not charge any fees for application, processing, training, interviewing, testing, or any other aspect of the recruitment process, nor does it solicit applicants' bank account information.

Required Skills

Communication

Report writing

Skills

Strategic Planning

Communication skills

Report Writing

English

Chichewa