Position: Gender and Land Tenure Specialist
Contract Type: Consultant – Full Time
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Start Date: September 1, 2026
Contract Duration: 12 Months

Background

Landesa, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to securing land rights for the world's impoverished rural populations, is seeking a Gender and Land Tenure Specialist. Since its inception in the 1960s, Landesa has collaborated with governments and stakeholders to empower individuals dependent on rural land, forests, or coastal resources who lack formalized rights, cannot fully benefit from them, or are at risk of losing them. Established as an independent nonprofit in 1981, Landesa has significantly expanded its reach and impact. Recognizing the transformative power of secure land tenure for women's empowerment, the organization employs innovative strategies to enhance equitable access to and control over land and natural resources. Landesa envisions a future where all individuals relying on land possess secure, legal rights—a crucial tool for poverty alleviation. To achieve this, they partner with governments, civil society, and corporations to craft pro-poor, gender-sensitive laws, policies, and programs, having strengthened land rights for over 720 million people in the past five years. With a global presence in over 65 countries and offices in various regions, Landesa is establishing operations in Malawi.

Scope of Work

This consultancy role will provide essential support to the implementation of the "Securing Women’s Land Project" in Malawi. Key objectives include informing public discourse on women's land rights within the context of customary land formalization, influencing policy reforms and programmatic initiatives to promote gender equity and social inclusion, and building capacity for collecting, analyzing, validating, and utilizing gender-disaggregated data to monitor progress on land rights and national/regional commitments. The specialist will also facilitate engagements with government officials, the private sector, customary authorities, community-led organizations, and other development stakeholders to advance national strategies for gender equality and women's land rights, as well as participate in advocacy and communications efforts targeting governmental bodies at national, sub-regional, and regional levels.

Reporting Structure

The consultant will report to the Africa Region Director and will collaborate closely with the Sr. Land Tenure Specialist and other Landesa staff.

Availability

This position requires a standard 40-hour workweek, with potential for additional hours as needed. Local travel within Malawi is expected, along with limited regional and international travel. Flexibility in working hours will be necessary at times due to time-zone differences with Landesa's international offices.

Key Responsibilities

1. 
   Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships:
   
   
   
   • Collaborate with the Sr. Land Tenure Specialist, national, regional, and global Landesa project staff, and partners such as WOLREC, WLA, and CYECE to implement the "Securing Women’s Land Rights Project in Malawi," funded by the Irene M. Staehelin Foundation.
   
   
   • Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders in government, the private sector, customary authorities, and civil society, including community-led organizations, women, men, and youth, to foster inclusive and equitable land governance, particularly concerning women's land rights in customary land registration, policy, and legislative reforms.
   
   
   • Identify and map existing national, sub-regional, and regional networks and complementary initiatives to enhance national and regional collaboration, learning, and knowledge exchange among project partners and stakeholders.
   
   
   
   


2. 
   Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI):
   
   
   
   • Provide technical leadership for integrating GESI approaches across all project activities.
   
   
   • Work with project partners to offer technical support in planning, designing, and implementing strategies for GESI integration aimed at securing women's land rights in customary land registration.
   
   
   • Lead the design and execution of GESI assessments, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes.
   
   
   • Conduct technical reviews of project documents, training materials, and legislative texts to identify gaps and propose specific recommendations for strengthening social inclusion, gender equality, and women's rights provisions.
   
   
   
   


3. 
   Capacity Strengthening:
   
   
   
   • Organize and facilitate training and learning workshops for project partners, government representatives, the private sector, civil society, traditional authorities, and community members to raise awareness and promote positive attitudes towards securing women's land rights for inclusive land governance.
   
   
   • Support national and international peer learning and exchange programs among project stakeholders as required.
   
   
   • Develop and contribute technical insights for communication materials tailored to diverse audiences, recommending appropriate media, such as radio programs, for disseminating information on land rights laws and legislation, particularly those protecting women's land rights.
   
   
   • Design and implement other capacity development initiatives as needed to advance project objectives.
   
   
   
   


4. 
   Monitoring and Learning:
   
   
   
   • Review project M&E needs and plans, and develop relevant indicators for tracking the project's gendered outcomes.
   
   
   • Establish an effective system for collecting and reporting both quantitative and qualitative data, and implement this system in collaboration with partners.
   
   
   • Oversee the implementation of the M&E system throughout the project lifecycle.
   
   
   • In coordination with Landesa's Research, Evaluation, and Learning (REL) staff, enhance data collection, analysis, and presentation processes to showcase project progress, inform decision-making, and highlight key outcomes.
   
   
   
   


5. 
   Communications and Advocacy:
   
   
   
   • Develop and distribute communications and outreach materials, including op-eds, briefs, policy documents, newsletters, infographics, website content, and social media posts, in close collaboration with Landesa's communications and advocacy teams.
   
   
   • Regularly document and share project reports, policy briefs, significant change stories, and testimonials in liaison with the Landesa communication team.
   
   
   
   


6. 
   Other Responsibilities:
   
   
   
   • Assist Landesa's senior management and staff in developing funding proposals and budgets.
   
   
   • Undertake other duties as assigned by the Africa Region Director or their designate.
   
   
   
   

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• A profound commitment to Landesa's mission of creating a better, safer future for the world's poorest through secure land rights for women, men, and local communities, and adherence to Landesa's core values.


• Proven research, analysis, synthesis, and writing capabilities allowing for independent work and project leadership.


• Strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills.


• Effective oral presentation abilities, capable of communicating policy recommendations to diverse audiences including community members, government officials, traditional authorities, CSOs, private sector actors, and development agencies.


• Familiarity with Malawi's land policy and legislative frameworks, as well as economic, social, agricultural, environmental, institutional, and geographic concepts relevant to securing women's land rights and rural development.


• Ability to develop concrete work plans, manage tasks, collaborate in teams, and meet agreed-upon budgets, schedules, and delivery requirements.


• Proficiency in document management, correspondence, project tracking and reporting, and other administrative tasks, adhering to Landesa's standards and procedures.


• Skill in collaborating effectively with individuals at all levels, including those from governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other counterparts, clients, and funders.


• Demonstrated cross-cultural sensitivity, tact, and poise.


• Capacity to lead and work collaboratively within the Malawi project team through consensus building, effective communication, and support.


• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English and local Malawian languages.

Education and Experience

• An advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in gender studies, social sciences, development studies, law, land management, or natural resource governance, or a related field.


• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) programming, with experience managing or implementing a women's land rights project being a distinct advantage.


• Demonstrated experience in developing GESI training manuals, curricula, and materials, and validating them with government and civil society stakeholders.


• Experience in designing and conducting GESI assessments, applying findings to program design, implementation, monitoring, and learning, including the development and use of gender-sensitive indicators and gender-disaggregated data.


• Extensive experience integrating GESI into land governance, land administration and management; conducting land policy research and analysis; designing and implementing interventions in land, agriculture, environment, and rural development; and working on women's economic empowerment projects.


• Proficiency in monitoring, evaluation, learning, and data analysis, including experience in strengthening data collection processes.