Anticipated Start Date: 12/01/2013
Work Location: Malawi -
Lilongwe
Language Requirement: English
Employee Duration: Tdy
Our diversity is our strength; we encourage
people from all
backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply.
backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply.
Description
Background and context
CARE International in Malawi is seeking an experienced and
capable Technical Proposal Writer to assist with the development of project
proposals from December 2013 to March 2014. One of the main focuses
of this position will be to lead CARE Malawi’s response to the FY2014 Request
for Applications (RFA) from USAID under the Food for Progress (FFP) Development
Food Assistance Program (DFAP). The RFA provides specific guidance for Malawi
for which the overall goal is to reduce chronic malnutrition and
food insecurity among vulnerable populations in Malawi. Four
programmatic priorities are identified in the RFA namely: 1) agriculture and
natural resource management; 2) increasing market access, information and
orientation; 3) improving maternal and child health and nutritional outcomes;
and 4) enhancing resilience and risk management. Strong emphasis is placed on
integrated programming approaches, gender equality, youth engagement, and
participatory governance as cross-cutting issues to be addressed by applicants.
CARE will be bidding for this opportunity as part of a consortium in which CARE
will be a Sub-Recipient and will likely take the role of Technical Lead on one
or more of the programmatic priorities.
In addition, CARE Malawi is planning to respond to other
opportunities that may arise during this period including possible calls from
DFID and the European Union.
Scope of work
Specific to the DFAP proposal, the consultant will be tasked
to – in collaboration with CARE’s program team and other members of the consortium
–
- develop
CARE’s contributions to the technical components of the proposal in
accordance with donor requirements as published in the Request for
Applications (RFA);
- coordinate
stakeholder input into the proposal design for the programmatic priorities
for which CARE may be responsible as technical lead;
- collect,
analyze and consolidate documentation and secondary data to support CARE’s
technical role in the consortium;
- closely
liaise with agency leading the proposal development process to ensure that
CARE’s inputs are in line with the overall requirements and CARE’s role is
properly represented in the final proposal.
In addition to working on the DFAP submission, the consultant
will be expected – time permitting – to assist in the development of other
concept notes and/or proposals as required. This work may include research and
data collection, data and situational analysis, the writing of certain sections
of concept notes and/or proposals, and the review and editing of others’ work.
Expected results
By the end of the consultancy, CARE will expect the
following outputs on the DFAP proposal from the consultant:
- A
detailed and coherent technical document of CARE’s approach (and technical
role within the consortium) supported by documented evidence (best
practices, lessons learned, innovations, etc.) from current and past
experiences
- A
clear description of CARE’s implementation strategy built on integration,
linkages, sustainability, local capacity development and value for money
(effectiveness, efficiency and economy)
- A
strong statement of CARE’s commitment to and expertise in gender
integration and participatory governance programming
- A
comprehensive plan for monitoring and evaluation, impact measurement, and
documentation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned
Outputs on other concept/proposal development may include
but not be limited to:
- Theories
of change and/or logical frameworks to illustrate CARE’s approaches
- Situational
and stakeholder analyses in the thematic areas addressed in concept note
or proposal
Requirements
Interested candidates will need to demonstrate:
- Proven
experience and success in technical proposal writing for USAID in general
and FFP/DFAP in particular. Experience in developing proposals for other
donors would be an asset.
- Extensive
knowledge of and experience in project design processes and gender
integration in project design
- Relevant
academic background or demonstrated experience in rural development,
agriculture or other related fields
- Extensive
experience in gender and development, gender analysis, planning and
monitoring
- Good
knowledge of the contextual issues that contribute to food insecurity and
chronic malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa
Other required skills include:
- Fluency
in English
- Proven
oral and written communication skills
- Proven
ability to meet tight deadlines
- Ability
to multitask and work under pressure
- Ability
to facilitate and coordinate stakeholder consultations and input
Knowledge of and/or previous work experience in rural
development in Malawi will be advantageous.
Working conditions
The consultant will be based in the CARE office in Lilongwe,
Malawi. He/she will work under the direct supervision of the Assistant Country
Director – Programs and in close collaboration with the Core Proposal
Development Team comprised of colleagues from across the organization. CARE
will provide office space, transportation and accommodation and will facilitate
contacts with consortium members, potential partners, and other stakeholders.
How to apply
Interested applicants should send expressions for interest
to caremalawi_HR@co.care.org with
DFAP Proposal Writer in the subject line and including the following:
- Cover
letter (addressed to the Country Director, CARE Malawi, Private Bag A89,
Lilongwe)
- Up-to-date
CV
- Contact
information of at least 3 references for whom you have done similar work
(scope) in the past 3 years
- Financial
offer
- Availability
(continuous or intermittent) from 1 December 2013 to March 31 2014
About CARE
CARE is an international humanitarian aid organization with
a mission to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the
world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, we
promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. CARE
has been present in Malawi since 1998 working in various sectors including
education, food security and livelihoods, health, nutrition, agriculture,
disaster risk reduction and resilience, among others. Underlying all our work
is CARE’s commitment to the social, economic and political empowerment of women
and girls, and the promotion of gender equality.
