Country Director – Malawi

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT@

SPARKLE FOUNDATION

POSITION: COUNTRY DIRECTOR – MALAWI

Location: Zomba

Location: Malawi

Reports To:

Global CEO (Strategic, donor and administrative reporting)

Malawi Board (Functional reporting)

OVERVIEW

The Country Director will provide strategic, operational and leadership oversight of The Sparkle Foundation's operations in Malawi, ensuring the successful delivery of the Malawi strategy in alignment with Sparkle's wider global vision and objectives.

The role will focus on operational excellence, governance, compliance, programme delivery, people management, fundraising, financial stewardship and stakeholder engagement. Working closely with the Global CEO, Boards and global support teams, the Country Director will be responsible for ensuring that Sparkle Malawi operates effectively, sustainably and compliantly, while creating the foundations required for future growth, replication and long-term impact.

The Country Director will serve as the senior leader responsible for the day-to-day management of Sparkle Malawi, ensuring programmes, people, systems, finances and partnerships are aligned to deliver measurable impact for the communities served.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Country Oversight

Work closely with the Global CEO to develop, implement and deliver Sparkle Malawi's local country strategic plan, ensuring alignment with the wider global strategy.

Provide strategic and operational leadership across all Sparkle Malawi programmes, departments and sites.

Position Sparkle Malawi as a leading NGO within Malawi through innovation, impact, governance and sustainability.

Lead organisational planning processes and ensure annual objectives are achieved.

Support the implementation of Sparkle's long-term growth and replication strategy.

Serve as a visible, accountable and values-led leader across internal teams, communities, partners and stakeholders.

Organisational Management and Operations

Oversee all day-to-day operations across HR, Finance, Programmes, Compliance, Monitoring & Evaluation, IT and Administration.

Build, strengthen and maintain systems, processes, SOPs and operational frameworks that support transparency, accountability and scalability.

Lead the development and documentation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across all functions, helping create a model that can be replicated across future Sparkle locations.

Work closely with the UAE, UK and global teams to ensure systems, reporting and operations remain aligned with organisational standards.

Ensure excellence in programme delivery across Education, Health, Nutrition, Community Development, Sports and Social Enterprise.

Drive continuous improvement and operational efficiency across all departments.

Financial Management, Sustainability and Compliance

Lead the development and management of Sparkle Malawi's annual operating and project budgets.

Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management and financial planning processes.

Ensure strong financial controls, accountability and donor compliance across all programmes and departments.

Monitor financial performance and proactively identify risks, efficiencies and opportunities.

Support the organisation's sustainability strategy through income generation, social enterprise development and local fundraising initiatives.

Ensure all audits are completed effectively and that recommendations are implemented.

Ensure compliance with all financial, legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining full adherence to Malawi company and NGO regulations whilst ensuring The Sparkle Foundation’s operations support and align with the governance, reporting, compliance and donor obligations of the UK Charity Commission, UAE humanitarian regulatory requirements, US 501(c)(3) standards, and other applicable international frameworks under which The Sparkle Foundation operates.

Fundraising, Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation

Lead fundraising efforts within Malawi, including grant identification, proposal development and donor stewardship.

Develop and maintain relationships with donors, corporate partners, foundations, government stakeholders and NGOs.

Support the preparation of high-quality grant applications, donor reports, presentations and impact reports.

Identify and pursue new funding opportunities to strengthen organisational sustainability.

Work closely with the Global CEO and fundraising teams to deliver organisational income targets.

Support the development and growth of social enterprise and income-generating initiatives.

Human Resources, Talent and Leadership Development

Lead recruitment, onboarding, performance management and succession planning across Malawi.

Build a high-performing, values-led and accountable organisational culture.

Develop leadership capacity across departments and support emerging leaders.

Establish and strengthen internship, graduate and talent development programmes to build future leadership pipelines.

Champion staff wellbeing, engagement and professional development.

Ensure appropriate HR systems, policies and procedures are implemented and followed.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Innovation

Ensure robust monitoring, evaluation and learning systems are embedded across all programmes.

Use data and evidence to drive programme improvements and organisational decision-making.

Promote a culture of innovation, continuous learning and accountability.

Ensure accurate reporting of programme outcomes and organisational impact.

Support the development of case studies, impact reports and learning materials.

Technology, AI and Digital Transformation

Champion the adoption and effective use of technology across the organisation.

Ensure staff are trained and supported in the use of organisational systems, including SharePoint, CRM platforms and reporting tools.

Promote the responsible use of AI and emerging technologies to improve efficiency, reporting, communication and programme delivery.

Support digital transformation initiatives that strengthen organisational performance and scalability.

Governance, Risk and Compliance

Lead organisational risk management and oversee the maintenance of the risk register.

Ensure compliance with NGO Board requirements, CONGOMA standards, safeguarding regulations, employment legislation, tax obligations and donor requirements.

Oversee serious incident reporting processes and ensure incidents are appropriately documented, investigated and escalated.

Ensure appropriate insurance policies are maintained and regularly reviewed.

Act as the lead point of contact for legal, governance and compliance matters within Malawi.

Support Board governance processes and ensure timely reporting to both the Malawi and UK Boards.

Ensure adherence to donor agreements and grant conditions.

Capital Projects, Volunteers and External Engagement

Oversee the planning, implementation and monitoring of capital expenditure (CapEx) projects, ensuring delivery on time, within budget and to the required standard.

Lead the management and coordination of international and local volunteers visiting Malawi.

Ensure volunteer experiences are well structured, compliant and aligned with organisational priorities.

Build and maintain strong relationships with government bodies, traditional leaders, community stakeholders, NGOs and private sector partners.

Represent Sparkle at meetings, conferences, forums and public engagements within Malawi and internationally when required.

Board Engagement and Reporting

Prepare and present reports to the Global CEO, Malawi Board and UK Board.

Provide regular updates on operational performance, financial management, programme delivery, compliance, fundraising and organisational risks.

Ensure Board decisions are implemented effectively and in a timely manner.

Support governance reviews, strategic planning and organisational development initiatives.

Qualification & experience

Master’s degree (required) in Development Studies, Public Administration/Public Policy, MBA, Social Sciences or a related field. A PhD or equivalent advanced qualification is advantageous but not essential.

Minimum 8 years’ experience in a senior leadership or country/regional director role, with direct responsibility for multi-functional teams of 20 or more staff; experience in the NGO/international development sector is advantageous but not a requirement — candidates from the private sector, government or multilateral organisations with demonstrable transferable leadership experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Substantial international experience: the successful candidate will have lived and worked abroad, demonstrating a genuine understanding of diverse cultural contexts, cross-cultural communication and operating effectively in low-resource or complex environments outside their country of origin.

Proven fundraising track record: demonstrated success in securing grants, institutional funding or income from trusts, foundations, corporate partners or government donors, including experience writing or overseeing high-quality grant proposals and donor reports.

Strong financial management capability: experience overseeing multi-currency budgets, donor compliance reporting and financial controls; prior exposure to audit processes and financial risk management is essential.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 (including SharePoint, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and demonstrable experience using AI tools (such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT or equivalent) to improve operational efficiency, reporting and communications.

Experience working with a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot or similar) for donor, partner or stakeholder relationship management.

Demonstrable commercial and social enterprise acumen: experience generating earned income, managing cost efficiency, diversifying revenue streams or running income-generating activities alongside grant-funded programmes. The ability to think and operate like a business owner, not solely a programme manager, is essential.

Hands-on execution style: this is not a purely strategic or oversight role. The Country Director must be comfortable operating at all levels — from high-level strategy and board engagement to rolling up their sleeves and problem-solving on the ground. Candidates who rely entirely on delegation or who have worked exclusively in heavily-resourced environments may not be the right fit.

Experience delivering results under resource constraints: proven ability to build systems, deliver programmes and drive growth in environments where budgets, staffing and infrastructure are limited. Resourcefulness and creative problem-solving are as important as formal qualifications.

Personal Attributes & Leadership Style

Entrepreneurial and growth mindset: energised by building, improving and scaling rather than maintaining the status quo. Comfortable with ambiguity, able to move fast, make decisions with incomplete information and course-correct quickly.

Bias to action with low ego: a natural doer who leads from the front, takes personal ownership of outcomes and does not wait for perfect conditions. Does not manage from behind a desk. Comfortable being both the decision-maker and the person who implements the decision.

Forward-thinking and technically confident: genuinely interested in how technology, data and AI can improve the way the organisation operates. Stays ahead of sector trends and proactively brings new thinking to the team rather than waiting to be directed.

Resilient and adaptable: thrives under pressure, maintains composure and focus during periods of rapid change or challenge, and models calm, decisive leadership for the teams around them.

Values-led and people-centred: genuine commitment to Sparkle’s mission, with the ability to inspire loyalty and high performance across a diverse team. Leads with integrity, holds themselves and others accountable, and brings others with them on the journey of growth.

Cost-conscious and operationally sharp: thinks carefully about how money is spent, actively looks for efficiencies and savings without compromising quality, and understands the relationship between cost, impact and long-term sustainability.

How to apply

Send your application with traceable three referees, copies of certificates and cover letter to procurement@sparklemalawi.org not later than 11th July 2026, clearly marked Country Director in the subject line.

Or hand delivered to Sparkle Foundation, Sogoja Office, P.O. Box 1122, Zomba – Malawi, clearly marking Country Director on the envelope.