Senior programme officer – production specialist

OVERVIEWNorwegian Church Aid (NCA) is an international non-governmental organisation working in more than 30 countries to support communities in overcoming poverty and injustice. Its work includes emergency assistance, long-term development and advocacy for just decisions by public authorities, businesses and religious leaders.NCA has been working in Malawi since 2002, with strategic priorities including Gender-Based Violence, Economic Development and Food Security, Climate and Environmental Stewardship, Fighting Inequality, and Humanitarian Response.In 2021, NCA merged with DanChurchAid (DCA) to form the Malawi Joint Country Programme (JCP), which aims to strengthen collaboration, promote sustainable development among poor and marginalised communities, reduce costs and improve programme efficiency and effectiveness.NCA-DCA invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced professionals for the position of Senior Programme Officer – Production Specialist, based at its Country Office in Lilongwe.JOB TYPE: Full TimeApplication Deadline: Friday, 13th November 2026, at 12:00 noonPROGRAMME DESCRIPTIONTisangalale ndi Chuma (Transforming Last-mile Farmers in Agriculture for Economic Growth) is an agricultural commercialisation programme working to strengthen Farmer Organisations and improve market access for smallholder farmers.The programme focuses on soybean, groundnut and bean value chains. It aims to improve agricultural production, strengthen farmer organisations and connect last-mile farmers to structured markets and commercial buyers.POSITION: SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICER – PRODUCTION SPECIALISTJOB SUMMARYThe Senior Programme Officer – Production Specialist will provide technical leadership in agricultural production, climate-smart agriculture, quality assurance, mechanisation, post-harvest management and farmer organisation commercialisation.The successful candidate will ensure that participating Farmer Organisations (FOs) produce sufficient volumes and quality of soybean, groundnut and bean commodities required by structured markets and commercial buyers.The role will also involve working closely with the Malawi Agriculture Commercialisation Initiative (MACI) to link last-mile farmers to available markets.DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIESThe Senior Programme Officer – Production Specialist will be responsible for:Working closely with implementing partners to implement all production-related activities under the Tisangalale Programme.Facilitating the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs).Promoting access to quality seed, fertilisers, inoculants, mechanisation, irrigation technologies and other productivity-enhancing inputs.Coordinating training in soybean, groundnut and bean production, agronomy and quality management.Strengthening post-harvest handling, storage, grading, sorting and quality assurance systems.Leading interventions on aflatoxin management, moisture control, traceability and commodity quality compliance.Working closely with Government Extension Services, MACI, AGCOM, NASFAM and private-sector actors to strengthen agricultural value chains.Providing technical oversight of production-related digital extension initiatives.Contributing to project work planning, budgeting, reporting and performance monitoring.Documenting lessons learned, success stories, innovations and best practices.Ensuring the integration of gender, youth inclusion, safeguarding, environmental sustainability and disability inclusion in all programme activities.