REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
SHIRE VALLEY TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME (SVTP)-2
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR YOUNG OFFICERS
Country: MALAWI
Name of Project: SHIRE VALLEY TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME-2
Credit No: 71350-MW

1.0 Introduction
The Programme development objective for the Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) is to increase agricultural productivity and commercialization for targeted households in the Shire Valley; and to improve the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources. The project development objective of SVTP is to provide access to reliable gravity fed irrigation and drainage services, secure land tenure for smallholder farmers, and strengthen management of wetlands and protected areas in the Shire Valley.

The SVTP is a 14-year programme (2017-2031) structured around three coordinated pillars: (i) Providing reliable, professionally managed and sustainably financed irrigation service to a large number of irrigators in a phased construction of the Shire Valley Irrigation Project scheme and providing multiple services including water supply (ii) Support farmer organization within a comprehensive land use plan; supporting land tenure strengthening and consolidation; as well as natural resources management; and iii) establishment of smallholder owned commercial farm enterprises transitioning into commercial agriculture from subsistence farming and integrating them into commercial value chains. These pillars all contribute to the overarching goals of the programme and build on each other in a phased approach. There are three Phases to the SVTP:

• Phase I (SVTP-I) initiated the process on all pillars, with a major focus on irrigation service provision to the SVIP-I area, land tenure, farmer organization and natural resource management;
• SVTP-II shifts investment focus to agricultural investment, private sector and value chain support, as well as investments in bulk infrastructure for the SVIP-II area;
• SVTP-III is the scale-up phase of investments to the SVIP-II area.

The SVTP is managed by a Project Management Team (PMT) consisting of various technical specialists headed by a Project Coordinator. The Ministry of Agriculture intends to recruit young officers to join the PMT for a period of one year with possibility of contract renewal.

The recruitment will be on an individual consultancy basis. Facilities to be provided by the client shall include office space, furniture, and office equipment, communication, and internet facilities. For all field related assignments, the Project shall provide transport and costs and other expenses (per Diems etc.) related to the field work. All officers will be based at the PMT Office in Blantyre.

The Ministry now invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates to fill the positions of young officers to be recruited as individual consultants.

ASSISTANT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OFFICER 

i. Objective

The Shire Valley Transformation Programme is seeking the services of an Assistant Information Technology Officer will assist the Information Technology Officer in provisioning ICT services to the Shire Valley Transformation Programme.

ICT services shall include among other key responsibilities, maintenance of the computer hardware and software, ensuring maintenance and security of all ICT related infrastructure, facilitating provision of efficient internet services, server management and information management.

ii. The Position
The Assistant Information Technology Officer is part of SVTP Project Management and Coordination Team, which comprises the Project Coordinator, other specialists and support staff. The Information Technology Officer will be a competitively recruited individual consultant. He/she shall work in liaison with other Specialists and stakeholders provisioning ICT services to the Shire Valley Transformation Programme.

iii. Scope of the Assignment
Specifically, the scope of services of the Assistant OHS Officer shall comprise, but not limited to, the following functions:

a) Remedial/Corrective Maintenance services

(i) ICT Repair Services: The activities of repairing ICT equipment shall consist but not be limited to:

• Replacement of damaged spare parts;
• Re-assembling of machines;
• Restoring machines to a normal working state;
• LAN repair & maintenance;

(ii) ICT Support Services:

Assist the ITO in providing ICT support services as follows:

• Administer and maintain SVTP office servers (Mail, Active Directory, and others) and all LAN/WAN equipment, periodically updating software and configurations as well as the copies of the systems and databases;
• Ensure that all SVTP corporate emails are properly managed including mail servers;
• Train SVTP staff on the use of the office intranet, network sharing and help them to archive official documents/emails, and support in the implementation of the electronic archive of all documents;
• Troubleshoot and monitor network problems: File Server Traffic, usage and performance, network security access and space usage;
• Administration of antivirus server: Virus detection, removal and prevention for all systems. Ensure periodic anti-virus update anti-virus protection and other required software;
• Provide software trouble shooting;
• Perform backups of data
• Server management and System backups;
• Support Microsoft Office products – Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, including Windows 11 operating system.
• Support with website management; and any other additional support as need arises.

b) Preventive Maintenance services:

• Resolve all error conditions indicated by diagnostics testing or visual inspection and continue to perform testing until an error-free condition exists;
• Conduct regular check and test of the state of the equipment etc.;
• Perform antivirus checks and updates; remove virus, Trojans, spyware and any malware;
• Provide SVTP staff with advice on IT related issues where need be.

iv. Performance Criteria

The following performance criteria will be used to assess the performance of the Assistant Information Technology Officer annually and based upon these assessments the contract with the Project may be continued or terminated:

1. Quality and timeliness of resolving ICT issues and providing solutions to meet users requirements
2. Ensure at least 90% uptime of SVTP ICT infrastructure such as website, cloud services, server and related infrastructure.
3. Number of ICT related advice provided to SVTP and other stakeholders
4. Reduced incidents of ICT malware, virus and other malicious software on SVTP infrastructure leading to data loss and equipment failure.

v. Reporting Requirements

The Assistant Information Technology Officer will be directly reporting to the Information Technology Officer in provisioning ICT services to the project in accordance with the requirements of Malawi Government in the management and provision of ICT services.

vi. Qualifications and Experience

1. Bachelor of Computer Science or Information Technology from a reputable institution obtained between 2020 and 2024
2. Good knowledge of ICT infrastructure management such as networking, cloud services, and data management systems.
3. Willingness to share knowledge and experiences with colleagues
4. Experience/ skills working in teams and in a multi-cultural/sectoral environment;
5. Highly motivated with excellent planning, analytical, communications and interpersonal skills as well as a high level of diplomacy; and
6. Upholding of anti-corruption and anti-bribery ethics.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section Ill, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 7:30hrs to 12:00hrs and from 13:00hrs to 17:00hrs except on Weekends and Public Holidays.

Expressions of interest including detailed updated Curriculum Vitae and copies of professional and academic qualifications must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 14th March, 2025.

The Director of Irrigation Services,
Department of Irrigation,
Off Paul Kagame Road,
P.O. Box 30797,
Lilongwe
Malawi

(Attention: The Principal Human Resources Management Officer)

Alternatively, applications may be emailed to: enakoma@yahoo.com; cc: mmaoni.doi@svtp.gov.mw; mtewete.doi@svtp.gov.mw; mwalabu2005@yahoo.co.uk;