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The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is a regional non-profit research and policy Institute established in 2010 to help bridge the gaps between research, policy and practice in development efforts in Africa. Our primary purpose is to contribute to sustainable development through the use of evidence and advocacy to strengthen political commitment and resource allocation for development issues; informing the design and implementation of effective interventions; and strengthening governance and accountability structures for tracking development challenges in Africa. For further details about AFIDEP and its work, please refer to www.afidep.org.  Location: Malawi Office

AFIDEP seeks to recruit a highly capable Executive Assistant to serve as a strategic partner to the Executive Director. The role is responsible for ensuring the smooth, efficient, and well-coordinated functioning of the Executive Director’s Office, enabling effective leadership, decision-making, and institutional performance.

The Executive Assistant will manage executive priorities, coordinate high-level engagements, support governance and senior management processes, and ensure timely flow of information across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategically manage the Executive Director’s schedule, correspondence, meetings, and travel to optimise time and institutional priorities.
• Act as a central coordination point for the Executive Director’s Office, ensuring follow-through on delegated actions and strategic commitments.
• Prepare, review, and manage confidential briefs, reports, presentations, and correspondence for the Executive Director.
• Coordinate Senior Management Team (SMT) meetings, including agenda setting, documentation, minute-taking, and tracking of strategic action points.
• Provide governance support to the Board of Directors, including coordination of meetings, documentation, minutes, and follow-up on action points.
• Support the Executive Director’s internal and external engagements through high-quality communications and briefing materials.
• Support the Resource Mobilization Manager in coordinating resource mobilization efforts
• Maintain robust information management systems for executive and governance records.
• Uphold the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism, and stakeholder management.
• Provide limited office and administrative support as required to ensure seamless executive operations.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Strategic Management, Project Management, or a related field.
• At least five (5) years’ experience supporting senior executives in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Strong strategic coordination, writing, reporting, and organisational skills.
• Excellent judgment, time management, communication, and travel coordination skills.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and anticipate executive needs.
• Experience working in multicultural and multi-stakeholder environments.

Core Competencies

• High integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
• Strategic thinking with strong attention to detail.
• Proactive, adaptable, and solutions oriented.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a motivation letter and detailed CV (including three referees) to  recruitment@afidep.org by 17 April 2026, quoting “Executive Assistant” in the subject line.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
AFIDEP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not charge any recruitment fees.

The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is a regional non-profit research and policy Institute established in 2010 to help bridge the gaps between research, policy and practice in development efforts in Africa. Our primary purpose is to contribute to sustainable development through the use of evidence and advocacy to strengthen political commitment and resource allocation for development issues; informing the design and implementation of effective interventions; and strengthening governance and accountability structures for tracking development challenges in Africa. For further details about AFIDEP and its work, please refer to www.afidep.org.

The Communications and Policy Engagement Manager will lead the work of AFIDEP’s communications and policy engagement department, overseeing the design and implementation of an innovative communication and policy-influencing strategy that will raise AFIDEP’s profile as a regional development policy institute and enhance the role of research evidence in development processes in Africa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Communications, Visibility, and Profiling

• Design and oversee the implementation of AFIDEP’s communications and policy-influencing strategy.
• Oversee the development of a recognisable AFIDEP brand as a leading policy institute in promoting and enabling evidence uptake in development efforts in all sectors.
• Les the writing and publication of the Institute’s institutional reports, including the annual report, newsletters, website postings, social media content, and the African Development perspectives
• Support evidence synthesis, packaging and use in six areas, namely: population dynamics and the demographic dividend; health and wellbeing; transformative education and skills development; environment and climate change; governance and accountability; and economic wellbeing.
• Identify and develop relationships with key media outlets to stimulate increased use of evidence in public policy debates.
• Disseminate evidence and encourage critical debate on development issues based on evidence.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation

• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with funders governments, academic institutions, research institutions, implementing agencies and funders at national, regional and global levels
• Build relations with potential end users of evidence and other institutions that generate and promote the use of research evidence.
• Contribute to AFIDEP’s fundraising plans through concept and proposal development.

Capacity Strengthening

• Support internal and external capacity strengthening efforts aimed at improving the communication and utilisation of research evidence in decision-making in development efforts.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in communications, media, international relations, or related field.
• At least 10 years’ experience in science and development communications in the development sector or a related field, including at least three years at an international level.
• Excellent writing and technical editing skills, especially in policy-oriented publications and media products.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Technical skills in publications design, website management, and social media management.
• Ability to dialogue effectively with a wide range of audiences/constituencies and to represent the organisation with authority and credibility.
• Excellent understanding of public policymaking and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes.
• Proven skill in translating research and evidence into effective advocacy strategies that have achieved policy change at a national or international level.
• Proven success in developing and delivering effective country, regional, or international policy engagement and influencing strategies.
• Proven understanding of African socio-political contexts and global developments, and how this influences decision-making in the areas of health, population, and development.
• Competency in facilitating national and international advocacy activities.

To apply: Please send a motivation letter indicating your suitability for the position, including the position title “Communications and Policy Engagement Manager” in the subject of the email, and a detailed CV which should include three relevant referees, to recruitment@afidep.org no later than 17 April  2026. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.