DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY - COMMODITY AND SCHOOL FEEDING - MALAWI

At CARE International, we believe that no child should have to choose between hunger and education. Through the USDA-funded McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, the TIWOLOKA project is working to strengthen school feeding systems, improve child nutrition, and support access to quality education across Malawi.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and highly organized Deputy Chief of Party – Commodity & School Feeding to join our leadership team in Lilongwe. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate humanitarian and operational leader to play a critical role in delivering impactful school feeding interventions that directly improve the lives of children and communities.

This role is open to both national and international applicants. In line with CARE’s long-term localisation strategy, priority will be given to Malawian nationals. International candidates will be considered where suitable national candidates are not identified.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) – Commodity & School Feeding is a key member of the TIWOLOKA Program Management Team and will lead the implementation and management of commodity operations and school feeding activities under the project.

Reporting to the Chief of Party, the DCOP will provide strategic and operational leadership across commodity management, logistics coordination, school feeding implementation, compliance, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. The role will ensure the effective planning, tracking, distribution, and accountability of USDA and locally procured commodities while strengthening partnerships with government, donors, service providers, and local communities.

The successful candidate will also provide leadership to cross-functional teams, support annual planning and budgeting processes, oversee field operations, and contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the program.

What You Will Do

Program Management & Operational Leadership

• Lead the planning and execution of USDA food imports and local commodity procurement processes.

• Oversee school feeding implementation to ensure timely and effective food distribution to target schools.

• Develop and manage operational plans covering logistics, inventory management, field operations, and monitoring systems.

• Coordinate closely with finance, logistics, M&E, and country office teams to ensure seamless program delivery.

• Support the development of annual work plans, budgets, and donor reports.

Commodity Management & School Feeding Operations

• Ensure efficient receipt, storage, transportation, and distribution of commodities in compliance with USDA regulations and CARE policies.

• Maintain robust commodity tracking, reporting, and accountability systems.

• Monitor commodity pipelines and stock levels to prevent disruptions in school feeding activities.

• Supervise service providers including transporters, clearing agents, warehouse operators, and fumigation companies.

• Oversee loss prevention and claims management processes.

• Collaborate with education and nutrition teams to strengthen program quality and impact.

• Support accurate student data verification and commodity planning.

• Address operational challenges affecting hard-to-reach and underserved schools.

Stakeholder Engagement & Compliance

• Serve as a key liaison with government ministries, donors, local authorities, and implementing partners.

• Represent the project in technical forums and coordination meetings.

• Ensure full compliance with USDA regulations, donor requirements, and CARE policies.

• Promote community ownership and sustainability of school feeding initiatives.

Reporting, Data & Performance Management

• Oversee timely preparation and submission of commodity and programmatic reports.

• Strengthen data quality, validation, and reporting systems.

• Work closely with the M&E team to monitor program performance and support data-driven decision-making.

• Ensure accurate tracking of commodity utilization and program impact.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead, mentor, and supervise commodity and school feeding staff across the project.

• Build the capacity of field teams, service providers, and stakeholders on commodity management and compliance standards.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, safeguarding, and continuous improvement.

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