Area Coordinator

About Evidence Action

At Evidence Action, we deliver data-driven interventions that transform lives at an unprecedented scale. We identify neglected global health issues and deploy proven solutions, forging healthier futures for generations.

Our model operationalizes leading academic research (including from Nobel-winning economists). We measure progress and outcomes at every stage to ensure we’re making a real impact for people living in poverty and suffering from preventable or treatable health issues. Operating across 9 countries, our team of 800+ has reached over 500 million people, working closely with governments to scale these interventions.

• Our Deworm the World program has delivered over 2 billion treatments, significantly reducing worm prevalence and generating more than $23 billion in lifetime productivity gains. 
• Through Safe Water Now, we’ve saved the lives of over 15,000 children. 
• Our Accelerator explores untapped opportunities in global health, testing low-cost interventions with the greatest potential to save and improve lives. 

At Evidence Action, your colleagues are your greatest asset. You'll partner with high-caliber colleagues in an environment blending innovation, autonomy, and teamwork. Our team excels in disruptive thinking and believes in rolling up our sleeves to get things done. If you're looking to work flexibly and with purpose, join a team that delivers measurable change for millions.

About the DTW/IFA Team
The Nutrition Program leads the work for Evidence Action’s Deworm the World and Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Programs. Deworm the World Initiative is an incredibly high impact program, helping to deliver over 1.4 billion treatments to children for intestinal worms since 2014. Deworm the World provides technical assistance to governments to implement high quality, cost effective, and sustainable programming.

In 2024, given the strength of our technical support on school-based delivery of deworming in India, at the request of government, Evidence Action launched a technical assistance program to support the delivery of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation for children and adolescents 6 months – 19 years of age in Malawi. The program is in its second year of implementation, while scaling up to other districts. At the onset, the program was being implemented in eight geographical districts and in 2025, the program is to be scaled up to additional eight districts, making a total of 16 in year two of implementation. In 2026, learning and developing from the lessons of the pilot districts, the program will be expanded to all the districts in Malawi.  

The role

The Area Coordinator will be expected to represent Evidence Action’s iron folic acid (IFA) supplementation and deworming programs at the regional/district level and provide technical assistance in the effort to strengthen the implementation, particularly of the IFA program as per the operational and financial guidelines. You will work closely with district level officials of the national government departments – Health (Department of Nutrition, HIV, and AIDs/DHNA) and Education and other stakeholders to strengthen the existing platforms for better interdepartmental coordination for program deliverables. The position, under the guidance of the national team will communicate, share updates and discuss progress from the assigned districts.  You will technically have two areas of reporting, thus the Senior Associate- Deworming and Senior Associate-IFA, who directly reports to the Program Manager.  

Responsibilities

Policy and Advocacy

• Attend quarterly District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNCC) meetings and ensure IFA agenda items are being discussed appropriately to discuss program challenges and strengths.

• Suggest recommendations for IFA corrective actions at DNCC meetings and other relevant governance structures and gain consensus/approvals for action items.
• Attend quarterly review meetings for HSAs and teachers and ensure findings on key challenges and strengths are being escalated to the appropriate structures, including Principal Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Officers (PNHAO) and other key DNCC members.
• Monitor monthly DNCC meetings as well as quarterly review meetings for HSAs and teachers using a monitoring tool to assess program processes.
• Liaise with the PNHAOs across districts to monitor program processes and determine whether key reporting forms are being compiled using a monitoring tool.
• Collect attendance sheets from the HSA and teacher quarterly review meetings and share with the Evidence Action program team to facilitate payments of per diems.

Drug and Supply Chain Management

• Support with updating district level supply mapping – (mapping of schools to health facilities / health surveillance assistants and updating of drug estimates to distribute to given districts based on updated enrollment/consumption data)
• Track inventory status every quarter at key levels of the supply chain system, including schools, health facilities and district pharmacies using a detailed stock tracking tool to inform supply planning for future quarters
• Monitor a sample of health facilities every month to assess availability of IFA stock, including determining whether appropriate documentation is being maintained on stock movements using a standardized monitoring tool
• Share recommendations with Evidence Action and government stakeholders for corrective actions related to supply distribution at district level meetings
• Timely facilitation of issuance of drug directive/inter district drug movement in case of stock-outs
• Discuss with government stakeholders for potential solutions to supply chain bottlenecks; meetings with stakeholders across all districts in their region

Training and Capacity Building

• Support in the development of training plans at the district level, including quantification of materials required across all training sessions
• Visit training sessions (on sample basis) for both teachers and health surveillance assistants and check for process adherence as per the training monitoring format. Ensure correct messages are disseminated in the training sessions monitored.
• Escalate any difference or deviation to the national team.
• Compile training attendance sheets for the national team for processing of payments to HSAs and teachers.
• Ensure sharing of monitoring data with the national team within the prescribed timelines.
• Support as a trainer to facilitate district/traditional authority level trainings

IEC and Community Mobilization

• Support in updating the district specific IEC/BCC plan for the IFA program on an ongoing basis  (insights on target groups to reach out to and materials needed)
• Facilitate activities highlighted in the community mobilization strategies, leveraging district level infrastructure.
• Advocacy for implementation of IEC and awareness activities and monitoring of district level IEC efforts as part of distribution day monitoring

Distribution monitoring

• Visit schools and communities (on sample basis) during weekly distribution day for IFA supplementation and check for process adherence as per the distribution protocols along with a team of government stakeholders
• Support with corrective actions in case of any deviations from the protocol
• Compile data from distribution day monitoring and recommend strategies to government stakeholders to address any challenges

Reporting:

• Review and compile data from Monthly District Reports and share with the Evidence Action national team
• Submission of activity reports, monthly and quarterly reports to the superiors as requested.
• Any other duties assigned from time to time by the superiors.

• Demonstrated experience working in the health sector with experiences in community or public health related engagements.
• Bachelor’s, Degree in at least one of the following: Nursing- with community nursing specialty, Public or Environmental health, Community Development,  with at least a minimum of three year experience, managing community health programing at district or community level.
• Previous knowledge of IFA and or deworming programing and implementation is an added advantage. 
• You work collaboratively, seeking to elicit and understand needs, opportunities, while meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to analyze and communicate about data to form narratives with easily understood language.
• You are able to absorb new information quickly.
• Experience in developing reports and presentations documents for external use.
• Oral and written fluency in English and Chichewa languages is required.
• You can collaborate with teammates across departmentally ensuring adherence to organizational norms and policies.
• You have experience working collaboratively [in a matrixed, across time zones, in a multicultural professional environment.
• Energized by working on complex projects in multicultural contexts, across districts, while coordinating with cross-cutting functions, in a matrixed environment.
• You can identify gaps and work with diverse teams to problem solve.
• You have professional experience in multiple districts and multiple cultures across Malawi.
• You have previously worked in an international organization or with internally diverse teams.

Working conditions
The Area Coordinator position will involve working in the field 40% of the time engaging different stakeholders at all levels from community grassroots to district and national level whenever required.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Closing date for receiving applications will be on Friday, 4th April 2025 and selection of candidates will be on rolling basis.

Evidence Action provides a comprehensive benefits package for employees worldwide*. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health insurance,
• Retirement savings options,
• Paid leave, 
• Avenues for engagement and recognition.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Evidence Action does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.