Job ID: 82056
Job Title: Technical Officers – Stove Technicians
Organisation: Self Help Africa
Contract Type: Full time, Fixed term 12 month contract
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Reports to: Project Manager – ATEC Project

About Self Help Africa :

Established in 1984, Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to address hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impacts of climate change. We believe that equitable economic development is key to lifting communities out of long-term poverty, empowering them to take control of their futures and improving their quality of life.

In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.

Our three core values are:
▪ Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
▪ Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing World.
▪ Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

Job purpose:

The job holder will be responsible for installing, maintaining, repairing and troubleshooting and diagnosing issues. They will also provide support to on-the-ground distribution partners in Malawi to facilitate and implement project rollout activities – including customer engagement and usage support, Product training and Service after sales support. In liaison with Hotline and Portfolio officers, they will address technical issues raised by customers logged in HubSpot.

Key Responsibilities:

eCooking After Sales Support

• Diagnose and repair faults in the eCook stoves.
• Liaise with Hotline Operatives in managing the repair tokens in HubSpot and follow up calls with users to verify on stove performance.
• Liaise with ATEC global support team on all technical issues that needs global support.
• Support remote and physical troubleshooting of equipment and responding to queries from customers.
• Component Replacement: Replace faulty or damaged components such as coils and control boards among others
• Coordinate with Last Mile Distributors (LMD) Technicians and build their capacity in minor stove maintenance.
• Coordinating and advising the Portfolio Officers in all technical issues of the stove that needs physical verification.
• Assisting in managing the project’s national hotline as directed by the Project Manager and reporting all safeguarding issues.
• Provide excellent customer service and assist customers in a timely manner.
• Communicate effectively with clients / end users on stove usage and how to operate.
• Liaise with Portfolio Officers to ensure that all hotline interactions are recorded in a structured log, linked to KOBO records for each user, and support the analysis of trends in stove usage, technical issues, and user engagement.
• Conduct regular training on After Sale Services for LMDs and Portfolio officers to enable first-line technical support to households.
• Conduct regular follow-up visits to check product performance and customer satisfaction.

Spare parts Inventory Management

• Conduct audits of implementation partners for service after sales to ensure spare parts are maintained and used correctly.
• Reconcile monthly spare parts usage against repairs done,
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and Results-Based Financing (RBF) verification by collecting qualitative feedback on user experience and stove satisfaction, complementing MRV data.

Other:

• Uphold and promote SHA’s child and adult safeguarding policy.

Key Relationships:

ATEC, SHA Staff, eCook End-users, SHA partners and stakeholders.

Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements:

• A minimum of a diploma in Electrical Technology from an accredited NCHE institution.
• Good understanding of the technical aspects of a smart electrical stove including maintenance, repairs and troubleshooting.
• License to practice as an Electrician certified by MERA.
• Strong problem-solving skills to diagnose and repair complex issues.
• Hands on experience to use hand tools.
• Be proactive in following safety protocols and procedures to prevent injuries whilst working.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar position including with NGOs.
• Computer skills in MS office and data analytics.
• Strong respect and empathy, and an affinity to SHA’s mission and values
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Chichewa.

How to apply:

Full job description here. 

Qualified and interested candidates who meet the stated requirements must submit a completed Application Form, along with an up to date Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter here. 

The closing date for applications is 12.00 midnight of 3rd September 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Important information: 

Self Help Africa is an international development charity and is committed to the safeguarding of all those who we come into contact with or through our work. We are committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour relating to our work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and we are committed to promoting the welfare of children and the people we aim to assist with whom Self Help Africa engages. Self Help Africa expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviours outlined in the Code of Conduct and Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Recruitment to all roles in Self Help Africa will include, and be subject to, a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre- employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checking. Self Help Africa is committed to the principles of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment during employment. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms her/his understanding of these recruitment procedures. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Self Help Africa is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.