Chimwemwe Mateula Theu

Accomplished Projects/Programme Management specialist with 15+ years in managing international development programs across health research, public health, and disaster management. Led over 40 projects across 13 sites, managing 350+ staff and an £850K budget. Secured £1.7M in grants, including £850K for research infrastructure. Expertise in strategic planning, financial oversight, risk management, and capacity building. Proven success in cultivating partnerships with governments and donors, ensuring 100% donor compliance. Focused on advancing career development in health in emergencies, humanitarian, and disaster management across Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa to build resilient communities.

• Commonwealth Scholarship of £19,500 to study an MSc in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management at the University of Leicester in 2010
• Wellcome Trust Distance Learning Scholarship of £15,000 to study MSc in Project Management in 2020

• Post Disaster Need Assessment - 2021 - Haiti
• Personal Hygiene And Sanitation Education (PHASE) - 2007 - ARMREF - Nairobi - Kenya
• Finance for Non-Financial Managers - 2024 - Malawi School of Governments - Blantyre - Malawi
• Leadership in Developments - 2022 - Kampala - Uganda
• MLW Leadership Program - 2017 to 2019 - Blantyre - Malawi
• MLW Management Program 2015 to 2017 - Blantyre - Malawi
• Participatory Rural Appraisal - 2007 - Lilongwe - Malawi

• Member - Project Management Institute (PMI) - Zambia Chapter
• Member - Malawi National Disaster Risk Manager Platform

• Disaster Management and Sustainable Development Part-Time Lecturer and Curriculum Development Coordinator - Blantyre - Share World Open University of Malawi
• Facilitator, Rural Livelihood Support Programme for Chiradzulu, Chikwawa and Nsanje districts - Concern Universal
• Trainer of Trainer Consultant - Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) - Nsanje - Concern Universal
• Board Member - Friends of Aids Support Trust (FAST) - Nsanje

• Field Sites Manager - Programme Implementation Support, Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme (MLW), Malawi - Blantyre, 2016, Present, The Field Sites Manager reports to the MLW Director and is a senior manager responsible for program management and operational oversight of the projects at all MLW sites in Malawi. Programme Management and Oversight: Managed program integration, implementation, and operational oversight across all MLW field sites in Malawi with 30 to 42 projects. Managed to achieve growth from 3 to 13 field sites across the country with 40 running health research projects and over 350 staff members within 5 years. Coordinated strategic planning and execution of the MLW program in all the field sites across Malawi to promote excellent health research. Manage to realign sites into primary specialty e.g. Clinical Trial Centre, Epidemiological and Cohort Centre, Public Health Center. Developed and implemented programmes and operational systems, policies, and procedures for efficient program alignment and delivery in field sites. Managed to design long-term strategic network and partnership agreement management that have enabled MLW operational resilience and efficiency in implementing projects. This has put the organization in the topmost quadrant of efficiency and effectiveness in responding to public health in emergencies and disasters. Partnership Development and Collaboration Developed excellent partnerships and long-term generic MoUs with strategic local government authorities (city. and district councils) and other health research institutions which are meant to promote conducting and supporting excellent health research projects. Managed stakeholder relationships to align with organizational objectives. For example, a long-term partnership between MLW, MSF, and cholera hot spot councils where MLW operates. This initiative is being scaled up to cover other epidemics/pandemics e.g. Covid pandemic. Fostered internal collaboration between research projects to share progress, lessons learned and opportunities through MLW periodical progress report forum meetings. This promotes programme integration efforts and the identification of opportunities for joint operational efforts like cost-sharing. Enhance external stakeholder collaboration, ensuring project integration with organizational goals. Resource Management Oversight, Procurement, and Vendor Management. Oversaw financial and resource management, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and operational regulations. Currently managing an £850K annual field sites operational budget while also providing budget management support to over 12 project/programme manager. Chaired the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee for cost-effective vendor management and procurement processes. Led staff capacity building and training on project management and operational best practices. Lobbied for increased internal capacity development for teams working in field sites as a motivation measure. So far 8 project managers/coordinators and other key staff have benefited from these academic and professional development opportunities. Supervised staff to achieve organizational priorities and fostered a collaborative work environment. Problem-solving and Leadership: Provided leadership in operational problem-solving, ensuring seamless support across all research projects and field sites. Managed to improve business continuity efforts by providing backup and alternatives to critical. Led cross-functional teams across research, operations, and administration, ensuring alignment with headquarters' strategic priorities. Facilitated bi-weekly site management and visit coordination and meetings with HQ, which improved project reporting efficiency and helped solve problems, and met program milestones ahead of deadlines. Understanding Local Context and diversity: Extensive experience living and working in Malawi, with a strong grasp of the social, political, economic, and cultural landscape. Act as a primary advisor to Principal Investigators and Researchers on providing alternative sites for project implementation to achieve quick success Fostered a respectful work environment that supports diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Business Development and Funding Portfolio Growth Spearheaded optimization of funding opportunities by fostering relationships with international donors and partners. This led to securing a grant of £850,000 for improving MLW research infrastructure in strategic MLW field sites. Four field sites have been upgraded with excellent modern facilities and systems to support excellent health research, increasing the organization’s field sites capacity by 40% in the past 6 years. Secured a £250,000 Wellcome grant that supported the Ministry of Health in rebuilding health infrastructure following Tropical Cyclone Freddy's impact in 5 districts and city councils in southern Malawi. Successfully secured a COVID Response Support grant from Wellcome Trust of £620,000 for personal protective equipment for health professionals in public health facilities of Zomba, Blantyre and Chikwawa districts. Risk and Safety Management Established a risk management framework for field sites that included contingency planning and proactive mitigation strategies. This approach successfully reduced operational disruptions during a national health emergency like Cyclone Freddy and the Covid pandemic, ensuring the safety of staff and that most ongoing research projects remained compliant and on schedule. Implemented a compliance tracking system that ensured all projects adhered to local regulations and organizational policies. This led to 100% compliance during annual donor audits and the risk of penalties. Developed and enforced a staff safety protocol across all field sites on mental health support, field safety, and safeguarding to improve team morale and contribute to higher productivity and project continuity.
• Relief and Humanitarian Programme Manager (RHPM), Goal Malawi, Blantyre, 2012, 2015, Reporting to the Director of Programme and working closely with external stakeholders and key internal departments to ensure Program Oversight and Quality Assurance Ensured relief and humanitarian programs adhered to industry standards, focusing on scale, scope, quality, and accountability. Led the strategic oversight of multiple emergency and humanitarian projects, ensuring they met high standards of scale, scope, and accountability. Successfully scaled up programs from 2 to 5 districts to reach over 600,000 families, improving community resilience and health outcomes. Monitored and tracked humanitarian needs in Malawi, developing preparedness plans and responses Resource Mobilization and Needs Assessment Identified critical vulnerability and disaster impact assessments to inform resource mobilization, programme aligning with national and global priorities. Identified critical needs which was used to inform the mobilization of 2 projects over $1.3 million in resources for emergency response and humanitarian programs for the flood and hunger crises. Coordinated with donors and stakeholders to secure funding and ensure efficient resource allocation. Coordinated with the World Food Programme at the district level with support from the district councils to successfully implement the projects. Policy Development and Compliance Developed and implemented policies related to safeguarding, safety, and code of conduct. Reinforced comprehensive Goal Malawi’s policies on women and child safeguarding, safety, and ethics. Ensured 100% compliance with these policies, enhancing program integrity and aligning with national and international standards. Coordination and Integration Coordinated multi-sectoral assessments and emergency responses, integrating various humanitarian sectors. Established and maintained strong partnerships with government bodies, donors, and NGOs. Led coordination efforts for multi-sectoral assessments and emergency responses, improving collaboration and effectiveness across various sectors. Ensure that Goal Malawi’s emergency preparedness and multi-sectoral assessments (often with the UN and other NGOs), humanitarian programme and project design and implementation in all humanitarian sectors are well coordinated Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Education in Emergencies, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, gender and resilience activities are integrated throughout our programming Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management Established strong local relationships with government bodies, donors, and external organizations. Cash Assistance and Accountability Managed secure and accountable cash assistance and material distribution programs.
• Health and Nutrition Coordinator, UNDP - Millennium Villages Project, Zomba, 2010, 2014, Working in a Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) integrated development project, the Health and Nutrition Coordinator was the national health sector lead and responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of health, nutrition, and sanitation projects. Working closely with other sector coordinators within the organization eg Infrastructure, Business Development and Entrepreneurship, Agriculture and Agribusiness, Community Development and Education; the Health and Nutrition Coordinator was reporting the Health and Nutrition Global Director at Columbia Earth Institute in the USA. Program Leadership and Coordination Led the national health sector of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) integrated development project, overseeing the design, implementation, and monitoring of health, nutrition, and sanitation projects. Worked closely with other sector coordinators (e.g., Infrastructure, Business Development, Agriculture, Community Development, and Education) to ensure a holistic, integrated approach to community development. Coordinated with global leadership at Columbia Earth Institute (USA) to align health initiatives with global best practices and UNDP project objectives. Strategic Planning and Policy Development Developed sectoral strategic plans, budgets, and proposals ensuring alignment with both community needs and UNDP’s organizational objectives. Outlined and communicated clear organizational strategies and priorities, ensuring consistent alignment with UNDP Millennium Villages Project's mission. Drafted Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Malawi Ministry of Health, resulting in the recruitment and absorption of 45 Health Surveillance Assistants into the government system. Health and Nutrition Project Implementation Spearheaded malaria management interventions, including community case management, Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), and Intermittent Presumptive Treatment (IPT). Reduced malaria-related illnesses and deaths by 25% in the targeted areas through community case management, IRS, LLINs, and IPT within a 3-year timeframe. Led the development and establishment of a long-term community health worker program in collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health, ensuring sustainability and improved healthcare delivery in rural areas. Capacity Building and Team Leadership Trained over 150 local health workers on maternal and child health, disease prevention, and nutrition practices, improving local healthcare service quality and sustainability. Led recruitment, training, and capacity-building initiatives for health sector staff, including conducting competency assessments for health workers to improve service delivery. Mentored and supervised health and nutrition staff, ensuring high performance and alignment with organizational standards. Promoted a conducive working environment, fostering multicultural and inclusive teams, aligned with UNDP’s commitment to diversity and equity. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting Designed and implemented monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to track project performance and health outcomes, ensuring accurate and timely reporting. Prepared monthly, quarterly, and donor reports, consolidating data from Health and Nutrition Facilitators and clinics, providing insights into program success and areas for improvement.
• Assistant Environmental Health Officer - Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Desk Officer (IDSR), Ministry of Health, Nsanje, 2005, 2007, Responsible for managing public health initiatives across rural hospitals, health centers, and health posts. Improved Disease Surveillance and Response Successfully improved the monitoring and reporting of epidemic-prone diseases, leading to more timely responses to disease outbreaks in the district. Strengthened Healthcare Capacity Trained over 50 healthcare workers in disease surveillance and response techniques, enhancing the district's preparedness and capacity to manage public health emergencies. Enhanced Collaboration with the Ministry of Health Contributed to the development of district-level health strategies in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, improving the integration of disease surveillance into broader public health initiatives.

• Tamara Chipasula, Head of Operations, Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme (MLW), +265 1 876 444 | +265 999 981 433, tchipasula@mlw.mw, Former Supervisor (2016 - Present)
• Mr. Clement Khalika Banda, Project Manager, Supply Chain Alliance & Development Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Strategic National Stockpile, 2945 Flowers Rd S, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA, +1 (253) 283 8448, clementkhalika@gmail.com, Former Colleague and Collaborator (2009 - Present)
• Dr. Simon Bennet, Lecturer in Risk and Disaster Management & Director, Civil Safety and Security Unit, University of Leicester, +44 (0) 116 252 5754, riskmanagement@le.ac.uk | sab22@le.ac.uk, Professional Mentor and Academic Advisor