Project Lead - National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator

Job summary

Project Lead - National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator. Contract: 18 Months Fixed-term contract, Full-time, contingent upon successfully securing project funding, target start date May 2026. Location: The role can be based in London (United Kingdom), Accra (Ghana), Dar es Salaam / Dodoma (Tanzania), Lusaka (Zambia), or Lilongwe (Malawi), subject to right to work eligibility in the respective countries. In the UK, we support and enjoy a hybrid working environment. A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face to face, either in the London office, for coordination, collaboration and connectivity across the team, or as a result of external engagement or travel for WaterAid.

Responsibilities

• 1. Strategic leadership and delivery oversight
• Provide overall leadership for the National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator across all participating countries.
• Translate the approved delegated authority, staged approach and theory of change into effective, sequenced delivery.
• 2. WASH institutional development and financing leadership
• Lead the Accelerator’s approach to institutional strengthening, governance reform and financing readiness.
• Ensure robust diagnostics of sector constraints (institutional, financial, regulatory, macro‑fiscal and political economy).
• Support and guide the establishment or adaptation of the appropriate multistakeholder platforms.
• 3. Government and senior stakeholder engagement
• Alongside country teams, act as the primary senior interface with ministries responsible for WASH, finance, planning and local government.
• Support and reinforce high‑level political ownership of National Water Compacts and project pipelines.
• 4. Project governance, quality assurance and risk
• Establish and chair (or participate in) appropriate project governance and decision‑making groups.
• Maintain oversight of delivery quality, ensuring consistency and credibility across countries.
• 5. Team leadership and coordination
• Lead and manage the core delivery team, including technical specialists and country team embedded roles.
• Provide direction and mentorship to senior technical staff, including the WASH Institutional Management Specialist and the Public-Private Financing Specialist.
• 6. Learning, replication and strategic positioning
• Oversee synthesis of learning, guidance and tools emerging from the Accelerator.
• Contribute to organisational positioning on WASH financing, national compacts and mission‑oriented delivery.

Requirements

• To be successful, you’ll need:
• Substantial senior‑level experience in WASH institutional reform, sector governance and financing.
• Demonstrated track record of leading complex, multi‑country projects involving governments and financing institutions.
• Deep understanding of investment preparation processes, MDB appraisal expectations and blended finance approaches.
• Proven ability to operate credibly with senior government officials, donors and international finance actors.
• Strong strategic judgement, political sensitivity and leadership presence.
• Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:
• Experience leading or supporting national WASH compacts, sector reform programmes or investment accelerators.
• Familiarity with World Bank, African Development Bank or similar MDB processes.
• Experience shaping mission‑oriented or systems‑change programmes.

How to apply

Apply on apply.workable.com.

Instructions: Closing date: Applications will close 12:00 PM UK time on 10th April 2026. Shortlisting and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and the role may close earlier if a suitable candidate is found. We therefore encourage you to apply at an early stage. How to Apply: Click Apply to answer the pre-screening questions, upload your CV. Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application? At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well. Pre-employment screening: To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check Benefits As a global organisation, WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. Alongside our inspiring mission and meaningful work, we offer a range of benefits tailored to each country’s context and policies. These will be shared during the process Our Global Commitment: Our people promise We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values. Equal Opportunities We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

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We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen. About the Team The WaterAid Global Campaigns team is the public mobilisation experts at WaterAid, leading our public engagement work for the broader Global Policy and Advocacy department. They are responsible for delivering the two global advocacy priority campaigns on climate and women’s health.

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