Utility Partnerships Senior Advisor at WaterAid | June 2024

Utility Partnerships Senior Advisor

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Location: The role will be based in the UK or one of the following countries where WaterAid works, subject to right-to-work eligibility in the respective countries. South Africa, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

For the UK Location, we offer hybrid working: A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face-to-face, in a WaterAid office. For UK-based staff, WaterAid is located at Canary Wharf, London and this will be your location and contract base.

Salary & Benefits: Salaries and benefits for different countries will vary in line with the successful candidate’s location and depending on experience. If UK-based: £48,314 – £50,729 with excellent benefits, or equivalent established grade F salary and benefits in the country of employment.

About WaterAid:
Want to use your skills in managing utility partnerships to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone everywhere?

We need passionate, creative and dedicated people. In return, you will be encouraged and empowered to be yourself at your very best. Together, we will make a bigger difference. Join WaterAid as our Utility Partnerships Senior Advisor to change normal for millions of people so they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good.

About the Team:
The WASH Systems and Programme Partnerships team is part of the Programme Support & Knowledge department (PSK), a key unit of the WaterAid UK International Programmes Directorate (IPD) which operates in 17 African and Asian countries. PSK is a diverse and motivated group of 20+ technical specialists and advisors, passionate about bringing sustainable WASH to the world’s poorest and most marginalised people. PSK leads and supports organisation-wide programme learning and knowledge management, collating and disseminating programme knowledge and facilitating knowledge exchange.

The team provides technical advisory expertise and fosters and supports internal and external programme and technical partnerships and networks. The team also leads on developing normative programme documents and standards, advising and supporting on the delivery of IPD’s programme capacity enhancement strategy. PSK collaborates with many functions across the organisation including policy, advocacy, campaigns, fundraising, communications, as well as with WaterAid partners and collaborators.

About the Role:
As our Utility Partnerships Senior Advisor, you will co-lead the delivery of core team responsibilities regarding the development and effective management of Sanitation and Water Operator Partnerships (SWOPs) and other closely associated utility partnerships topics. Applying a people-centred, systems strengthening approach to WASH, you will provide high quality specialist technical analysis, advisory, and support services to the design, inception, implementation, troubleshooting, monitoring, and/or assessments of WaterAid’s utility partnerships programming worldwide, at both strategic and operational levels.

The Utility Partnerships Senior Advisor is a senior position in the WASH Systems and Programme Partnerships team, reporting to the Utility Partnerships Lead.

In collaboration with country, regional and global colleagues, you will co-lead the facilitation of effective learning and management of technical and programme knowledge across the organisation, and co-lead the development of relevant standards and guidance. You will also provides strategic and technical input to fundraising, communications, and external engagements.

About You:

• A progressive career record demonstrating strong technical and operational experience in one or more areas of sanitation and water supply service delivery, understanding of technical and operational management models, asset management and infrastructure, resilience, and sustainability, as well as other inter-related topics to sanitation and water services in both urban, rural and low-income settings.
• Substantial experience in the development of strategic partnerships demonstrating excellent networking and negotiation skills.
• Sound understanding of organisational development and change management processes, ideally in a utility setting.
• A relevant post-Graduate degree or equivalent work experience.
• Proven ability in leadership and strategic thinking.
• Strong experience in offering technical assistance, consulting, and/or advisory services to empower and to develop capacities.

Although not essential, we also prefer you to have:

• Relevant technical experience in systems strengthening, sustainable development, hygiene, health, gender, inclusion, environment and/or other WASH-related topics.
• Experience in public / private sector approaches and models for effective and sustainable WASH services.
• Working knowledge in French, Portuguese, Spanish, and/or any language widely spoken in the countries where WaterAid has programming.

Closing date: Applications will close at 23:59 on 16th June 2024. Availability for an interview is required week commencing 24th June 2024. Video interviews will be conducted for all non-UK-based applicants and also be available for UK-based applicants on request.

How to Apply: To see the full job pack, please click ‘Apply’. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter in one document in either Word Document or PDF format. Please indicate your location and the right-to-work eligibility in your cover letter

Pre-employment screening: To apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to the applicable laws in the respective countries. All our UK-based vacancies require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to comply with our Safer Recruitment policy.

Our Commitment

Our People Promise:
We will work with passion and focus to ensure safe and sustainable water, toilets and hygiene are available to everyone, everywhere. 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 put the wellbeing of our people first, to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal opportunities:
We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.

Safeguarding:
We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.