Senior WASH Program Manager

Water For People is a global nonprofit working across nine countries, bringing together communities, local entrepreneurs, and governments to build and maintain water and sanitation services that will last. We have a sustainable solution to end the global water and sanitation crisis, and our employees across the world help drive this solution.

POSITION OBJECTIVE:  

The Senior Program Manager is responsible for the overall management and development of the program in Malawi and for ensuring that their work is underpinned by innovation and advances in technology to contribute effectively and efficiently in delivering our WASH ambition as articulated in our strategy. S/he is also responsible for the development of innovative sustainable models in collaboration with other functions, in line with the mission of the organization. The Senior Program Manager has the key responsibility to strengthen and develop the Malawi funding base and profile as a key player in WASH and to explore opportunities for expanding our work and to manage and develop relationships and collaborative links with partners across the country including but not limited to government, donors, civil society and the private sector.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS & DUTIES:

Program Management

The Senior Program Manager provides a clear strategic vision, bringing sound analysis of processes of change and effectively operationalizing of Water For People WASH strategy ensuring staff, partners and other stakeholders feed into and support the strategy. The Senior Program Manager maintains a general oversight of the entire program; ensuring good governance procedures are followed and that all issues are dealt with appropriately promoting a positive working atmosphere across the program team while ensuring effective grant compliance.

 Specifically, this includes:

• Design the program, lead the discussions with the partners and agree on the final implementation plans; 
• Keeping up-to-date with relevant socio-economic and political developments and trends within Malawi and the NGO and development sectors and how these will impact on program direction and effectiveness;
• Develop MOUs with the local implementing partners detailing each partner obligations and responsibilities and performance targets relating to the project area.
• Ensure that all projects are monitored and evaluated, are in line with deadlines, are appropriate, necessary, cost effective, targeted, sustainable and in keeping with the client’s philosophy and strategy.
• Ensure positive working relationship with all partners (government, communities, NGOs, donors, etc.) and ensure partnership agreements are in place;
• Provide technical advice and support, where necessary, to program teams;
• Ensure that an appropriate development program which is balanced, well documented and effective in terms of costs and outputs is delivered.
• Work with our partners to drive forward and develop activities for policy, research and advocacy in WASH to support an enabling environment for sanitation entrepreneurs and other sector players.
• Compile monthly, quarterly progress reports as well as Biannual and Annual reports.
• Ensure effective partner management and development.
• Support partner capacity development, learning, networking and coordination.

Representation

The Senior Program Manager works closely with the Country Director, the Director Influence and Scale and the Senior WASH Sustainability Manager in representing Water For People and is responsible for increasing the profile of the organization. This includes:

• Building and maintaining effective relationships with Government Ministries nationally, regionally and at district level;
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with a range of partners from research organizations, universities, others;
• Creating opportunities to promote and disseminate lessons learned within the  program to a wider audience; 
• Creating opportunities for visibility and branding of Water For People work.  

Financial and Resource Management

Ensuring the responsible and efficient management of financial and other resources allocated to programs:

• Ultimate accountability for all program financial matters and compliance with all financial controls as set out in the Water For People Finance Manual.
• Ensure effective grant management.

 Other

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as assigned at the discretion of your line manager.

BEHAVIORS AND COMPETENCIES: 

1. Excellent communication, diplomacy, negotiation and relationship building skills.
2. The ability and resilience to cope with multiple internal and external demands together with proven experience in supporting change management. 
3. Ability to work with minimum supervision and take initiative.
4. Ability to provide effective management;
5. Ability to solve problems and take corrective action.
6. Strong interpersonal and inter-cultural communication skills.
7. Excellent staff management and personnel skills including a proven ability to develop the capacities of multi-disciplinary professional teams.

 QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS REQUIRED:

 Essential

1. A strong commitment to the aims, objectives and values of the Water For People;
2. High level of initiative, motivation, commitment and professionalism;
3. A minimum of 5 years senior management experience in a similar environment;
4. Appropriate Master’s degree level qualifications. i.e. Environmental Health/Science, Engineering or Water Resource Management 
5. Excellent verbal, analytical, organisational and written skills in English;
6. Proven ability in supporting and building relationships with donors and fundraising;
7. Experience in liaising with government officials and a variety of donors at senior level;
8. Ability to properly manage complex programs;
9. Sound and up to date knowledge of WASH concepts, methodologies and techniques and the ability to critique them;
10. Commitment to international and humanitarian NGO codes, standards and practices.

 Desirable

• Expertise in WASH sanitation enterprise development.
• A strong appreciation of how to lobby and use media.
• Knowledge and experience of working with rural and urban communities. 

 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS: 

• Position is based at Water For People’s Malawi office;
• Trips within and outside Malawi will be required from time to time.

Contact and Further Information:

Please send your application letter and CV including copies of relevant certificates through email to The Country Director at [email protected] the email heading should read Senior Wash Program Manager position.

 Closing date of application is December 13, 2021

Note: Due to the many number of applications that we normally receive shortlisting and interviews will be done on a rolling basis without waiting for the closing date. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.