Local recruitment: Global Policy and Campaigns Planning and Performance Lead

Global Policy and Campaigns Planning and Performance Lead

Contract: Permanent, Full time, 35 hours per week

Location: London, UK, subject to the right to work.

UK Hybrid Working: A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face to face, either in London office, or as a result of external engagement or travel for WaterAid. WaterAid is located at Canary Wharf, London and this will be your location and contract base.

*60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid is currently defined as: 60% of an employee’s time in a location of their choice, 40% face to face, defined as in the London office, at conferences or at stakeholder meetings or other location as relevant for the proper performance of the duties of the role. 

Salary: £57,415 – £60,436 with excellent benefits

About WaterAid

Want to use your skills in planning, M&E and project management to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene 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 Global Policy and Campaigns Planning and Performance Lead 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

This role reports directly to the Executive Director of WaterAid’s Global Policy and Campaigns (GPAC) team and is a member of GPAC’s Senior Management Team (SMT). GPAC sets WaterAid’s 10-year policy agenda and positions, supporting colleagues across all levels to advocate on this agenda and bring WaterAid together to advocate for change on a set of global priorities. We also directly influence decision-makers at global and regional levels on these priorities as well as bringing in external political insights into the organisation to increase our collective effectiveness.

About the Role

As GPAC’s Planning and Performance Lead you will help us understand how the department is contributing towards WaterAid’s global strategy and maximise our global impact. The role will support GPAC’s work by leading the planning and performance assessment work, focussing on ensuring that the advocacy activity delivered across the department is aligned and working towards the same outcomes.

The role will work closely with the Directors in GPAC’s SMT and with members of the International Programmes Department (IPD) SMT to ensure that both departments’ plans are aligned. It will also engage with key Federation members involved in global policy, advocacy and campaigns work, with the WaterAid International Secretariat, and with the Global and UK performance, strategy and planning teams.

In this role, you will lead the design of the planning process for the department to deliver annual plans, ensuring alignment with similar processes in key Federation members and other departments, as well as being integrated with the wider organisation’s planning cycles.

You’ll also: 

• Project manage the implementation of the planning process, working in close coordination with GPAC SMT directors as well as and as relevant with other WaterAid, Member and WaterAid International directors.
• Lead the process to deliver an M&E framework for GPAC (including new metrics as relevant), that balances the effort required with the need to drive data informed decisions and actions.
• Run the quarterly and annual reporting cycle, working with senior leaders in GPAC to deliver high quality data, run learning sessions to reflect on the data to enable data driven and effective decision making.
• Manage the regular collation of data across the department and shared to the wider organisation, including to the Executive and Board reporting processes
• Represent GPAC in wider WaterAid UK and global groups around performance and planning.
• Support GPAC to partner closely with IPD to track Country Programme support requests, and use insights to inform strategic planning of the department.
• Be the internal communications lead for the department on matters related to planning and performance, working with the central internal communications function as appropriate.

To be successful, you’ll need: 

• Experience of leading performance and planning cycles within complex organisations.
• Background in M&E within NGO or comparable contexts. Understands the complexity around assessing performance.
• Excellent project management skills to optimise the use of resources; manage multiple projects and conflicting priorities using insightful interpretation and resourceful solutions.
• Ability to think strategically across complex and fast-moving environments; able to concentrate on the big picture and respond to trends and shifts in the wider world.
• Collaborative: able to work with teams from a variety of backgrounds and build credibility and trust with key stakeholders.
• Able to facilitate group discussions to develop and drive forward strategic plans and work.
• Organised, efficient, with a high level of attention to detail.
• Comfortable with working with incomplete data and high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Working style that reflects WaterAid’s values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation.

Although not essential, we also prefer you to have:

• Background in Policy or Advocacy or knowledge of global advocacy M&E.

View full job description here

Closing Date: Applications will close 12:00 PM UK Time on Monday, 16 June 2025.

Availability for the first round virtual interview is required week commencing Monday 23 June 2025. Availability for the final round virtual interview is required week commencing Monday 30 June 2025.

How to Apply: Click ‘Apply’ to complete the pre-screening questions and upload your CV and an essential cover letter.

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 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 to comply with our Safer Recruitment policy. All our UK-based vacancies require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

• 36 days’ holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)
• Option to buy an extra 5 days’ annual leave
• We offer a generous pension plan with employer contribution of up to 10%
• Wide range of flexible and agile-working arrangement
• Season Ticket Loan
• Free annual eye tests
• Pay as You Give charitable giving scheme
• Enhanced Maternity and Adoption/Surrogacy pay, Shared Parental Leave and Paternity Leave
• Sabbaticals
• Volunteer Day

Our Global 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. As a safeguarding measure, WaterAid carries out background checks on all potential employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.