| Organization: | African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) | |
| Title: | Executive Secretary | |
| Job Function: | The Executive Secretary will be based at the AMCOW Secretariat in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The successful candidate must have an excellent understanding of the institutional framework for the water and sanitation sector in Africa. The candidate, who will work with a wide range of stakeholders, must be a dynamic political mobilizer, an inspiring leader, and a manager with integrity, credibility, and strategic vision necessary to thrive in a complex, multicultural, and constantly evolving environment. The candidate must demonstrate a proven ability to build, maintain, and strengthen trust among member states, technical and financial partners, regional institutions, staff, and other stakeholders. He or she must promote an institutional culture based on mutual respect, social dialogue, inclusion, transparency, accountability, ethical values, and the highest standards of governance.The candidate must also have a recognized professional reputation, demonstrate unifying leadership that fosters a healthy, respectful, and high-performing work environment, and show a proven ability to preserve AMCOW’s institutional credibility, strengthen the trust of development partners, and sustainably mobilize their support for the Organization’s strategic priorities.The candidate must be able to represent AMCOW with authority and credibility before heads of state and government, ministers, heads of continental institutions, technical and financial partners, and international organizations, in order to strengthen AMCOW’s position, not only as the leading institution but also as a platform for policy dialogue, and a body that sets continental priorities for the African water and sanitation sector.The Executive Secretary must at all times uphold the principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality when dealing with Member States and partners, particularly in the context of disputes or sensitive issues. | |
| Classification : | Grade : D1 or D2 | Date : July 1, 2026 |
| About AMCOW | AMCOW is an inter-governmental, Pan-African, non-budgetary institution. AMCOW serves as a Ministerial Sectoral Committee for Water and Sanitation under the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, Water and Environment (ARBWE) of the African Union (AU).AMCOW’s mission is to provide political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems… For more information, refer to: https://www.amcow-online.org/. | |
| Duties and Responsibilities : | AMCOW is the continent’s policy and decision-making body on water and sanitation. The Executive Secretary serves as secretary to this body and is primarily responsible for liaising with all ministers in charge of water and sanitation affairs across the continent, as well as with other key stakeholders, in the performance of his or her duties. The Executive Secretary, as the senior official reporting to the Governing Council, ensures effective alignment between AMCOW’s strategic directions and its delivery of the work programme. The specific areas of responsibility necessary for the effective performance of this role are outlined below: · Strategic direction and external relations.· Program implementation and operational management.· Institutional capacity building.· Support for the Governing Council to strengthen governance. 1. Strategic Direction and External Relations: In close collaboration with the Governing Council, provide leadership in developing and implementing the organization’s mission and strategic direction.Clearly articulate AMCOW’s strategic directions and secure buy-in from a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.Lead the development of innovative approaches to leverage AMCOW’s brand within the African stakeholder landscape to mobilize resources.Embody credibility and legitimacy as the organization’s primary spokesperson on all issues.Provide leadership in developing long-term strategies and short-term strategic operational plans aligned with continental and global agendas in the water and sanitation sector. | |
| 2. Program Implementation and Operational Management: Lead the implementation of the organization’s strategy: effectively translate the organization’s strategic priorities into multi-year and annual work programs that are properly aligned with the budget and develop strategies for any necessary adjustments.Lead and guide the organization’s day-to-day operations.Oversee the implementation of AMCOW’s risk management strategy, ensuring that institutional, programmatic, and operational risks—including business continuity risk—are identified, managed, and mitigated.Define and ensure the organization’s ethical standards, culture, and institutional commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, financial mismanagement, and any other form of professional misconduct.Lead and embody the organization’s commitment to inclusion and tolerance in its vision, program implementation, and institutional operations.Actively promote and foster an environment conducive to excellence in the performance of AMCOW’s staff and stakeholders.Lead the development and implementation of strategies for resource mobilization and the organization’s financial sustainability. 3. Institutional Capacity Building: Ensure that all aspects of the organization’s capacity are properly designed, adequately resourced, and of sufficient quality to effectively achieve results at both the organizational and program levels.Ensure that the organization has effective systems in place to implement and monitor its project portfolio.Promote the integration of gender perspectives into both programs and operations.Ensure that the organization has an appropriate mix of high-quality talent to meet current and emerging needs; strive to motivate and retain talent through effective human resources management practices.Promote an organizational culture aligned with AMCOW’s mandate, values and strategic direction. 4. Support the Governing Council in strengthening governance: Ensure that the Governing Councl receives appropriate management support to effectively fulfill its oversight responsibilities.Provide leadership in implementing the Governing Council’ decisions.Regularly brief the Governing Council on the organization’s risk management efforts, including strategic and operational risks. | ||
| Reporting Structure | The Executive Secretary reports to the AMCOW President, who chairs the Executive Committee (EXCO) and the General Assembly (GA) | |
| Qualifications and Experience: | · The candidate must hold a postgraduate degree (Ph.D. or master’s) in one or more of the following fields: natural resource management, environmental sciences, public administration, water resources engineering/management, law, development, economics, social sciences, and/or an equivalent discipline.· The candidate must demonstrate impeccable integrity and adhere to the highest ethical standards, with no proven history of fraud, corruption, harassment, or any other serious misconduct. Any prior disciplinary action or the outcome of a formal investigation may constitute grounds for ineligibility and must be fully disclosed during the recruitment process. AMCOW reserves the right to verify this information through background and reference checks prior to any appointment. The candidate must have at least fifteen (15) years of relevant experience in a senior management position, with significant experience in the design and development of organizational policies and strategies, preferably within an African or international development organization.· The candidate must demonstrate measurable achievements over the past five to ten years, particularly in the areas of mobilizing financial resources, improving institutional performance, implementing organizational reforms, increasing the organization’s international visibility, and enhancing governance mechanisms, among others.· The candidate must possess a track record demonstrating management in accordance with the principles of good governance, a lack of disciplinary sanctions, financial management deemed satisfactory by audit bodies, and the absence of documented conflicts of interest, among other criteria.· The candidate must demonstrate that they have personally led the mobilization of significant resources for the benefit of a regional or international organization.· Proven experience in effective leadership and managing teams with diverse professional backgrounds and experiences.· In-depth experience with international, regional, and national policy processes related to water resource management, sanitation, and the environment.· A deep and proven understanding of water and sanitation issues in Africa.· Proven experience in addressing current development issues across Africa, as well as an active network of partnerships and collaborations with the African water and sanitation sectors.· A strong track record in mobilizing resources for development, and an excellent understanding of the resource mobilization landscape (development partners, philanthropy, the private sector, and various stakeholders in Africa).· Excellent advocacy and strong negotiation skills.· Excellent political and diplomatic skills, as well as good situational judgment.· Exceptional communication skills to persuade, inspire, and mobilize all stakeholders around AMCOW’s vision and mission.· Proven ability to identify organizational challenges and act as a change agent to address them.· The candidate must have significant, relevant, and direct practical experience gained in Africa. | |
| Language and Employment Requirements: | · Fluency in English and French is essential.· Proficiency in Portuguese and/or Arabic would be an asset.· A letter of recommendation from a previous employer.· The candidate must provide three professional references. | |
| Tenure of Appointment: | The position will be filled under a four (4)-year fixed-term contract, with the first six months considered a probationary period. | |
| Remuneration : | Competitive compensation in line with continental standards and consistent with AMCOW’s employment conditions. | |
| Citizenship Requirements | Only nationals of African Union member states are eligible to apply. | |
AMCOW’s Equal Opportunity Policy states the following: We recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals in all job categories without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other protected status.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to email their resume to the address below, along with a cover letter explaining how they meet the job requirements, as well as certified copies of their diplomas and certificates. The deadline for submission is July 31, 2026. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
The Chair
Appointment, Promotion, and Recruitment Committee (APRC)
African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)
No. 15, Thomas Sankara Street, Asokoro District
Abuja, Nigeria.
Email: info@amcow-online.org
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
