Programme Manager at Aqua for All, Ethiopia

About Us

Aqua for All is an international foundation committed to providing universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation services that are inclusive, affordable, and sustainable. Our mission is to mobilise private capital for entrepreneurs to transform the water and sanitation sector in low- and middle-income countries.

We support local water and sanitation service providers to scale their market-based solutions and to attract private capital. By catalysing private capital for market development and increasing access to finance, we accelerate access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services, especially in Africa and Asia.

We believe that market-based solutions, combined with public and private capital are needed to bridge the service and financial gap to achieve SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation for all.

Main goal of the role

Coordinating Aqua for All’s country programmes by stimulating water and sanitation market development through developing and managing projects, partnerships and relations.

Mainly responsible for, but not limited to, Ethiopia and East Africa (Kenya and Uganda).

Position in the organisation

In the Market Development team, reports to Ethiopia Country Representative and technical reporting to Lead – Market Development

Terms on Employment

Full-time (36 hours/per week), one-year contract with the possibility of renewal, based on performance and availability of funding.

Result areas and responsibilities

Project Development and Coordination:

• Design and implement market development interventions that lead to sustainable market uptake and improved access to finance, ensuring that MD support translates into viable business models, bankable pipelines, and eventual private capital mobilization.
• Support the coordination and implementation of market development SME support projects (including results-based grants, access to finance, and technical assistance) ensuring smooth execution and meeting project objectives.
• Provide continuous feedback and support to project partners, including coaching and advising local enterprises in the development of their (social) business models with assistance of the team when needed.
• Responsible for a portfolio of market-based water and sanitation projects, including sourcing, selecting, budgeting, contracting, project monitoring, and impact management.
• Maintains an overview of the portfolio of (grant) projects within Ethiopia and East Africa, identifies opportunities, and proactively drives pipeline development by turning these opportunities into projects.

Partnership Development and Proposal Support:

• Build and nurture relationships with key stakeholders, such as SMEs, government entities, NGOs, and private sector partners.
• Assist in developing project proposals, including project scope, budgets, and timelines, aligned with strategic goals.

Market–Finance Linkages and SME Credit Readiness:

• Support SMEs to meet FI lending requirements
• Facilitate linkages between SMEs, cooperatives, utilities, and financial institutional partners
• Coordinate closely with the Impact Finance team to support revolving credit facility deployment and credit uptake by SMEs
• Contribute to the development of bankable pipelines and private capital mobilization

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Knowledge Management:

• Stay appraised of country water and sanitation sector including emerging trends and technologies, market gaps, and potential opportunities.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of projects, tracking progress against milestones and key performance indicators.
• Contribute to knowledge-building efforts, organizing information for decision-making and best practice development.

Budget Management and Communication:

• Assist Finance Manager (located in The Netherlands) in budget preparation and financial tracking for projects, ensuring compliance with financial guidelines and reporting requirements.
• Support the communication efforts of the market development team, preparing presentations and reports to disseminate project achievements and impact.

Core Competencies

• Result Orientation: Strong commitment to achieving measurable outcomes and meeting targets, with a focus on delivering high-quality results within set deadlines.
• Cooperation: Proven ability to collaborate seamlessly with diverse teams and individuals, resolving conflicts constructively, and actively contributing to a harmonious and productive work environment.

Job requirements

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business, International Development, Water Management, Environmental Studies, or a closely related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in project or programme coordination and partnership development;
• Hands-on mentality, affinity and experience working with innovations, (service delivery) business models and SMEs;
• Proven track record in managing and coordinating international projects, with strong organizational and multitasking abilities;
• Basic technical understanding of water and sanitation technologies/systems and financial instruments;
• Knowledge of water and sanitation market dynamics, trends, and challenges in Ethiopia and East Africa;
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills to foster partnerships and collaboration;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Amharic (and other regional languages would be a plus);
• Willingness to travel (also to higher-risk areas)