WASH Institutional Management Specialist

WASH Institutional Management Specialist - National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator

Contract: 18 Months Fixed-term contract, full-time, contingent upon successfully securing project funding, target start date May 2026.

Location: The role can be based in London (United Kingdom), Accra (Ghana), Dar es Salaam / Dodoma (Tanzania), Lusaka (Zambia), or Lilongwe (Malawi), subject to right to work eligibility in the respective countries.

In the UK, we support and enjoy a hybrid working environment. A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face to face, either in the London office, for coordination, collaboration and connectivity across the team, or as a result of external engagement or travel for WaterAid.

Salaries & Benefits: Salaries and benefits will vary by country, depending on the successful candidate's location and experience. See further details below:

UK: GBP £61,645 per annum with excellent benefits*.

Zambia: ZMW 939,581 – ZMW 1,174,476 per annum with excellent benefits.

Ghana: GHS 687,637 – GHS 1,045,327 per annum with excellent benefits.

Tanzania: TZS 148,523,228 – TZS 185,654,036 per annum with excellent benefits.

Malawi: MWK 75,784,188 - MWK 119,156,217 per annum with excellent benefits.

*We offer competitive, market-aligned starting salaries. While most roles are offered at the advertised starting salary, we may adjust this in exceptional cases depending on a candidate’s experience, skills, and potential.

Change starts with water. Change starts with you.

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.

About WaterAid

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.

About the Team

The role will report into the Project Lead: National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator, located in the Programme Operations Team, one of three support teams within the International Programmes Department of WaterAid UK.

The Programme Operations Team enables the effective management of the International Programmes Department through ensuring IPD Teams have access to robust high quality management policies, systems, process, tools and capabilities that work to support the delivery of programmes, enable the effective management of risk, and ensure strong financial planning and management.

About the Role

The WASH Institutional Management Specialist will provide hands‑on technical leadership and delivery support to WaterAid country teams and governments participating in the National Water Compact Delivery Accelerator, with a particular focus on institutional arrangements and governance, delegated management models and implementation readiness.

The role bridges strategy and execution, supporting countries to design practical institutional governance, service delivery and management frameworks that underpin credible, finance‑ready WASH investments.

In this role, you will:

1. Institutional diagnostics and design

• Lead or contribute to detailed institutional and governance diagnostics at national and sub‑national levels.
• Analyse roles, mandates, incentives and capacities across ministries, agencies, utilities and service providers.
• Identify binding institutional constraints affecting project delivery and sustainability.

2. Management and delivery model development

• Support governments to design fit‑for‑purpose institutional and management models for priority WASH investments.
• Define delivery units, implementation arrangements and accountability frameworks aligned to investment requirements.

3. Integration with financing and project development

• Work closely with finance and project development specialists to ensure institutional arrangements meet lender expectations.
• Contribute to the preparation of investment‑ready project documentation, including institutional sections of concept notes and appraisal documents.

4. Country‑level facilitation and coordination

• Provide embedded or close‑support accompaniment to country teams and government counterparts.
• Facilitate multi‑stakeholder workshops and consultations focused on institutional reform and delivery models.

5. Quality assurance and learning

• Contribute to quality assurance of diagnostics, project concepts and full project packages.
• Capture and document practical lessons on institutional reform and management arrangements.

Requirements

To be successful, you’ll need:

• Strong professional experience in WASH institutional management, governance or service delivery reform.
• Practical experience working with government systems in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
• Understanding of how institutional arrangements underpin investment viability and sustainability.
• Strong facilitation, analytical and written communication skills.
• Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:
• Experience contributing to MDB‑financed or large‑scale infrastructure programmes.
• Familiarity with utility reform, delegated management or hybrid delivery models.
• Experience working across multiple countries or regions

Closing date: Applications will close 12:00 PM UK time on 10th April 2026. Shortlisting and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and the role may close earlier if a suitable candidate is found. We therefore encourage you to apply at an early stage.

How to Apply: Click Apply to answer the pre-screening questions, upload your CV.

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 role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Benefits

As a global organisation, WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. Alongside our inspiring mission and meaningful work, we offer a range of benefits tailored to each country’s context and policies. These will be shared during the process

Our Global Commitment:

Our people promise

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. 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 be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

Safeguarding

We are 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 to 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. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change!