MWA Deputy Director

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Deputy Director

Introduction to the Millennium Water Alliance

The Millennium Water Alliance www.mwawater.org is a permanent global alliance of leading humanitarian, research, and business organizations that convenes a trusted network and serves as a hub for collective impact, accelerates learning, and influences priorities and funding to scale sustained WASH services and resilience globally. The organization’s work is led by the MWA global hub with active support and engagement by its members and MWA field offices in Kenya and Ethiopia. MWA’s members are listed at https://mwawater.org/about/members/ .

MWA CONVENES by:

1. Attracting and maintaining a trusted network of members from across the WASH sector to share expertise and partnership channels
2. Exchanging information and intelligence with members about funding and partnership opportunities for WASH
3. Catalyzing program opportunities that model innovative partnerships, programs, and solutions
4. Attracting new donors, partners, and sources of revenue to MWA and its members

MWA ACCELERATES learning and effective models by:

1. Facilitating research and packaging results for actionable use
2. Improving how MWA members and partners connect with and learn from each other
3. Bridging global learning to local voices and applications and vice versa
4. Positioning MWA and its members as respected voices by promoting the use of their effective practices and models

MWA INFLUENCES WASH by increasing funding commitments and effective priorities by:

1. Working alongside members to represent the interests of communities who lack WASH services to the U.S. government, resulting in sustained financial commitments for WASH and effective priorities for how those resources are invested.
2. Influencing local and national governments to prioritize effective and sustained WASH service delivery
3. Influencing donor agencies such as USAID, the UN, and others in the placement of WASH in their strategies and structures for impact.

Position: MWA Deputy Director

Organization: Millennium Water Alliance (MWA)

Position Type: Full time

Salary: Competitive, based on qualifications and experience

Education: A minimum of 10 years working in the WASH Sector, a technical expert with a relevant advanced degree

Location: Washington, DC, USA (remote). Other USA locations may be considered. Language(s): English

Reports to: MWA Executive Director

Nationality: National or legal resident in the United States of America.

Closing Date: April 15, 2022 Job Summary

MWA seeks a WASH expert who is passionate about and skilled in cross-organizational collaboration as a means to influencing the sector and advancing SDG6. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director provides leadership and creativity to how MWA members learn from and connect with each other, supports the design and securing of new programs and resources, and ensures that MWA- convened programs and activities are implemented with excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Global Programs Leadership (35%)

· Provides direct oversight and supervision to MWA-convened programs and activities.

· This includes: direct supervision of MWA Country Representatives (currently Ethiopia and Kenya), backstopping and ensuring that all MWA-convened programs and activities are implemented as designed and donor requirements and reporting is met;

· Individually completes assignments and projects assigned directly to the Deputy Director or granted to MWA Global.

· Ensures that adequate program quality assurance methods are in place and being followed.

· Fosters strong partnerships across all program partners including members, donors, government, private sector actors and other partners or stakeholders.

· Orients, trains, and coaches their direct reports and, in consultation with the Executive Director, recommend and/or initiate personnel actions such as merit increases and other salary adjustments, promotions, transfers, terminations and disciplinary actions including performance improvement plans.

· Leads all performance management activities for their direct reports including: performance planning, monitoring, and performance appraisals.

2. Knowledge Management and Learning (25%)

· Provides leadership to MWA’s knowledge management and learning goals by designing, organizing, and hosting critical-topic MWA Learning and Networking Events and broadening the scope of involvement and impact of MWA to member field offices by engaging and reaching field staff in these events and other learning products and studies.

· Ensures that MWA learning products and results are effectively communicated across the MWA network and beyond to maximize uptake and utilization.

· Provides support for high-level MWA program themes, innovations, and integration of programming drawn from the experiences on the ground of MWA and its members. Ensures MWA program and members’ experience translate into relevant case studies, research, publications, and/or presentations. This will require working effectively with members to get quality outputs as well as delivering own outputs. Critical analysis of successes and challenges in the field based on program reports.

· Maintains up-to-date knowledge of relevant WASH research and sector knowledge, learnings, guidelines, and trends.

· Develops, with in-country teams, a communications schedule for when things will be done inclusive of learning docs, learning briefs, videos, brochures, case stories, etc.

· Participates in design, implementation, data analysis and writing of applied research studies performed as part of MWA’s programs.

· Develops communications products to leverage program-based evidence for advocacy and development purposes, including internal documents, narrative articles, and external publications.

· Participates in relevant presentations and webinars to co-present findings and recommendations from MWA and member programs and data.

· Manages Member Spotlight segments, web based and verbal, bi-monthly as part of increasing membership exposure and affinity.

3. Program and Resource Development (25%)

· Together with the Executive Director, takes an active role in the identification, analysis, cultivation and successful development of new business opportunities.

· Contributes to strategic recommendations for resource development, including opportunity pipeline tracking, analysis of probability of success (cost-benefit), and alignment with MWA’s strategy and value proposition.

· Works closely with the Executive Director, others on the MWA team, and MWA members to identify, analysis, organize participation of MWA members based on transparent criteria, develop and submit proposals, concept papers, RFIs, and expressions of interest to a wide range of private, institutional, and bilateral donors.

· Continually monitors relevant funding opportunities/solicitations from bilateral donors, international foundations, and donors.

· New programs and activities may include consortia based opportunities as well as funded activities delivered directly by the MWA hub.

· Take the lead or organizes and manages the writing and consolidating of proposals, concept notes to Donors and responses to RFAs and RFIs.

· Supports negotiations and contracting with organizations sub-granting to MWA

4. Representation, Networking and Executive Duties (15%)

· Provides representation of MWA’s programs to the MWA Board of Directors and internal and external constituencies.

· In the absence of the Executive Director, the Deputy acts as the Head of Office in charge of the MWA‘s Washington office providing oversight, representation to external stakeholders, and day to day leadership as needed.

· Responsible for establishing and maintaining productive linkages and relationships with USAID in Washington DC, businesses, Foundations, bilateral and Multi-lateral donors, and International NGOs.

· Participates in recruiting appropriate new members to MWA.

· Supports existing members with activities and services that boost membership affinity and interconnectedness. Responds to requests and ideas from members

· Actively represents MWA and participates in Global and US sector conferences and forums.

· Engages in WASH US and Global networks of experts to exchange experiences and keep MWA‘s programs updated and at the cutting edge of the WASH Agenda, particularly towards implementation of the SDGs.

· Works closely with the Executive Director on strategic programmatic planning and policy development.

· Attends and prepares materials for Executive Committee and Board meetings.

Qualifications and demonstrated abilities:

· At least 10 years of relevant professional experience with increasing levels of responsibility in international development, management and/or fundraising, including at least 5 years field experience in humanitarian relief or development programs focused on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

· Demonstrated track record of success in organizing consortia, developing and securing new programs and resources, and authoring successful proposals.

· At least a Master’s Degree in a related field.

· Demonstrated leadership skills and management experience of multi-cultural teams.

· Clear evidence of ability to work diplomatically and effectively across cultures, government entities and diverse organizations.

· Demonstrated ability to build trusted personal and organizational relationships and networks.

· Proven success in researching and documenting best practices and presenting results in reports, conference, webinars and other fora.

· Ability to meet multiple deadlines under pressure.

· Experience working in a global context with teams and staff across multiples locations and time zones.

· Current knowledge and understanding of the water and sanitation sector, issues and trends. Demonstrated practical familiarity with systems strengthening work and preferred to have monitoring experience with systems monitoring tools.

· Demonstrated analytical skills, strategic and system thinking, ability to manage multiple stakeholder’s needs.

· Proven track record of reliability and ability to self-direct priorities and workflow to meet deadlines and achieve targets.

· Ability to think strategically at a high level but also conduct the day-to-day implementation of projects and personally produce deliverables.

· Excellent writing and editing skills.

· Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively and extensive experience presenting to external high level and mass audiences.

· Fluent written and spoken English required.

This is a full-time permanent position located in Washington DC (remote office). Other USA locations may be considered. Salary range is commensurate with experience. International travel of about 20% will be required, most frequently to Ethiopia, Kenya and other countries in East Africa as well as in Latin America.

MWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.

Applicants should forward a cover letter, CV and a list of at least 3 professional references (name, contact information, and statement of relationship to the reference) to MWA.jobs@mwawater.org. Do not call in reference to this position. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Thank you in advance for your interest**. Please make sure to include the job title in the subject line of your email.**

v. March 14, 2022