Country Director at WaterAid Tanzania

• Contract: 4 years, Full Time (with potential to extend)
• Location: Dar e Salam, Ethiopia
• Salary and Benefits:  Competitive salaries with excellent benefits

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

WaterAid is an international organization whose vision is that of a world where everyone has access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation. WaterAid works to transform lives by improving access to safe water and good hygiene and sanitation conditions among the poorest and most marginalized populations in the world. In the implementation of its strategic plan for 2023-2028, WaterAid Ethiopia (WAE) places particular emphasis on strengthening the resilience of WASH services to the effects of climate change, also on increasing the quantity and quality of the WASH sector financing in Ethiopia, mobilizing resources, establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships, utilizing action research and innovation, while drawing on the lessons learned from previous strategies. In this process, WaterAid Ethiopia is seeking a qualified and motivated individual candidate to fill the position of Country Director based at the National Office in Addis Ababa.

About the Role

The primary purpose of the Country Director (CD) is to provide leadership to the Country Programme (CP) and to contribute to the regional, pan Africa and global leadership of WaterAid. The CD achieves this by steering the direction of the CP, empowering and developing staff and partners and influencing public and private institutions on the impact that improvements in safe water and improved sanitation and hygiene can make to the poorest and most excluded - therefore contributing to wider poverty reduction and human development

Accountabilities:

• Provide strong strategic leadership to the country team promoting a management culture that is supportive, empowering and collaborative.
• Lead, manage and motivate a team, creating an environment that enables staff to maximise their potential and facilitates high performing teams; ensure that the Senior Management Team is effective in promoting effective internal collaboration and joined-up working.
• Develop and deliver the Country Strategy in line with WaterAid's Global Strategy.
• Actively facilitate relationships between sector stakeholders (actors) to support the development of the sector.
• Collaborate with colleagues from across WaterAid to enhance relationships and ensure effective organisational working.
• Contribute, as a member of the Global and Regional leadership teams of WaterAid, to support organisational effectiveness and development.
• Lead the approach to ensuring that the CP has integrated Rights, Equity and Inclusion into its work as well as being a diverse and inclusive place to work.
• Stay aware of local funding context and identify appropriate opportunities to increase income, in conjunction with the Regional Director and the Strategic Funding Unit
• Develop thorough understanding of the external environment we are operating in, identify and manage risk including ensuring appropriate health and safety and security procedures are in place.

Requirements

To be successful, you’ll need: 

• Master’s degree or professional qualification in a relevant subject area
• Proven experience of heading a Country Programme.
• Strategic leadership and management of a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, preferably in water, sanitation and Hygiene sector.
• Experience in strategic planning development in a senior management capacity.
• Experience of developing key strategic and operational partnerships with national level NGOs and government authorities for programme, policy and advocacy interventions.
• Experience of raising funds from government and/or international agencies (bilateral/multilateral), managing large budgets with diverse international donor base.
• Leading on engagement with national governments, bilateral and multi-lateral agencies on policy influencing.
• Proven leadership skills and strategic management skills.
• A clear and sound understanding of international development (policy and programme), especially in the water and sanitation developing countries
• Fluent in English and ability to communicate and make presentations clearly in English.
• Experience of successful advocacy and lobbying.
• Experience of working with local and national governments, to deliver and implement technical assistance and capacity building programmes.
• Experience of working in an international organisation, multi or bilateral agency, or in a business setting at an international level.
• Knowledge of governance structures and issues, including managing and being accountable to boards.
• Experience of entrepreneurial or social marketing approaches in WASH or other related service sectors.

Closing Date: Applications will close 12:00 GMT Time on Monday 25th July 2025

How to Apply: Click ‘Apply’ to complete the pre-screening questions and upload your CV and an essential cover letter which should also be in English.

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 Ethiopia. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to the Ethiopia laws.

Benefits

As an organisation WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. So, in addition to our inspiring global mission and engaging work environment, we have a generous benefit package to help you take care of your health, happiness and wellbeing.

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.