Project Director, WASH Research & Learning Activity

Summary

The Project Director will be responsible for providing overall strategic direction, management, and technical leadership for an upcoming USAID WASH Research and Learning global project. She/he will be responsible for overall delivery of project activities and deliverables, and will coordinate closely with USAID to ensure the WASH Research & Learning Activity meets its intended research, learning and application goals. The Project Director will supervise Save the Children staff, as well as oversee Activity partnerships, including partner workplans, budgets, and deliverables. The position will coordinate closely with Save the Children’s Department of Global Health and the Department of Hunger and Livelihoods.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Technical Leadership and Support

• Provide strategic leadership for the development and implementation of award workplan activities.
• Oversee the communications and responses to USAID-mission requests for technical support.
• Identify opportunities for WASH-related research aimed at advancing WASH strategies and implementation.
• Coordinate with the Save the Children WASH team to ensure the implementation of evidence-based approaches and facilitate knowledge sharing.
• Identify evidence gaps and priorities for research and documentation related to WASH and pursue opportunities for research and program learning to fill these gaps.
• Represent and present findings from the Activity at high-level meetings, conferences, and other fora.

External Coordination and Relationship Management

• Lead the engagement among consortium partners and facilitate partners’ efforts towards achieving the Activity’s workplan and learning goals.
• Create a positive environment to encourage partner collaboration towards the Activity’s objectives and learning questions.
• Communicate and coordinate regularly with partners on progress, including learning, implementation and reporting.
• Lead Activity engagement with other organizations within the WASH sector and other relevant sectors, proactively identifying areas for new partnerships, the sharing of learning, and collaboration.
• Coordinate and oversee dissemination and engagement activities within the sector.
• Collaborate with the USAID/Bureau for Resilience and Food Security staff and USAID missions to coordinate program activities, and ensure alignment with USAID expectations.

Management and Reporting

• Serve as the primary liaison with USAID, ensuring that award activities, reports and deliverables are completed on time and in accordance with USAID expectations and regulations.
• Oversee the development of all implementation and operational outputs and deliverables, including an annual workplan, quarterly progress reports, and other requirements, working with Activity partners to develop deliverables.
• Manage and continuously monitor the overall budget in accordance with Save the Children and USAID standards and protocols, including oversight of SC and partner budgets in selected countries, and proactive management of project pipeline and finances.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting and written and oral presentations to USAID on all Activity areas.
• Oversee project implementation, assure quality deliverables to the client and sector, make site visits to in-country activities, review partner and Save the Children deliverables, and monitor the overall delivery and quality of partner workplans.
• Ensure adherence to USAID and Save the Children policies and procedures.
• Manage all program staff, including overseas, and guide their professional development.
• Build partnerships with external agencies and organizations including multilaterals, NGOs and contractors to share and promote WASH learning and innovation and pursue potential WASH opportunities.
• Contribute to Save the Children’s quarterly and annual reporting, strategic and operational planning and other management and documentation mechanisms.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ experience implementing or managing WASH programming in the context of health programs in low resource settings with at least 4 years of on-the-ground experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing a USAID-funded activity.
• Ample experience designing and implementing WASH-related research activities.
• Experience providing technical assistance in WASH in a variety of country contexts.
• Practiced in designing and implementing qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation systems for WASH projects.
• Experience in technical writing/documentation of WASH program/research.
• Ability to communicate effectively and maintain productive relationships with donors, implementing partners, research institutions and national governments.
• Demonstrated management, planning, supervisory, and leadership skills. Ability to think critically, strategically, and operationally.
• Proven ability to manage technical and non-technical staff.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships and collaborates with multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work both independently and as a team member with donors, partner organizations, national governments.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time on short notice and to work independently if needed. Travel includes both international and domestic trips.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD Degree in WASH, Engineering or Public Health with WASH focus; Bachelor’s Degree in related field is required.
• Experience conducting research and/or programs in any combination of the Activity’s WASH focus areas with low resource settings (sanitation marketing, behavior change, fecal sludge management, rural water resource management, WASH financing, urban WASH services and regulation).
• French and/or other language skills are desirable.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.