Main purpose of the role
CIFF\u2019s Africa strategy, envisages an Africa where children have the health, economic opportunity and agency to contribute to a thriving and self-determining Africa. To do so, the strategy takes an integrated portfolio approach that addresses root causes while prioritising sustainability, execution excellence and localization. The CIFF Africa structure is anchored by three strategic pillars: 1) Resilient Communities addressing challenges at the nexus of health, nutrition and climate; 2) Girl Capital addressing early childhood marriages, sexual and reproductive health as well as education and economic empowerment; and 3) For Africa by Africa, a cross-cutting function that supports partnerships, co-funding and financing.
Access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is a catalytic enabler of transformative outcomes across CIFF Africa\u2019s pillars and the sectors that we work in. The Director of WASH will lead CIFF Africa\u2019s WASH agenda, overseeing strategy development and execution, investment portfolio design and delivery, and ensuring alignment with CIFF Africa\u2019s overall strategy and priorities. As a strategic and visionary leader, the WASH Director is also charged with communicating WASH priorities and investment to key audiences including CIFF\u2019s Executive team, Programme Investment Committee and Board, as well as external stakeholders within the ecosystem. The role combines thought leadership, strategic influence, systems innovation, and results-driven portfolio management. It includes representing CIFF at the highest levels engaging with the Executive Team, CIFF Board, governments, multilateral institutions, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector.
As the leader of one of the portfolios under Resilient Communities, the WASH Director will work closely with the Director and Pillar Lead, as well as other Directors in the pillar to integrate delivery by focusing on impactful investments at the nexus of all sectors within the pillar. As a key member of the CIFF Africa leadership team, the Director will work closely with other members of the management team to actively contribute to Africa leadership decision-making including setting direction at portfolio level, establishing operational systems and processes to boost effectiveness, and maintaining the welfare and morale of the team.
Roles and Responsibilities
As a senior member of the Africa leadership team (ALT):
Provide up-to-date professional advice to the CIFF Executive Team and CIFF Board on related issues to support the development of CIFF strategies, policies and initiatives within the WASH portfolio. Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organization. Serve as a central liaison across the organization, representing interests of the WASH portfolio. Foster collaboration and synergy between sectors, helping to improve and adapt systems in a rapidly changing environment. Drive and influence key strategic technical relationships with governments, regional bodies, funders and partners to shift policy and deliver the WASH strategy/mission. Drive Thought Leadership in WASH within CIFF and externally by adding value to the wider ecosystem. Develop and maintain excellent external relationships within the sector specialism, acting at all times as a corporate ambassador for CIFF, to help build the organisation\u2019s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary and collaborative philanthropy. Take the lead on corporate, cross-cutting initiatives and projects, as required by the Executive Team.Strategy & Planning
As a subject matter expert and specialist in WASH, contribute to the development and review of the strategy/mission to ensure CIFF is making maximum impact and building a strong ecosystem to deliver mission targets. Lead the development, review and implementation of the team\u2019s Business Plan to ensure the effective in-year prioritization of resources and activities. Identify and cultivate co-funding opportunities to deliver investments and other initiatives in alignment with the mission. Identify aligned funding opportunities that can be leveraged for maximum impact. Working with co-funding and partnerships, and in collaboration with governments, private sector and other development partners, develop mechanisms for sustainable financing of WASH investments. Contribute to the strategic direction of the pillar and the entire Africa portfolio.Programme Development, Delivery & Performance
Oversee the design and development of successful investment proposals, with the ability to design medium to large investments that leverage multiple financial instruments and/or financing structures. Oversee active WASH investments with an average value of c$120 million with an ambition to scale both size and resources. Oversee the to implementation of a programme of high impact portfolios, ensuring the quality, timeliness and strategic alignment of their work to CIFF Africa priorities and objectives. Monitor and report internally on the performance of investments against key corporate indicators and targets. Provide strategic, managerial and technical oversight throughout all grant planning and implementation processes and ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of WASH with other sectors, for the achievement of the WASH output Lead team members responsible for day-to-day operational support and work with implementing partners to develop more effective technical and business approaches. Apply and monitor agreed due diligence and risk management protocols appropriately throughout the development and delivery of proposals and programmes, to ensure the interests and reputation of CIFF is protected. Intervene to take corrective action where necessary. Drive operational excellence through cost optimization, selection and application of the right methodologies to monitor, evaluate and learn from investments, as well as reviews and course corrections for the WASH strategy. Identify opportunities and options for improving processes, procedures and programme management approaches within (and beyond) the team, to support increased organisational efficiency and effectiveness. Shape and implement plans for ensuring sustainability of outcomes, scaling up, replicating or leveraging additional support for successful programmes and initiatives, in accordance with CIFF priorities. Lead the collection and analysis of team performance data and management information, in accordance with CIFF corporate frameworks and requirements, to enable timely and effective decision-making and planning.Sector Knowledge and Profile-Building
Proactively maintain extensive external networks with experts and opinion-formers with the WASH sector. Be aware of development trends together with other international development sectors, to ensure the programme team\u2019s work is shaped by the most up-to-date insights and research for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in programme design, management and implementation. Provide timely, comprehensive and current data in programme development, to lead the planning, management and implementation of WASH policy and strategy in line with the mission. Contribute to the development and promotion of high-quality thought leadership, PR and marketing materials to raise awareness about CIFF\u2019s work within the sector, ensuring alignment with the Foundation\u2019s communications and advocacy strategies.Stakeholder and Partner Management
Lead identification and rigorous evaluation of potential partners, using agreed corporate protocols and techniques, to assess their suitability and credentials for collaborating on CIFF initiatives. Build strong relationships and work with key partners across the ecosystem to strengthen and improve its effectiveness Apply CIFF's agreed account management and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) disciplines and approaches in all dealings with programme partners and stakeholders, to ensure productive and professional relationships are maintained in a coordinated and strategic manner. Develop strategic partnerships to support adoption, replication, co-funding or scaling up of CIFF programmes. Develop Strong network and relationships with WASH funders, implementors and other key stakeholders a plus With a variety of external audiences, act as a knowledgeable resource about CIFF's programmes and priority areas. Engage with and maintain open and constructive dialogue with relevant Government ministries and agencies at central and regional to ensure effective programme implementation and sustainability of outcomes Advise and support more junior colleagues in identifying, negotiating with and managing appropriate programme partners (as required), to enable CIFF to maximise its philanthropic impact through effective collaboration.Leadership of the Team
Offer inspiring and motivational leadership role models CIFF\u2019s code of respect and leadership behaviors, which empowers and enables staff to deliver excellence. Provide coaching and mentoring support to team and colleagues, as required, to help build skills, confidence and capability in particular areas, processes or procedures. Adopt a coaching approach with colleagues which instills a culture of openness and trust, embraces diverse thinking, and encourages continuous improvement and learning. Provide ongoing support to all direct reports ensuring high performance is enabled through objective setting, clear accountabilities and regular review.Requirements
Skills & Experience
Minimum 12\u201315 years of progressive leadership experience in WASH, with substantial time spent working in or directly supporting implementation in African countries. Recognized senior leader and subject-matter expert in WASH, with demonstrated ability to drive strategic vision, lead high-performing teams, and shape the WASH agenda at regional or global level. Comprehensive understanding of the international development ecosystem, including WASH financing mechanisms (e.g., blended finance, results-based financing, public-private partnerships), sector governance, and service delivery models Proven experience in designing and scaling WASH strategies and programs that are cost-effective, sustainable, and equitable with a clear focus on system strengthening and long-term impact Demonstrated success in leading high-level advocacy efforts to shape WASH policy and financing frameworks at national, continental, or global levels with strong networks across governments, multilaterals, and philanthropic platforms. Experience working within or closely alongside government systems and influencing the policies or investment decisions of public agencies, donors, and the private sector particularly in the WASH or related infrastructure sectors. Track record of applying systems thinking to identify leverage points and drive transformative changes in WASH service delivery, policy, or financing Ability to adapt and innovate in complex, dynamic contexts and bring fresh thinking to entrenched challenges Strong ability to build and manage high-impact partnerships and coalitions, including convening multi-stakeholder groups to drive collective action Excellent leadership skills and proven ability to motivate, develop and hold to account a small- to medium-sized teams of professionals Proven experience in leading diverse teams across multiple sectors and regions Belief in the importance of evidence-based decision making and experience in impact measurement and programme monitoring and evaluation. Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximize effectiveness Willingness to travel regularly \u2013 including to project locations in remote areas in developing countries. A strategic and innovative thinker with a pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset. A self-starter, with resilience, pace, and interpersonal flexibility. Excellent English written and oral communication skills. Additional language skills will be an advantageBenefits
CIFF operates a hybrid work policy across all locations, which means employees work in the office and some of the time from home. We are happy to provide more information on this as part of the recruitment process.
Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following.
Annual leave - 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service to a maximum of 30 days. Bonus - CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme. Training allowance Wellbeing allowance Life insurance Medical insurancePlease submit your application on or before 12 August 2025. CIFF reserves the right to close the job advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.