Job Description

Manager Strategic Partnerships Growth & Resource Mobilisation

Contract type:  Fixed term, Part-time, 39.5 hours per week.

Location: Accra, Ghana, subject to right-to-work eligibility.

Salary: GHC 247,997.00 – GHC 372,780.00 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

The Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Growth & Resource Mobilization reports directly to the Country Director and serves as a strategic resource across the entire Country Programme.

The role is part of WaterAid's global fundraising and partnerships community and works closely with Country Programme, Regional and Global colleagues, donors, government, private sector, philanthropy, and other strategic stakeholders to position WaterAid Ghana for growth and long-term impact.

About the role

The role drives strategic partnerships, growth, and the resource mobilisation agenda to expand and diversify funding, strengthen strategic relationships, and secure sustainable investment for WaterAid's mission. The role is responsible for building and converting a strong multi-year funding pipeline, positioning WaterAid Ghana for high-value opportunities, and developing partnerships across institutional donors, foundations, climate finance, government, philanthropy, private sector, and innovative financing mechanisms to support long-term programme growth and financial sustainability.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the development and implementation of WaterAid Ghana's Resource Mobilization, Strategic Partnerships and Growth Strategy, aligned with the Country Programme Strategy and organisational growth ambitions.
• Build, maintain and actively manage a diversified multi-year funding pipeline across institutional donors, foundations, climate finance, philanthropy, private sector, government, and innovative financing mechanisms.
• Identify, assess, prioritise, and pursue funding opportunities that contribute to WaterAid Ghana's strategic objectives, programme ambitions, and financial sustainability.
• Lead donor intelligence, prospect research, and market analysis to identify emerging opportunities, funding trends, competitive positioning, and strategic risks.
• Build and strengthen strategic relationships with donors, foundations, corporate partners, financing institutions, government stakeholders, and other funding partners.
• Position WaterAid Ghana proactively for high-value funding and partnership opportunities through targeted engagement, networking, visibility, and relationship-building initiatives.
• Lead and coordinate the development of high-quality proposals, concept notes, expressions of interest, partnership submissions, and investment cases that meet donor requirements and quality standards.
• Coordinate cross-functional business development processes, ensuring strong technical, financial, operational, communications, and compliance inputs.
• Improve funding conversion and proposal success rates through effective opportunity qualification, positioning, proposal management, and application of donor feedback and learning.
• Identify, establish, and manage strategic partnerships, consortia, and collaborative arrangements that strengthen programme impact, influence, innovation, and resource mobilization.
• Develop and grow partnerships with the private sector, philanthropic organisations, individuals, diaspora networks, and domestic funding sources to diversify income and increase unrestricted funding.
• Advance innovative financing approaches, including climate finance, blended finance, public-private partnerships, and other mechanisms that unlock sustainable investment for WASH.
• Work with programmes, policy, and communications teams to package evidence, innovation, and impact into compelling funding propositions, donor engagement products, and strategic communications.
• Maintain effective funding pipeline, donor engagement, and partnership management systems, providing regular analysis and reporting to SMT on performance, risks, opportunities, and growth prospects.
• Ensure compliance with WaterAid policies and donor requirements while fostering organisational learning, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing on resource mobilisation, partnerships, and growth.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in International Development, Business, Public Policy, Communications, Social Sciences, Marketing, or a related field.
• At least 7 years' experience in business development, strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation, or donor engagement within an INGO, development organisation, foundation, social enterprise, or related sector.
• Demonstrated success in securing funding and building strategic partnerships with institutional donors, foundations, private sector organisations, climate finance mechanisms, or other funding partners.
• Proven experience developing and managing funding pipelines, leading proposal development processes, and converting opportunities into funding and partnership agreements.
• Strong understanding of the development financing landscape, including institutional donors, philanthropy, climate finance, private sector engagement, and emerging funding mechanisms.
• Strong knowledge of the WASH sector and its links to health, climate resilience, gender, nutrition, and sustainable development.
• Excellent relationship-building, networking, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to engage confidently with donors, government, private sector, and senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, communication, and analytical skills, with the ability to translate programme evidence and market intelligence into compelling funding propositions, partnership opportunities, and growth strategies.

Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:

• Experience working in Ghana or West Africa.
• Experience with climate finance, blended finance, or innovative financing mechanisms.
• Familiarity with donor compliance requirements or management systems.
• Existing networks within the WASH, development, philanthropic, or private sector ecosystem.

View the full job description here

Closing Date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time  on Friday, 26 June 2026

How to apply: Click Apply to upload your CV only.

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 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!