Chief Sanitation Officer, AWTF

The Chief Sanitation Officer will lead the development, management and delivery of the AUSII sanitation portfolio, focusing on investment preparation, sanitation sector financing, blended finance, private sector participation and resource mobilization. The role requires strategic leadership, guiding multidisciplinary teams, engaging with governments and partners, and positioning AUSII as a catalytic platform for sanitation investment in Africa.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development of the AWF/AUSII sanitation investment portfolio, identifying high-impact sanitation investment opportunities and conducting high-level dialogue with stakeholders.
• Manage and quality-assure the implementation of AUSII annual work plans and the AWF sanitation portfolio, ensuring objectives are met and risks addressed.
• Advise and support senior management in strategic engagements to increase financing and investment in Africa’s sanitation sector.
• Provide senior technical and financial leadership on sanitation financing approaches including investment pipelines and private sector participation models.
• Originate and manage the development of knowledge products to disseminate AUSII’s/AWF’s analytical work and lessons learnt.
• Lead and mentor a core sanitation team, consultants and technical experts ensuring effective coordination and quality control.
• Drive the preparation of bankable and implementable sanitation projects with credible financing plans and risk mitigation.
• Represent AWF/AUSII at senior level in sector policy, financing and investment discussions.
• Prepare required project documentation during project cycle phases.
• Coordinate with other Bank departments in implementation of AUSII/AWF plans.
• Represent AWF externally at international events promoting AWF and AUSII work.
• Develop and maintain relations with key stakeholders and donors.
• Manage and supervise AWF sanitation portfolio including project preparation missions and review processes.
• Ensure timely signing of grant agreements and delivery of project reports.
• Provide assistance to Recipients on operational procedures and procurement rules.
• Create understanding and commitment on urban sanitation challenges and solutions.
• Provide guidance on AUSII financing instruments and incorporate cross-cutting issues like gender equality and climate resilience.
• Work with AfDB’s Financial Department on disbursement requests and grant management.
• Oversee desk and field supervision to ensure project objectives are met and recommend corrective measures.
• Lead portfolio and team performance reviews and mentor team members.
• Ensure achievement of project milestones including evaluation, audits, and reporting.
• Lead and support project evaluation arrangements.
• Provide technical guidance on grant project structuring and sanitation policy studies.
• Develop strategic partnerships with sanitation actors and financiers focusing on co-financing and scale-up.
• Provide regular portfolio updates to AWF management and support digital transformation.
• Contribute to knowledge management and dissemination activities.
• Ensure coordination with sanitation partners and represent AWF in donor and international meetings.
• Establish and maintain communication among stakeholders.
• Contribute to AWF Annual Report and Work plan and budget.
• Respond to information requests from AWF Coordinator and team.
• Participate in coordination and organization of AUSII/AWF activities and events.
• Support AUSII/AWF resource mobilization activities.
• Undertake assignments as required by AWF Coordinator.

Requirements

• Hold at least a master’s degree in either of civil engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Waste Water Engineering, Sanitation and Hygiene, or related discipline.
• Combination of a master’s degree in economics, and/or finance with a degree in a relevant technical field will also be considered.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in progressively senior roles related to project management, sanitation policy and strategy development, preparation and management of non-sewered sanitation and reuse projects preferably in urban and peri-urban settings and City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation approach.
• Demonstrated knowledge and credible hands-on experience with sanitation financing instruments, including concessional finance, blended finance, guarantees, project preparation facilities, co-financing arrangements and private sector participation.
• Ability to deal with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and to build effective working relations with colleagues.
• Proven ability to lead, supervise and mentor a core sanitation team, coordinate multidisciplinary experts and consultants, manage performance, ensure quality control and deliver results in a multicultural environment with limited supervision.
• Ability to influence and participate effectively in actions to drive change.
• Ability to be flexible, open minded with integrity.
• A team player who likes to operate in a team and sees the achievements as a team effort.
• Client and results oriented individual demonstrating “a can do attitude”.
• Good understanding of sanitation issues, trends and opportunities in Africa.
• Ability to identify and articulate policy and technological issues and to provide sound advice.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex issues and communicate them effectively orally and in written briefs.
• Experience in delivering high quality operational products and services (research advice, sectoral studies and review; projects).
• Good communication skills and ability to build effective working relationships in a diverse multicultural environment.
• Experience with International Development Financing Institutions in developing countries including a satisfactory knowledge of their operational policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience working with private sector actors, development finance institutions, investment financiers, utilities, municipalities or transaction-oriented partners in the preparation, financing or implementation of sanitation or infrastructure projects.
• Proven track record in leading complex sanitation, water or infrastructure assignments, including responsibility for team leadership, client engagement, quality assurance and delivery of strategic outputs.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing or supporting bankable infrastructure projects, investment plans, financing strategies, project concept notes, appraisal documents or resource mobilization proposals.
• Strong understanding of the economics and financing of sanitation services, including public finance, affordability, cost recovery, subsidies, operations and maintenance, municipal finance, utility performance and the role of private sector participation.
• Credible experience engaging with senior government officials, development partners, financiers, utilities, municipalities, regulators and private sector operators on sanitation sector policy, investment or financing issues.
• Ability to translate sanitation diagnostics and sector studies into practical investment opportunities, financing pathways and implementable project pipelines.
• Experience in Africa and familiarity with the institutional, financial and implementation challenges of urban sanitation service delivery will be highly desirable.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.
• Excellent spoken and written English or French, with a working knowledge of the other language with the ability to lead engagements, field missions and operational activities in all RMCs of the Bank.
• Competence in the use of the standard Microsoft software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and SAP.

Skills

• Sanitation Program Development
• Project Management
• Non-Sewered Sanitation
• City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation
• Sanitation Financing Instruments
• Concessional Finance Instruments
• Blended Finance Structuring
• Guarantees
• Project Preparation Facility Management
• Co-Financing Mechanisms
• Private Sector Participation
• Team Leadership
• Performance Management
• Quality Control
• Sanitation Sector Advice
• Research and Sector Studies
• International development finance
• Investment Project Financing
• Bankable Infrastructure Projects
• Financing Strategy Design
• Resource Mobilization
• Public Finance
• Cost Recovery
• Operation and Maintenance
• Municipal Finance
• Utility Performance Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Investment Planning
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• SAP

Languages

English, French