Private Sector Advisor
Job Description
Job title:
Private Sector Advisor
Place of work:
47-49 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JD
Band:
C
Head of Major Partnerships, WaterAid UK
(close links to other departments and WaterAid members)
N/A
Reports to:
Manages:
Budget responsibility:
Annual expenditure budget of circa £20,000 (travel,
publications, consultancy support)
Travel:
Travel within the UK and overseas, both to meet with
companies, other WaterAid members and our country
programmes – estimated at this stage at approximately 6-8
weeks per annum.
This post is for a two year fixed term contract.
Introduction
This role sits in the Major Partnerships department in the Communications &
Fundraising directorate with close ties and matrix management into both Programme
Support Unit (PSU) and the Policy & Campaigns department (PCD). The Advisor will
work with all WaterAid Members (currently America, Australia, Canada, Japan and
Sweden, UK) as well as country programmes.
In the last decade, water stewardship has been moving up the corporate agenda, driven
primarily around operational and reputational risks. To date, corporate involvement in
securing universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education (WASH) for
poor communities has been limited. WaterAid believes that the private sector can and
should play a greater role in promoting and supporting the provision of these essential
services, either as major water providers/utility operators, or as part of corporate water
management strategies.
Purpose
To serve as the expert focal point in WaterAid in order to catalyse and guide effective
action by multinational and national companies towards delivery of universal access to
water, sanitation and hygiene.
The key function of this role is to drive forward and deliver the private sector
engagement strategy, drawing on expertise across the organisation, ensuring effective
internal coordination and collaboration, as well as managing external stakeholders and
relationships. In particular, this role is required to work closely and collaboratively with
the member corporate partnerships teams (including the UK Water Industry
Partnerships team) on both new and existing partnerships.
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To act as an internal focal point to coordinate and support private sector engagement
activities and closely integrate with programme and policy colleagues to ensure the
application of best available knowledge, consistency and alignment for WaterAid. This
includes:
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Developing expertise within WaterAid to engage the private sector.
Identify and develop opportunities for new strategic partnerships.
Representing WaterAid externally, working closely with international multi-lateral
forums to increase the profile of sanitation and hygiene within the water
stewardship/water resources discourse .
Seeking and developing partnership opportunities and brokering introductions to
the relevant teams within WaterAid.
Key Accountabilities
1. Advise on tactical partnerships with the private sector which deliver on the
global WaterAid strategy.
o As required, work with Corporate Account Managers across WA Members
to deepen existing partnerships and place them on a more strategic
trajectory.
o Work with regions and Country Programmes to assist potential private
sector engagement opportunities within their programmes around
expertise sharing (likely to focus on global water sector contractors).
o Advise on developing influencing/advocacy based partnerships with global
companies which align with WaterAid’s policy and programme objectives.
o Chair the WaterAid Private Sector Engagement group.
2. Position WA as the dialogue partner for WASH for the private sector:
influencing the corporate water stewardship agenda and initiatives to lever
greater benefits for WASH, poverty reduction and to avoid negative
outcomes for the poor.
o Produce good practice guidance on WASH for private sector: where
appropriate develop guidelines on specific issues, keep them up to date
and promote corporate implementation. Commission external support and
partners as required.
o Provide focused guidance on what we want private sector to do with
regard to specific issues within WASH which WA is working on such as
sanitation financing, post 2015 and child health.
o Act as WaterAid’s focal point for key private sector networks and
initiatives.
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o Lead on relevant private sector initiatives and events as appropriate eg
side events for the private sector at High Level Meetings, corporate
briefing events, Stockholm World Water Week.
o Work with the communications teams in the relevant members to respond
to media opportunities on private sector engagement issues and
proactively issue media releases as appropriate.
o Pass leads to the relevant Corporate Fundraising teams where
opportunities arise to have fundraising conversations with companies.
o Be a generic subject matter expert on water stewardship and WASH.
3. Build internal awareness and capacity of staff on private sector
engagement. Maintain internal communications across WaterAid on our
engagement.
o Provide regular communications forums for all members and country
programmes e.g. briefing notes, webinars, newsletters.
o Support the process for skills based partnerships with the private sector
and provide an internal advisory service.
o Broker key expertise based partnerships to service particular CP skill
needs / gaps, advising and supporting CPs on how to get best value out of
this.
o Document and share good practice and lessons learnt between members
and CPs.
o Engage senior stakeholders across WaterAid.
Person specification
Essential:
 Educated to a degree level or equivalent level of work experience.
 Significant experience and knowledge of the sustainability agenda within the
private sector, preferably including the global water challenge.
 Experience of researching / building a case by gathering and presenting
data/reports
 A good understanding of how sustainability policy can translate into strategy,
implementation and monitoring, evaluation and learning.
 Demonstrate excellent communication skills – verbally and in writing
 Demonstrated ability to influence internal and external stakeholders
 Confidence and ability to represent/present WaterAid to senior stakeholders
 Excellent ability to network externally and represent WaterAid’s agenda
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
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To speak knowledgably and confidently on WASH issues and ability to take a
business risk approach to understanding and advising on managing water and
sanitation resources.
Experience of brokering or managing cross sector partnerships.
Ability to work in partnerships with other departments e.g. with the
communications and policy depts. in order to enhance our engagement with
other stakeholders and strengthen our impact and reputation.
Commitment to WaterAid’s stated values and working principles
Desirable
 Willingness to work varied hours, including some evening and weekend
commitments
 An understanding of sanitation / human rights and global social justice
 A good understanding of International Development.
 French or Spanish language skills
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Abbreviated Terms & Conditions
Salary
£37,672-£44,239 (dependent on skills and experience) with
excellent benefits
Location
WaterAid, 47 - 49 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JD
In order to apply for this role you must be able to demonstrate
your eligibility to work in the UK
Right to Work
Travel
Travel within the UK and overseas, both to meet with
companies, other WaterAid members and our country
programmes – estimated at this stage at approximately 6-8
weeks per annum.
Working Hours
Full time - Standard working hours at WaterAid are 35 hours
per week, Monday to Friday. Core office hours are between
10.00am and 4.00pm. Start and finish times are to be agreed
with the line manager upon joining.
Annual Leave
25 days per year plus all UK public holidays (pro rata). The
number of annual leave days will increases to 27 days (pro rata)
after four years’ service
Contract Period
The post is offered on a 2 year fixed term contract
Probation
The appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a
six month probationary period
Group Personal Pension Scheme with following contribution
rates:
UK Benefits
Employee’s
Employer’s
Contribution
Contribution
3%
6%
4%
8%
5%
10%
There is an option for pension contributions to be made through
a salary sacrifice arrangement
Life Assurance scheme equating to 4 x basic annual salary
Interest free season ticket loan, available on completion of
probation
Employee Assistance Programme with access to 24 hour free
and confidential helpline
Child care voucher scheme
Cycle to work schemes
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Recruitment process
Closing date:
Interviews:
8 June 2014
First interview: 17 June 2014
Second interview: 23 June 2014
Please apply using our online submission form at: https://jobapplication.wateraid.org.
WaterAid is committed to welcoming people from the widest possible diversity of
backgrounds, culture and experience, and is signed up to the ‘Positive About Disabled
People’ scheme. We will make any practical, reasonable adjustment to enable disabled
people to participate fully in an inclusive working environment.
We are committed to interviewing all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria
for a job vacancy and to consider them on their abilities.
Please let us know if you are disabled and need any assistance in making your
application or you have any special requirements should you be selected for interview.
Your application must be in English. You must also be able to demonstrate your ability
to work in the UK in order to apply.
If you are unable to apply online, you may post your application to the People Team,
WaterAid, 47-49 Durham Street, London SE11 5JD, UK or fax it to +44 20 7793 4994
under confidential cover by the closing date.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please assume that you have not
been shortlisted if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date.
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