Aqua for All is a foundation working towards providing sustainable access to safe drinking water and good sanitation for all (Sustainable Development Goal – SDG 6) in Africa and Asia. With over 20 years of experience, we support local entrepreneurs on their scaling pathway by offering funding and access to the water sector expert network and to financiers and impact investors.
As we are strengthening our Management Team, we are looking for a:
Lead Market Development
36 hours per week – based in The Hague, the Netherlands
Aqua for All strives to create a sustainable and inclusive water and sanitation economy worldwide. We believe innovations, scalable solutions and access to capital are instrumental to overcome the current service delivery and finance gaps. Aqua for All bridges these gaps by supporting market-based solutions to become viable and to scale.
Since mid-2019, Aqua for All is leading the “Making Water Count’’ programme in partnership with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will last until mid-2024. The programme aims to achieve higher impact and mobilise public and private investments for effective water and sanitation solutions for low-income households. Under this programme, we deploy grant funding – amongst others – in selected innovative, blended finance structures targeting local SMEs and financial institutions.
Your opportunity
We are looking for a dynamic candidate with a strong focus on relationship management, account management and identifying growth companies. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in in building strong partnerships, strategic collaboration, and identifying market opportunities. Additionally, familiarity with the water and sanitation sector is a plus.
Your main goal will be to develop and manage a portfolio of sustainable and impactful solutions in the WASH market, focusing on potential investment opportunities. You will play a hands-on role in executing the unit’s assignments, ensuring their successful implementation. Additionally, you will collaborate with other unit leads to foster innovation and facilitate market facilitation in the WASH sector.
This exciting role includes the following responsibilities:
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Relationship management and pipeline development
- Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, investors, and partners.
- Collaborate with them to create synergies, exchange knowledge, and drive growth.
- Utilise strong relationship management skills to nurture a robust pipeline of potential investment opportunities.
- Identify emerging trends for different countries/regions, market gaps, and prospects for partnerships and collaborations.
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Account management – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department for Inclusive Green Growth (IGG)
- Act as the main point of contact and key account manager for IGG.
- Build and nurture strong relationships with IGG, ensuring their satisfaction and driving a mutually beneficial partnership.
- Provide dedicated support and strategic guidance to IGG, offering tailored solutions to address their unique needs.
- Organise and coordinate planning and progress reporting requirements.
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Portfolio management
- Evaluate companies’ readiness for investment, considering financial perspectives and strategic alignment.
- Map the market for different countries/regions and identify growth companies that need support to become investment-ready.
- Collaborate with the impact team to develop programmes for early-stage companies.
- Utilise effective turnaround (TA) processes to address operational and financial challenges faced by entrepreneurs.
- Guide the team to structure grant capital to scale organisations in our portfolio.
- Utilise data-driven insights to maximise impact and align with strategic objectives.
- Share fundraising targets with other MT members, effectively communicating and translating them to the team for collective effort towards achieving the goals.
What you bring
- A Bachelor or Master degree in a business-related study.
- 8+ years of experience in a similar role, including managing a team.
- Business development profile, with experience in consulting and solid understanding of financial analysis of companies.
- Proven track record in (water and sanitation) programme management, preferably in Africa (including planning, monitoring, reporting and financial management).
- Strong conceptual thinking abilities to develop the WASH market. Able to structure and design grant allocations in a smart way.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills (English, preferably Dutch and/or other languages) to translate insights and engage with partners and stakeholders.
- Residence or working permit for EU countries and willingness to travel to developing countries.
Our offering
- A position in a professional and diverse team of 30 experienced colleagues based in the Hague, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dhaka and Bamako.
- A challenging position with room for your own ideas and personal development.
- A one-year contract with possibility of extension.
- A competitive remuneration following the salary scales of the Dutch government (‘CAO Rijk’).
- A flexible workspace as we combine working from home and from our great office in the Hague.
Interested to apply?
You can send your application by email to: info@aquaforall.org. Please include “Lead Market Development” in the subject line and share your motivation letter and CV. An assessment and interviews are part of the selection process (dates to be determined).