Project Director at Aquaya

We are recruiting for the role of Project Director to lead an anticipated USAID research activity under USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs. This position may be part-time or full-time (60-100% time), is based in the U.S. or Nairobi, Kenya, and will require the ability to travel globally. The Project Director will be responsible for managing all project activities, including, but not limited to:

• Provide overall technical strategy and direction for all project activities and staff.
• Be responsible for global and institutional technical leadership.
• Serve as the main point of contact for external coordination with USAID, sub-awardees, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure administrative, fiscal, and regulatory oversight of the project, including management of any sub-awardees.

About the project

• USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance has issued a call for proposals to address priority knowledge gaps around emergency WASH programming, including infrastructure and operations and maintenance (O&M) models to support continued drinking water services over time.
• USAID intends to award one cooperative agreement of up to $2,250,000 over a three-year period to address water supply infrastructure durability and operation and maintenance models to provide drinking water for affected rural populations in different humanitarian response contexts. This award will address two primary objectives: 1) identifying promising O&M models for rural water supply infrastructure that could be adapted for humanitarian response, and 2) validating promising models through various humanitarian contexts. 

Criteria for the Project Director

The following qualifications are necessary for this position:

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field;
• Significant leadership experience in each of the following areas, totaling at least 10 years:
• Technical expertise in humanitarian response and WASH,
• Project management, including coordinating partners and sub-partners, and
• Research.
• Minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated leadership and senior managerial experience overseeing a team (or teams) of cross-cutting expertise in support staff and/or consultants.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Fluency in English.
• Ability to travel to field sites approximately 25% of the time (this is an estimated average and is subject to fluctuation).

We are also looking for the following skills and attributes:

• Previous experience as a Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Chief of Party, or Deputy Director for a USAID-funded activity (this is a plus but not required).
• Experience working in and traveling to highly-insecure contexts.
• Good problem-solving and time-management skills.
• Strong work ethic and a commitment to delivery.
• Outstanding organization with an attention to detail and an ability to deliver on deadlines.
• Appetite for publishing research articles.
• Commitment to enhancing the capacity and skills of junior colleagues.
• Ability to work with remote and culturally diverse teams.
• Proven ability to work closely to successfully manage multiple and changing priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining a positive and productive attitude and a good sense of humor!