• Department: Programmes
• Place of work: Accra, Ghana
• Duration: Full time/Fixed term contract until 31st December 2024
• Grade: 9
• Salary: GHS 142,923 - GHS 148,428 per annum, plus transport allowance, medical cover,13th month bonus and life assurance
• Reports to: Country Manager

About the role
This is a great opportunity to be part of a dynamic organisation with the scope to make a significant contribution to the entrepreneurial and innovative culture of WSUP.

We are seeking a Business Development Lead for Ghana with relevant WASH programme implementation experiences in both water/sanitation service delivery and partnership engagement, to lead the business aspects of our programme in Ghana and support the country’s influencing agenda.

Overall purpose
The Business Development Lead (BDL) acts within the Country team in Ghana. The role will build the business capacity of stakeholders working with WSUP, whether they be funding agencies, private operators such as small water and sanitation enterprises, through to large utilities and national WASH institutions (ministries, regulators, utilities, municipalities, and districts). They will be responsible for identifying opportunities, developing proposals, providing technical assistance, operational review, business data analysis and strategic
support. This role will work closely with WSUP International Secretariat in particular the Partnership & Communication (P&C), Evidence Research and Learning (ERL), Programmes, and Innovation and Consumer Needs (ICON) team by sharing learnings and receiving technical support where needed. The BDL will also have a role in strengthening internal innovation, learning and entrepreneurship within the Ghana and other country teams.

Main responsibilities & Tasks
1. Partnership and Networking

• Promote and maintain effective relationships with water utilities in Ghana, market players, policy makers, municipal staff, small & medium enterprises (SMEs) /micro finance, development partners – with the aim of effecting systemic change in the provision of water and sanitation services.
• Represent WSUP Ghana on WASH advocacy and civil society platforms and participate in sector conferences, workshop and working groups and travel as required. In consultation with the WSUP Ghana Country Manager (CM), lead and/or manage WASH-related market studies and landscape analysis to better understand challenges and opportunities in the WASH sector in Ghana.
• Track and monitor potential funding opportunities and information emerging from partnership engagements to support the preparation and confirmation of bid decisions.
• Build and maintain good rapport with potential partners and funders from institutional grants and commercial suppliers, both from multilateral and bilateral funders.
• Support the Country Manager in developing the WSUP programme and fundraising strategy by considering the country priorities and fund flow in international and national funding landscape, to bring higher organizational and financial sustainability.
• Build on experience and lessons learnt from Ghana, other country teams and WSUP Advisory programmes to bring about innovative solutions with water utilities in Ghana. Ensuring WSUP strengthen their ability to reach low-income customers with safe water while still operating as financially viable, well performing utilities.

2. Technical Assistance

• Retain an entrepreneurial approach to delivering water & sanitation services, proposing creative solutions, reducing inhibiting business factors and looking for market-based solutions in coordination with the team.
• Provide technical assistance to private operators for financial planning and business development.
• Support city corporations, municipalities, and private operators to design and implement market promotion campaigns and conduct market assessments to determine the potential demand for services.
• Coordinate with relevant WSUP Programmes, government departments, donors and private enterprises to facilitate integration and implementation of new products or services.
• Develop roadmaps for scaling solutions in partnership with other stakeholders.

3. Management of Assigned Project(s)

• Collaborate with consultants to organize activities to support commercial operations of utility partners and other project partners.
• Manage assignments with local and/or international consultants working on projects to support their efforts to improve business development and growth of service providers and execute project activities effectively.
• Work in close collaboration with WSUP Ghana team and others as appropriate and members of international secretariat to achieve project objectives.
• Act as the Project Lead for projects assigned to the BDL, from planning to close-out, and be the main point of contact for the Project Controllers.
• As Project Lead, proactively manage projects in line with WSUP policies and procedures, including governance, financial management, and procurement, using project management tools including Gantt charts, financial forecasts and risk registers.
• Manage and monitor risks to successful project completion, highlight potential risks to Programme Coordinator and Project Controllers and engage in identification of mitigation measures.
• Be responsible for managing expenditures and disbursements which fall within the Project Manager’s area of responsibility. Ensure information is accurate and reliable to allow the appropriate level of authority for approvals and a successful implementation.
• Support the timely and accurate reporting of project information, including impact data necessary for monitoring of projects and for accurate reporting of progress to funders, Secretariat, Board and in-country staff, in line with WSUP’s Monitoring & Evaluation Framework
• Manage activities in the achievement of project milestones ensuring expenditures are within approved budgets and according to local laws.

4. Strategic Direction and Planning

• Support the Country Manager and country team to develop strategic guidelines for programme implementation and country operation, aligning with the country plan and
• the organisational global strategy.
• Identify and manage short term assignments for consultants, other project contractors and students when necessary.
• Capture and share key learnings/insights from Ghana that influence key stakeholders, with support from the WSUP’s Evaluation, Research and Learning team.

5. Programme Monitoring and Reporting

• Pay regular field visits to the intervention areas and observe progress, with a focus on ensuring ‘quality’ of service.
• Create a business development database & financial reporting system in order to evaluate performance of providers.
• Support the collection and accurate reporting of impact data related to the project as guided by the Technical and M&E Lead
• Prepare programme progress reports (Monthly and Quarterly) based on a structured M&E framework