Fellowship Program - Mobilising non-institutional and private finance for WASH

WaterAid _Terms of Reference

Fellowship Program

Theme: Mobilising non-institutional and private finance for WASH in West Africa

Organisation: WaterAid – West Africa Region
Location: Based in West Africa – In one of WaterAid's country programs: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria

Duration: 6 months (two phases of 3 months)
Working languages: French and English

Background

The global aid landscape is changing and competition for traditional financing is intensifying. To stay ahead of the curve, WaterAid West Africa is strongly committed to diversifying its funding sources by engaging non-traditional donors: private sector actors, corporate foundations, philanthropic organisations, impact investors and many others. These emerging sources offer considerable potential to accelerate progress on access to water, sanitation, health and climate resilience in the region.

WaterAid West Africa will conduct a mapping exercise of non-traditional donors (corporations, foundations, philanthropy, CSR networks, impact investors) to broaden and diversify WASH funding sources in the region. This study, led by a consultant, will cover in in its first phase Burkina Faso, Liberia and Mali and will be based on a structured methodology: document review, database, segmentation/tiering, niche mapping and engagement recommendations.

The fellowship program is designed to offer a professional the opportunity to open up these new horizons of resource mobilization. Through hands-on learning and strategic analysis, the Fellow will contribute to mapping opportunities, identifying innovative financing models and transforming this knowledge into concrete tools and recommendations to strengthen the action of country teams and guide regional strategies. In a second phase, he/she will be required to extend this research to the Ghana country program.

This is not just a research mission, it is a chance to drive change, influence partnerships and contribute to sustainable solutions for millions of people in West Africa.

Objective of the fellowship

Strengthen WaterAid's capacity to understand, structure and engage non-institutional funders and private actors for WASH in West Africa, transforming analytics into practical tools for action (country and region).

Expected results (résultats expected)

• An operational understanding of non-institutional/private financing ecosystems relevant to WASH in the targeted countries.
• Concise and actionable products (briefs, fact sheets, visual aids) to guide country team engagement and regional planning.
• A Ghana focus: replication and deepening of the methodology to feed local recommendations.

Primary Responsibilities

Phase 1 — Jan.–March (3 months): Consultant Support & Methodological Learning

• Contribute to the collection and qualification of data (desk review, monitoring, filling in key fields in the database) for Burkina Faso, Liberia and Mali.
• Participate in the segmentation/tiering of funders (strategic alignment, potential, accessibility, risks).
• Observe and support niche mapping and the preparation of engagement recommendations.

Phase 2 — Apr.–June (3 months): Replication in Ghana & production of deliverables

• Replication Ghana: apply the methodology learned to document the ecosystem of non-institutional/private funders relevant to WASH in Ghana (open source, accessible bases, targeted interviews if required).
• Production of deliverables (see section 5) for dissemination in countries and regions.
• Presentation of the findings and recommendations to regional/country stakeholders (virtual session).

Important note: the Fellow does not carry out direct prospecting/fundraising (role of fundraisers); he/she equips the teams through actionable analyses and supports.

Deliverables

1. Strategic Country Brief – Ghana (EN/FR)

• Overview of non-traditional funders identified (private, foundations, philanthropy).
• Simple tiering (Tier 1–3) with key criteria: potential, WASH alignment, ethical risks .
• WaterAid Opportunities & Entry Points + 3–5 Recommendations for Engagement

2. Regional Note / Policy Brief (4–5 pages, decision-oriented, with visuals)

• Lessons learned from Ghana + cross-cutting insights from Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali.
• Regional trends in private sector engagement for WASH.
• 3–4 strategic recommendations for a regional action plan (pre-positioning, types of partnerships, timing).

4. Simplified case study materials (2–3 assets max)

• Popularization of technical case studies in accessible formats: practical sheets, infographics, mini-guides for country/regional teams.

(Templates/typical structures will be provided or co-defined at the beginning of Phase 2.)

Desired profile

Education (or equivalent experience)

• Master's degree in International Relations, Development, Economics, Finance, Business Development, Public Policy, Data/Analytics or equivalent. Applications with Bachelor's degree + 2 years of relevant experience considered.
• Other backgrounds welcome (e.g. strategic communication, political science, management, WASH engineering) if demonstrated analytical and writing skills.

Experience (indicative)

• 1–3 years in at least one area: resource mobilization, partnerships, fundraising, market analysis/impact investment, or NGO/foundation sector.

Key Competencies

• Strategic analysis and synthesis (ability to move from weak signal to recommendation).
• Very good command of Excel / databases; ease with simple visualization.
• Excellent writing skills in English (French is a strong asset).
• Understanding of WASH/climate/health issues appreciated.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with multiple countries and stakeholders.

Personal qualities

• Autonomy, sense of organization and rigor.
• Structured mind, curiosity and strong learning ability.
• Comfortable in a multicultural context and a spirit of collaboration.

Working arrangements

• Duration: 6 months (two phases of 3 months). Phase 1 takes place in support of the consultant; Phase 2 is focused on Ghana and the production of deliverables.
• Location : based in West Africa
• Supervision : coaching by a regional supervisor and technical mentoring (regular sessions).
• Travel : limited opportunities and as needed (if applicable).

Indicative schedule of tasks

• M1–M3 : Support to the consultant (collection & analysis, database contribution, tiering, niche mapping).
• M4 : Scoping Ghana + collection plan; first draft Ghana Sheet.
• M5: Consolidation Ghana; regional draft Policy Brief; simplified media design.
• M6: Finalization of deliverables + summary presentation.

Application file: To apply, kindly email the following documents to infowaro@wateraid.org

• CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Cover letter (1 page)
• Completed application form (including the 4 open questions)
• Two professional references maximum (name, position, contact)

Criteria for evaluating applications

• Relevant experience and accomplishments – 40%
• Technical and analytical skills – 30%Excel/database proficiency, analytical skills, writing in English (French = asset).
• Motivation and suitability for the role – 30%
• Assessed via the cover letter and the answers to the 4 questions on the form

Ethical commitments

WaterAid has strict policies on safeguarding, data protection, and equal opportunities. All selection is conditioned by verifications in accordance with the standards of the organization.

Release Notes

• Budget/allowances, internal team names, timelines or detailed internal procedures are not published in this call (they will be communicated to shortlisted candidates if relevant).
• The public announcement can conclude with: "Applications open until January 4th, 2026 at midnight – Desired start date: January 2026 (TBC)

Our People Promise

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

Safeguarding

We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change!