Senior Partnerships Advisor

Senior Partnerships Advisor

Contract type: Fixed term (<12-month) | Part time – open to negotiation.

Location: Bonn, Frankfurt or else in Germany, subject to right-to-work eligibility.

Salary: 60,000€ – 65,000€ per year, pro-rata, and with excellent benefits.

Change starts with water. Change starts with you.

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.

About WaterAid

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.

About the team

The Business Development and Partnerships Team, within the International Programmes Department, contributes to driving significant income growth from a diversified portfolio of institutional partners for all WaterAid's country offices globally, across Africa, South Asia, and East Asia-Pacific. Alongside and in support of colleagues in regions and countries, our team works mainly on pre-positioning and pursuit stages, and is responsible for pro-active engagement – and relationship management – with donors and partners, while nurturing WaterAid’s pipeline through donor insights and thematic funding expertise on Climate and Health.

About the role

As our Senior Partnerships Adviser – Germany, you will contribute to build a diversified pipeline of opportunities funded by the German government, whereby WaterAid is recognised as a value-adding partner.

In this role, you will:

• Lead on German stakeholders networking, incl. through identifying, prioritising, and engaging key contacts within GIZ, KfW and other institutions especially on the targeted sectors and geographies of interest to WaterAid – in coordination with WaterAid German Advocacy Representative.
• Monitor strategic developments and identify entry points for funding, including IKI Large Grants, GIZ commissioned programmes, etc.
• Position for and facilitate partnerships with German organisations incl. consultancies with potential for joint bid development or co-creation under both German & EU funding especially in the climate space and humanitarian-development nexus.
• Provide strategic advice and produce relevant guidance documents for internal audiences at WaterAid.
• Champion WaterAid’s commitment to equity, inclusion and safeguarding.

To be successful, you will need:

• Proven experience working with or engaging GIZ, KfW, and other German federal institutions related to international development work.
• Strong professional network in Germany’s development sector incl. across German INGOs and/or international development consultancies.
• Hands-on knowledge of international development cooperation.
• Fluency in German and English – excellent verbal and written communication.
• Working style that reflects WaterAid’s values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation.

Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:

• Knowledge of latest international development strategies especially on WASH and/or climate and/or Health and/or humanitarian and/or private sector.
• Ability to quickly grasp, analyse and summarize concisely complex issues.

View the full job description here

Closing date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time on 4 May 2026. Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 11 May 2026.

How to apply: Click Apply to upload your CV only including two top paragraphs highlighting who you are and what you can offer, as relevant to this post.

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application?

At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well.

Pre-employment screening

To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

As a global organisation, WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. Alongside our inspiring mission and meaningful work, we offer a range of benefits tailored to each country’s context and policies. These will be shared during the process.

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!