Strategy, Planning and Performance Director

Strategy, Planning and Performance Director, WaterAid UK and International

Contract type: Permanent, Full time – 35 hours per week

Primary Location: London, UK.

Address: 20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5NN.

We are open to considering candidates based in other locations where WaterAid has an existing office, provided the time zone is compatible with the UK. Please note that candidates must possess a valid Right to Work in their respective country of residence.

For the UK location: We support and enjoy a hybrid working environment. A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face-to-face, either in the London office, for coordination, collaboration, and connectivity across the team, or as a result of external engagement or travel for WaterAid.

Salary: £75,000 - £80,000 per annum 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 Director reports jointly to the WAUK Executive Director of Finance, Technology & Strategic Planning, and the Global Director, WAI. They will therefore belong both to the UK Finance, Technology and Strategic Planning Directorate team and to the Global Secretariat. The team consists of roles that work across WAUK and international.

About the role

The Strategy, Planning and Performance Director works across WAUK and WaterAid International to deliver performance and planning.  They are responsible for delivering planning and performance assessment across both WAUK and international - ensuring that these are aligned and link up in the most efficient manner possible. They will ensure that we understand how we are contributing towards our global strategy and we are maximising our global impact.

In this role, you will:

• Lead WAUK annual planning process. Support WAUK ED Finance, Technology and Strategic Planning to develop UK business plan.
• Lead global annual planning process: work with WaterAid members to align member business plans that maximise the potential contribution of each member to WaterAid’s Global Strategy and impact.
• Coordinate global and WAUK reporting at year end, ensuring a coherent narrative over time that provides clarity for UK Board and WaterAid international Board.
• Coordinate WAUK Quarterly Performance Review (QPR) process, delivering quarterly reporting to the UK DT and Board.
• Provide effective leadership to the Strategy, Planning and Performance team ensure high levels of motivation and engagement as well as strong relationships across the organisation.
• Lead on strategy and performance communications, working with the internal and external communications teams ensure all staff and relevant external audiences have a good understanding of WaterAid’s Global Strategy and our performance (Global and UK)
• Lead the project management support to key WAUK and WAi projects, as required
• Own the Global Performance Management Framework to assess performance against WaterAid’s Global Strategy. Ensure this is aligned and integrated with member-level performance assessment processes.
• Own the development and evolution of WaterAid’s Global Strategy, ensuring effective analysis of external trends and context, drawing on expertise, experience and perspectives from across the organisation.
• Provide support, advice and guidance to enable effective, aligned implementation of the strategy across all members, including support programmes of change and / or individual change projects
• Lead on any multi-annual review of progress against the Global Strategy to assess contribution to global change, identify achievements and challenges, lessons learned and recommendations.

To be successful, you will need:

• Strategic and critical thinking across complex and fast moving environments: able to shape business direction and strategy through anticipating and identifying trends and shifts in the wider world, able to translate strategy into action
• Knowledge of corporate planning, with a deep understanding of different approaches in different contexts
• Understanding of complex performance assessment in data-poor environments and complex, qualitative evaluation methodologies that enable deep reflection on performance
• Effective stakeholder management; able to understand and translate senior leadership needs, managing expectations and support outside of remit.
• Significant experience of providing strategic guidance to Board and senior leaders within a large and complex organisation. Able to build and maintain credibility and trust at all levels of the organisation.
• A degree with substantial experience in strategy, planning, and performance management within a reputable organization. A Master’s degree or Professional finance qualifications (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or an MBA are advantageous but not essential.
• Clear communication and ability to convey complex ideas in a compelling manner, tailoring arguments to persuade the listener.

View the full job description here

Closing date: Applications close on Monday, 2nd February 2026, 12:00 PM (UK time).

First Interviews will be held virtually on 17th and 18th February 2026. Second interviews will be conducted in person at our London office on 3rd and 4th March 2026.

How to apply: Click Apply to answer the pre-screening questions and upload your CV only.

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.

UK Benefits:

• 36 days’ holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)
• Option to buy an extra 5 days’ annual leave
• Employer pension contribution up to 10 %
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Season ticket loan
• Free annual eye tests
• ‘Give as you Earn’ charitable giving scheme
• Enhanced parental leave (maternity, adoption/surrogacy, shared parental and paternity)
• Sabbaticals
• One paid volunteer day each year

As part of our annual leave policy, all employees receive three additional days of annual leave on top of their standard allocation of 25 days. These days are designated to cover the period when our UK office closes between Christmas and New Year, allowing all UK WaterAiders to take a well-deserved break.

These days are automatically scheduled and cannot be changed or moved. Annual leave is accrued based on your start date. If sufficient leave has not been accrued by the time of the closure, the 3 days will be taken as unpaid leave or pro-rated, depending on your circumstances.

Our Global Commitment:

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 !