Chief Operating Officer

Are you an experienced leader who wants to contribute to a water wise world? One of the world's leading water institutes - SIWI - is looking for a dynamic and professional person to fill the position as Chief Operating Officer.

About SIWI
SIWI is a policy institute that generates knowledge and informs decision-making towards water wise policy and sustainable development. SIWI performs applied research, builds institutional and human capacity and provides advisory services mainly in developing countries in areas like water resources management, water and sanitation, water diplomacy and climate change. In addition, SIWI cooperates with public and private actors based in Sweden. SIWI organises the World Water Week in Stockholm - the leading annual global meeting place on water and development - and hosts the Stockholm Water Prize and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.
SIWI, an independent foundation registered in Sweden, has some 80 staff members from more than 25 countries with headquarters in Stockholm and an African Regional Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. SIWI is currently organized in ten departments, including program and project-oriented operational departments conducting work in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Latin America. For more information see www.siwi.org

Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Your main task is to lead and develop the strategic development of SIWI together with the Executive Director and SIWI's senior management team. You will have the principal role in managing SIWI's operations and coordinating the work of the operational departments including SIWI's Africa Regional Centre. The COO is responsible for major SIWI processes such as the annual Action Plans to implement SIWI's current strategy (2018-2023) and SIWI's results reporting. You will be the main contact with our major funder Sida, and coordinate SIWI´s approach to other donors and funders where multiple departments interact.
Your responsibility will also include leadership development, internal planning and reporting processes, both externally and to the Board. Sharing SIWI's core values -passion, inclusiveness, integrity and quality - is very important to us. These are also reflected in our cross-cutting issues - Gender Equality, Youth Empowerment and Human Rights-Based Approach. Directors of the operational departments, including SIWI's office in Pretoria, will report to you and you will report directly to the Executive Director (ED). You will be a member of the Executive Management and the Senior Management teams.

Responsibilities:
- Manage and coordinate implementation and follow-up of SIWI's Strategy;
- Lead and coordinate SIWI's program and project operations and activities;
- Overarching responsibility for SIWI's project portfolio management;
- Manage SIWI's annual Action plans, implementing the Strategy, including internal consultative process in preparing and implementing the plans;
- Liaise and dialogue with Sida and have responsibility for SIWI's annual reports to Sida;
- Develop knowledge management at SIWI and coordinate associated activities;
- Main responsibility for SIWI's cross-cutting issues (youth empowerment, gender equality, human rights-based approach);
- Staff responsibility for directors of SIWI's operational departments and the Africa Regional Centre in Pretoria;
- Shared responsibility for the work environment at SIWI.

Support ED in:
- Managing, developing and coordinating the overall work and operation of SIWI;
- Strategic development of SIWI;
- Generating strategic networks of project and financing partners;
- Drafting and presenting reports to the Board of SIWI.

Requirements
- A minimum of a master's degree in a field related to international development or relevant areas
- At least 10 years leading teams or organisations in international development or equivalent areas
- Outstanding track record and proven excellence in leading operations and strategic development of project portfolio management
- Proven record of fundraising for international development
- Excellent skills in partnership relations management
- Proven record in establishing and maintaining networks
- Solid knowledge in water and/or international development
- Skilled in representing an organisation externally, and a compelling public speaker
- Ability to inspire an organisational culture marked by trust, accountability, team-building and compliance
- Excellent interpersonal skills and experience working in a multi-cultural environment
- Proven ability in decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking
- Substantial knowledge of international development financing, where particular knowledge of Sida is a merit
- Fluent in English (written and spoken)
- Swedish is a merit
- More languages considered a merit

How to apply: Please apply for the position by visiting our website https://www.siwi.org/about/career-opportunities/. We need your application by 15 September 2019.
Start date: As soon as possible

Further information can be provided by Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director, phone +46 720 50 60 10; Therese Sjömander Magnusson, COO, phone +46 720 50 60 82, and Nicolai Schaaf, co-chair local Union at SIWI, phone +46 720 50 60 74.