🇸🇱 Job Vacancies @ Welthungerhilfe – Head of Project

Your responsibilities:

Duties with Own Area of ResponsibilityDevelopment and Management of the Project(s)

• Carries out the project(s) according to the rules and standards of the co-financing donors and Welthungerhilfe standards for the implementation of projects.
• Ensures that all project-relevant support is in place (monitoring, logistics, finance administration, etc.).
• Is responsible for identifying and continuing project planning and the project budget.
• Develops needs-based and impact-oriented project planning in the context of the ongoing project(s) (in line with WHH and country strategy).
• Supports the identification of co-financing opportunities to be pursued and ensures the timely development of successful project proposals in line with relevant donor regulations and strategies.
• Establishes good working relationships with donors and other stakeholders in-country for emergency, rehabilitation, and development programmes in coordination with the Country Office.
• Reports to the Country Director and Head of Programmes on the progress of the project(s) and all risks associated with the project work.
• Prepares and implements preparedness plans for disasters and potential crises based on the country-specific situation.

Leadership

• Manages staff according to WHH leadership principles, staff policies, and WHH strategy.
• Recruits project staff if needed and if asked.
• Ensures implementation of WHH policies and their adaptation to local conditions.
• Is responsible for establishing and adhering to the project’s security management system in accordance with WHH global security policy and guidelines.

Representation, Collaboration and Networking

• Represents WHH in-country vis-à-vis selected relevant national and international stakeholders and partners in coordination with the Country Office.
• Expands WHH network with relevant stakeholders from civil society, government, and academia within the context of the projects in responsibility.
• Supports marketing, public relations, and local image management.
• Accompanies visiting donors and WHH Head Office staff or journalists, or appoints adequate representation.

Duties Without Own Area of Responsibility 

• Contributes to country development and strategies, actively participating in strategic discussions and keeping him/herself informed of overall organizational topics.
• Actively participates in the Country Management Team and in development and strategic planning.
• Fulfils any other tasks assigned by management that correspond in general with the character of this position.

Specific Activities and Duties of the position

A. Strategic Leadership & Technical Oversight•  Lead development, refinement, and implementation of Welthungerhilfe’s WASH strategy in Sierra Leone, ensuring alignment with national WASH framework, WHH’s country strategy, and international standards (e.g., SPHERE, CHS, WHO, and the triple-nexus approach).•  Provide high-level technical leadership for the design and delivery of medium to long-term WASH interventions, ensuring systematic integration with waste management, livelihoods and skills development, health and sanitation, nutrition and food security, and climate resilience sectors.•  Championing a systems-strengthening approach that addresses institutional, policy, financial, and technical dimensions of WASH, promoting sustainable service delivery and improved governance at community, sub-national and national levels.B. Programme Design & Quality Assurance•  Lead the technical design of new relevant proposals, ensuring Bill of Quantities (BoQs), engineering designs, specifications, and budgets comply with donor and WHH standards, and promote sustainability and resilience.•  Embed (WASH) systems thinking in project design, including service delivery models and strategies, accountability mechanisms, operation and maintenance frameworks, and linkages to local and national governance structures.•  Oversee the technical quality of implementation across projects, conduct regular supervision visits, and establish quality assurance and control processes to identify and address technical gaps and risks in a timely manner. C. Capacity Building & Partnerships•  Build the technical and institutional capacity of WHH staff and partner organizations to implement sustainable WASH infrastructures and systems through structured training, coaching, and on-the-job mentoring.•  Provide expert guidance on community-based approaches such as CLTS, PHAST/PATS, Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), water safety planning, integrated waste management, and climate-smart WASH technologies.•  Support partners in strengthening their internal structures, systems, and human resources for long-term service delivery, based on partners´ needs and requests.•  Supervise recruitment of project staff, foster professional development, and build a strong technical team that supports decentralized implementation.D. Coordination & Representation•  Represent WHH in national and sub-national coordination platforms (e.g., Clusters, Technical Working Groups, District WASH Committees), contributing actively to policy dialogue, standards harmonization, and donor engagement.•  Advocate for systems-level change by collaborating with government institutions, donors, NGOs, and private sector actors to strengthen regulatory frameworks, investment models, and accountability mechanisms.•  Assures and supervises the quality of built and handed over infrastructures and conducted hygiene and sanitation strategies; with emphasis on maximum sustainability of every activity.•  Position WHH as a key actor in sector-wide WASH systems strengthening efforts and foster collaborative approaches to institutional development and sustainable service delivery. E. Monitoring, Learning & Reporting•  Assure that the right MEAL system is in place and data is collected, indicators are fulfilled in time and in quality, as well as understood by the whole project and MEAL team•  Collaborate closely with MEAL teams to design WASH-specific monitoring tools and methodologies, and ensure systematic tracking of access, quality, functionality, and sustainability indicators.•  Facilitate assessments and system diagnostics (e.g., BB diagnostics, sustainability checks, WASH FIT, institutional capacity assessments) to inform strategic planning and adaptive management.•  Lead documentation of innovations, best practices, success stories, and lessons learned related to WASH systems, and ensure these are integrated into internal learning processes and external reporting to donors and coordination bodies.•  Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and global WHH learning platforms by bringing field-level insights and evidence from Sierra Leone’s program.•  Leads preparation for donor and Head Office visits to the projects in direct responsibility.

Annex: List of Key Tasks Related to the Position:

• Responsible for the correct and timely completion of end-of-month financial accounts.
• Reviews, verifies, and signs end-of-month accounts.
• Prepares project accounts (does not apply if a Finance Officer is assigned to the project) or reviews inventory accounting, as applicable.
• Oversees project purchases in accordance with the approved procurement budget.
• When purchases are made locally, ensures compliance with internal and/or external procurement rules and directives.
• Responsible for controlling and monitoring project inventories.
• Ensures regular implementation of petty cash controls.
• Prepares and is accountable for financial reporting, including the final financial report.
• Prepares and/or reviews distribution reports.
• Prepares narrative and financial status reports in line with Welthungerhilfe standards and/or donor requirements.
• Ensures the orderly and compliant closure of the project, including financial, administrative, and reporting aspects.

Your profile:

• Technical college degree or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field – technical, environmental, public health, or development-related discipline (e.g. Water Resource Engineering, Civil Engineering in WASH and Infrastructure, Environmental Engineering and Science, Hydrology/hydrogeology, Sanitary and Water Engineering, Public Health, International and Rural Development, Development Economics etc.)
• Specialization and experience in WASH, public health, or project management is a strong asset.
• Minimum of 2-5 years of relevant professional experience as project manager, with specialization and proven track record in WASH sector.

• Fluency in one international working language – English.
• Ability to communicate effectively in at least one additional world language and local languages in Sierra Leone is an asset.
• Ability and willingness to work effectively in a tropical climate.

• Ability to cooperate constructively with others to achieve shared objectives.

• Strong capacity to work effectively as part of a team.

• Demonstrated intercultural sensitivity and ability to work respectfully and effectively in multicultural environments.

• Proven experience in the disciplinary leadership and supervision of staff across one or multiple projects.

• Ability to perform tasks largely independently within a defined scope of responsibility and decision-making authority.
• Capacity to assess situations, identify alternative courses of action, and make sound decisions.

Our offer

We offer you the opportunity to work in a responsible and interesting field as part of an extremely dedicated team. Welthungerhilfe attaches great importance to the personal and professional development of its employees. Remuneration is based on our gender-independent salary scale.