Job Title

1. POSITION VACANT: Chief Executive, WaterAid India, New Delhi 2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND: WaterAid India (WAI) , operating as Jal Seva Charitable Foundation , is a leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing sustainable, climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions across India. WAI is part of the global WaterAid federation, leveraging global expertise to deliver impactful solutions tailored to local contexts. Over the years, WAI has transformed millions of lives through access to clean water, decent sanitation facilities, and improved hygiene practices. WAI ’s programme priorities over the next five years include ensuring access to safe and assured drinking water for households, and provision of safely managed sanitation services at both household and community levels. The organization also aims to strengthen WASH infrastructure in anganwadis, schools, and healthcare facilities, while developing integrated water and sanitation solutions tailored to small towns. Climate resilience is a cross-cutting concern, embedded across all infrastructure and systems. These efforts are delivered through demonstration models and technical/knowledge support to governments at various levels, with implementation primarily led by WAI ’s own field teams. WAI aims to enhance the quality of life for 5 million vulnerable households by 2029, focusing on rural and urban areas and small towns. With offices across multiple states, including Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patna, and Raipur, WAI actively collaborates with communities, governments, and partners to address WASH challenges. For more information, please visit 3. JOB DESCRIPTION / RESPONSIBILITIES: Reporting to the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive (CE) will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction to WaterAid India , driving impactful programs and organizational growth. The CE will foster a culture of high performance, innovation, and collaboration, ensuring compliance, financial viability, and sustainability. The CE will also promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across organizational functions and teams, and ensure resilience planning and crisis management readiness across operations. Key Roles and Responsibilities: (A) Strategic Leadership & Vision Provide visionary leadership to develop, articulate, and execute WaterAid India’s national strategy. Ensure alignment of strategic goals with WaterAid’s global mission and India’s development priorities. Inspire and foster commitment at all organizational levels to achieve ambitious long-term goals. (B) Program Delivery & Innovation Oversee the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of innovative, scalable WASH programs in both rural and urban settings. Integrate climate resilience and sustainability principles into program design and delivery. Promote research, data-driven insights, and knowledge management to amplify impact and sector contribution. (C) Resource Mobilization & Financial Sustainability Lead diversified fundraising initiatives with a focus on domestic resource mobilization, alongside international donor engagement. Build and maintain relationships with institutional donors, corporates, government agencies, and philanthropic partners. Ensure transparent financial management for organizational sustainability through effective budgeting and fiscal stewardship. (D) Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy Forge and leverage strategic partnerships with government entities, multilateral agencies, civil society, academic institutions, and private sector stakeholders. Serve as WaterAid India’s chief spokesperson, enhancing its profile and influence nationally and internationally. Lead policy advocacy to drive enabling environments for WASH and related sectors. (E) Organizational Leadership & Culture Foster an inclusive, values-driven, and high-performance organizational culture. Champion employee motivation, professional development, and well-being. Develop leadership capacity and cultivate innovation at all organizational levels. (F) Governance, Compliance & Risk Management Ensure compliance with WaterAid Federation protocols and actively contribute to the Federation’s global vision and strategy. Represent WaterAid India as a member of the Global Executive and actively participate in the efforts of the Global Executive to help realise the global vision, mission and strategy of the WaterAid Federation; Leverage global knowledge and learnings from the Federation to inform WAI’s operations and contribute Indian insights to the global body. Ensure compliance with all statutory, regulatory, and legal requirements applicable to WaterAid India . Support effective governance by collaborating closely with the Board of Trustees and senior leadership. Proactively manage organizational risks and uphold high standards of integrity 4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES: Qualifications: Post-graduate degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Social Sciences, or Management. Experience: Minimum 15 years in the development sector, with at least 8-12 years in senior leadership roles (CXO, Country Director, or equivalent) within development organizations, with a proven track record of driving strategy, managing large teams, and delivering impact at scale. Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale, multi-location WASH or related programs. Proven expertise in strategic planning, program management, and resource mobilization, including domestic fundraising. Experience in advocacy, network-building, and managing relationships across government, donor, and private sector ecosystems. Track record of innovation and leading organizational change in complex settings. In-depth understanding of India’s development landscape and regulatory environment. Skills and Competencies: Demonstrated commitment to personal growth and learning from others, aligned with a participatory leadership approach. Strong strategic leadership and operational implementation abilities. High integrity, proactive, self-motivated, and committed to excellence. Empowering and consultative management approach. Excellent analytical, negotiation, and persuasive communication skills. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English, with proficiency in Hindi and/or other Indian languages. Experience with community-based participatory approaches. Desirable: Prior exposure to community-based WASH projects or related sectors. 5. COMPENSATION OFFERED: The compensation for the position is competitive and shall be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and salary history. 6. POSITION REQUIREMENTS Reporting : Reports to the Chair of the Board of Trustees (Jal Seva Charitable Foundation). Leads the Senior Management Team comprising Directors/Heads of Programmes, Policy, Finance, Resource Mobilization, Communications, and relevant departments. Location & Travel : Based in New Delhi; extensive domestic travel and occasional international travel. Contract : Full-time, three-year appointment (extendable based on performance and organizational need). Governance & Compliance : Functions under the strategic guidance of the Board of Trustees, ensuring good governance, statutory compliance, and sound risk management. Commitment to Values : Upholds WaterAid India’s values of respect, collaboration, accountability, innovation, and integrity, in strict alignment with the organization’s safeguarding and ethical standards. 7. REFERENCE: CE-WAI 8. CONTACT INFORMATION: Team SAMS Strategic Alliance Management Services Pvt. Ltd. 1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar, New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110025 Tel: 011-4081 9900; 4165 3612 9. APPLICATION PROCESS: Interested candidates are requested to apply through the provided application link on or before August 17, 2025. Please note that interviews may be conducted on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged. WaterAid India is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, age, or sexual orientation. WaterAid India maintains ethical hiring standards and does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, or other fees. Any such request should be considered fraudulent and reported to