Project Leader IWRM – World Waternet

Period: January 2026 – April 2029 (end of project)
Hours: 32 hours per week
Location: The Netherlands (Amsterdam)

Working on water in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, located in the Sahel, water is scarce and of vital importance. Due to rapid population growth and increasing droughts, water management is under severe pressure. World Waternet works together with local water organisations, farmers, and communities to harvest rainwater and improve access to clean water. In addition, we collaborate in a consortium on resilient solutions through Nature-based Solutions, water efficiency, and the digitalisation of measures to counter the effects of climate change. This integrated project gives you the opportunity to make a real difference together with local partners in a vulnerable region.

The project

Two Dutch programmes are active in Burkina Faso in cooperation with World Waternet: the Blue Deal (2018–2030) and the ECDD programme (2021–2029).
Since 2018, World Waternet has had a Water Operators’ Partnership with the five Burkinabé water authorities, the Agences de l’eau (AEs). This long-term collaboration is financed until 2030 through the Blue Deal Programme in partnership with the Dutch water authorities Amstel, Gooi en Vecht; De Dommel; Hunze & Aa’s; and Noorderzijlvest, focusing on capacity building in governance and technical support for sustainable, climate-resilient Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

In addition, World Waternet works in a consortium with Agriterra and AUXFIN on a 5-year Embassy-funded IWRM project: ECDD GIRE (Eau Clé pour le Développement Durable – Gestion Intégrée des Ressources en Eau) (2024–2029). This project focuses on practical sustainable agriculture and water management interventions, Nature-based Solutions, and digitalisation in 10 sub-basins, in close cooperation with the five Agences de l’eau.

Your work

As project leader, you are the key figure in the ECDD-GIRE project and responsible for coordination between the consortium and local partners. Your tasks include:

• Leading the consortium with Agriterra and Auxfin, including planning, implementation, and reporting.
• Providing strategic leadership and overseeing project goals, budget, and results.
• Acting as the main contact for the Embassy and the donor.
• Coordinating collaboration between the Dutch, local, and financial teams.
• Managing the local team in Ouagadougou, consisting of 4 project leads and 6 support staff, under the leadership of a local coordinator.
• Contributing to the technical activities of the Dutch expert team (Hydrology, GIS/data management, stakeholder management, Nature-based Solutions).
• Representing World Waternet and managing ECDD-GIRE project communication between all parties involved in the Netherlands and Burkina Faso.
• Contributing to knowledge transfer within and outside World Waternet in the field of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and climate-resilient water management at a strategic level.

Who are we looking for?

For this project, we are looking for an enthusiastic and independent project leader with international experience in water projects in West Africa. The focus of the work lies in facilitating the local and Dutch teams, budget monitoring, achieving project results, and creating both structure and a strong partnership with colleagues locally and in the Netherlands. Ensuring project progress, reporting, monitoring, evaluations, and communication are also important elements. In addition, you easily communicate with all stakeholders and are able to report clearly in both spoken and written form. Naturally, you have an excellent command of French.

The advantage of this position is that the work can be carried out from the Netherlands, while also giving you the opportunity to become familiar with this unique West African country. You are motivated to share your knowledge with local partners who can make good use of it. You do this both externally and internally with various stakeholders in the Netherlands and Burkina Faso, making you truly the linking pin in this project. You will also have the opportunity to learn and grow in your role, under the guidance of the Partnership Director West Africa at World Waternet, in an international working environment.

The project is established and technically supported locally by an independent team of 10 project staff in Ouagadougou. You actively contribute to planning, budgeting, and related negotiations together with the Partnership Director West Africa, in order to achieve the intended goals and results. You safeguard planning, financing, communication, and reporting obligations. A team of 20 professionals from World Waternet will support you in communications, finance, project monitoring, HRM, and travel. You will also maintain close contact with the Partnership Director West Africa of World Waternet.

Worldwide, more than 2.5 billion people still live without safe drinking water or sanitation, that is 35% of the world’s population. Through World Waternet, Waternet contributes to improving access to clean, safe, and sufficient water around the globe. We respond to local demands and exchange knowledge and skills with organizations in the countries where we work. By collaborating directly with colleagues from water companies and public authorities, we apply our water cycle expertise, from drinking water and wastewater to flood management and water safety. This is how World Waternet contributes its part. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

You are naturally driven, communicative, and enthusiastic about working internationally in West Africa. You enjoy working with colleagues in a dynamic, international environment and have solid knowledge of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). In addition, you are flexible, results-oriented, and comfortable in an environment where seniority and diplomacy are valued. You take responsibility, show initiative with ease, and are not afraid of challenges.

You achieve results in a proactive and energetic way, even in fast-changing environments. You enjoy engaging with different stakeholders and ensure they are properly involved in the project. You have excellent communication skills, remain focused on the end goal, and achieve it in a pragmatic way. You thrive in multidisciplinary teams and changing environments. You are open to learning and eager to take on a new international challenge. You are willing to travel between Ouagadougou and Amsterdam and can be flexible. Due to the current political context, it is not possible to travel outside the capital, and you will work from the office in Ouagadougou. Hopefully, this situation will change, and you will later be able to visit project partners in the regions as well.

• Minimum Bachelor’s/Master’s degree with specialisation in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
• Around 10 years of experience in project management and financial management of large IWRM projects.
• Experience in managing and supporting international teams.
• Excellent command of English and French, both spoken and written.
• Willingness to travel regularly to Burkina Faso (approx. 4 times per year).

Working at Waternet comes with excellent employment conditions:

• Salary up to € 5,385 gross per month (scale 11) for 32 hours per week.
• An additional 21% of your monthly salary as an Individual Choice Budget (IKB), which you can use for extra leave, training, or salary.
• Employment contract for the duration of the project until April 2029.
• Flexibility to work from home or at the office.
• Flexible working hours depending on activities.
• Personal training budget of € 6,000.
• Commuting allowance or € 3 net per home working day.
• Reimbursement of up to € 850 for setting up a home office.
• Pension plan via the ABP Pension Fund.

Bij Waternet werk je met een uniek product: water. Samen met zo’n 2000 collega’s zorgen we voor veilig drinkwater, schone grachten, rivieren en droge voeten. Waternet werkt met de nieuwste technieken en is bijna 100% klimaatneutraal. Bij ons werken echte vakmensen: van dijkinspecteur tot dataspecialist en van techneut tot teamleider. Al deze betrokken medewerkers maken Waternet samen tot een werkgever waar je jezelf kan zijn. Wij stimuleren je om elke dag een stukje beter te worden. Je vindt dan ook een groot aanbod aan opleidingen en trainingen bij onze eigen Waternet Academie. 

Wij vragen onze nieuwe medewerkers om een geldige Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag. Een assessment kan onderdeel uitmaken van de sollicitatieprocedure. 

Do you want to know more about the position or do you have questions about working at World Waternet? Please contact Janette Worm, Partnership Director West Africa. (janette.worm@waternet.nl)