Global Head of Water At SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Company Description

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. We are driven by a vision of a better world: A world where across every society all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably. To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agri-food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalysing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Building on 60 years of experience we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigour. We do this in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia with a team of approximately 1,600 colleagues. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all.

SNV’s water sector programming aims at improving global water security by ensuring the reliable availability of sufficient and high-quality water for health, livelihoods, ecosystems, and agricultural production. In an increasingly water-scarce and polluted world, we help manage water-related risks through thoughtful local and regional water-cycle interventions. SNV strives to deliver sustainable and equitable outcomes in WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), irrigation, water resource management, and urban water cycles. We recognize that water security for one community often affects water security for all.

Job Description

SNV is seeking for a Global Head of Water

Full-time – The Hague, Netherlands, or any country SNV is based
Reporting to Director of Technical Expertise and heading a team of technical experts.

The Global Head of Water will lead our water sector portfolio and support our water teams across Africa and Asia. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape and support the implementation of impactful solutions for water security in an organization that is working on programs across water, agri-food and energy sectors.

The role combines technical expertise, strategic influence and team management – continuing to position SNV as a “partner of choice” in the global water sector. There is an exciting opportunity here for global reach while influencing local solutions and impact.

Areas of responsibility include:

Technical Excellence: Ensure the highest quality of programming, integrating innovative and context-adapted approaches into current and future initiatives

Knowledge Development and Learning: Enable and stimulate learning from and between projects, connect with relevant knowledge institutes and partners, develop and test innovative approaches, publish evidence based findings

Business Development: Drive technical strategy, program design, and organizational positioning to expand SNV’s impact and storytelling.

Representation, Networking and Influence: Build SNV’s profile by engaging with key stakeholders, including knowledge institutions, partners, donors, governments, and the private sector.

Team Management: Provide thought leadership, guidance and support to a high-performing, global (geographically and culturally), and multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

Candidate profile:

A technically grounded and inspirational leader who excels at translating technical concepts into practical, scalable solutions across diverse development contexts, you bring significant hands-on experience in implementing water management strategies that can map to SNV’s focus areas.

A natural collaborator, you thrive in partnerships with a range of stakeholders—governments, private sector actors, internal management, and donors. You are analytical and adept at translating concepts into action and are driven by a passion for impact and systems-level change. You don’t shy away from public speaking opportunities; you are proficient in both written and spoken English and proficiency in French is highly desirable.

You uphold to principals of diversity and inclusion for your team, partners, and yourself. Above all, you are a dynamic leader who empowers and inspires our teams to deliver transformative results for communities worldwide.

Context of the position
Our world is undergoing dramatic changes, leaving communities increasingly exposed to frequent and severe shocks. From pandemics and conflicts to environmental crises, hundreds of millions of people still lack reliable access to energy, food, and water. Progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains insufficient to meet these urgent challenges.

SNV’s 2030 Strategy is designed to ensure the resilience of communities in this rapidly evolving context. We strive to build a better world through collaboration and partnerships, fostering systems-level transformation that empowers individuals and communities to make informed choices and develop their own solutions. By facilitating change through meaningful partnerships, our projects and programs drive sustainable, impactful progress for a more resilient future.

SNV in Water
The human rights to water, sanitation, and a clean environment are under threat, with 2.3 billion people living in water-stressed countries. Due to economic development, population growth, and rising living standards, demand for water resources has increased eightfold over the past century. Nearly 3.5 billion people lack safe sanitation, and in 2020, only 56% of domestic wastewater was treated safely.

Climate change, growing water demands, and increasing pollution are compelling countries worldwide to adapt their water management, both locally and nationally, and often transboundary. Their challenge is to balance effective and financially viable strategies with ecologically sound and equitable goals.

For SNV, water security is not only an ecological and economic crisis but also a crisis of governance and equity. We are focussing on water resource management, irrigation, rural WASH and urban resilience. Learn more about SNV in Water here: Water | SNV

Additional Information

If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and a letter of motivation (in English) before/on the 7th of February 2025. Please submit your application only via Smart Recruiters. All information will be processed in the strictest confidence.

Working at SNV
SNV offers a dynamic and stimulating role with the opportunity to shape the organization’s future.

We are a global organization representing 57 cultures across 22 countries, with approximately 95% of our team members holding the nationality of the countries where we operate. We actively promote international career development and offer a diverse workforce that combines longstanding institutional knowledge with fresh perspectives and experiences. United under the vision of “ONE SNV,” we share a commitment to achieving our purpose with curiosity and collaboration.

Our commitment to impactful and sustainable change is built on effective resource stewardship, robust expertise, and a culture of evidence and learning. By strengthening capacities, fostering partnerships, and building trust with those we work alongside, we maximize positive and lasting impacts in the communities we serve.

Our offer
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package in a stimulating work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling international working environment.

Additional information

• Contract Type: Full time (40 hours per week)
• Contract Duration: indefinite contract
• Expected Start Date: April 2025
• Information Duty Station: Preferably The Hague, The Netherlands, or any country SNV is based
• Travel: Approximately 20%

Reference & vetting check
At SNV, we conduct thorough background and reference checks for all candidates applying for internationally determined positions, with a strong focus on safeguarding. You will be asked to provide contact details for two individuals who can serve as references. Please note, we will only contact your referees with your explicit permission.

As a participant in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, our reference checks also include a request to your previous employers to complete a “Statement of Conduct” questionnaire. This questionnaire addresses any instances of misconduct, including sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment, in line with the Scheme’s definitions.

*We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.