Chief of Party

DRC has been operational in Somalia since 1998 and is currently among the largest international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in the country, with country-wide programmes implemented through six main offices and nine sub-offices in South Central Somalia, Somaliland, Puntland and Galmudug regions. Somalia is vulnerable to extreme weather patterns and remains in a protection crisis where armed conflict, insecurity and natural disasters trigger the displacement of thousands of people.

 

Overall purpose of the role:

The Chief of Party will provide overall strategic, technical, operational and financial leadership for the Water for Resilience Programme (W4R), a four-year, multi-donor programme designed to improve sustainable access to safe, reliable and affordable water for rural and peri-urban agro-pastoral communities in Somalia through private sector engagement and market systems development.

The Chief of Party will be accountable for achieving programme outcomes, ensuring high-quality implementation, maintaining donor compliance, managing strategic partnerships, and representing the programme with government authorities, donors, financial institutions, private sector actors, and consortium partners. The position will oversee implementation across the target corridors and ensure effective delivery of programme interventions related to water market systems strengthening, private sector engagement, climate resilience, governance strengthening, catalytic financing mechanisms, investment facilitation, and institutional capacity development. Chief of Party will serve as the focal point for donor engagements and programme governance structures including the Programme Steering Committee

 

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership, Programme Oversight and Adaptive Management

• Lead the overall implementation of the W4R programme across all target corridors, ensuring programme interventions remain aligned with approved programme documents, donor commitments, annual workplans and budgets.
• Provide strategic direction to programme teams and implementing partners to ensure delivery of programme outcomes, outputs and targets.
• Translate the programme Theory of Change into practical implementation strategies, ensuring all programme interventions contribute to systemic and sustainable change in the water market ecosystem.
• Lead annual, quarterly and monthly planning processes and ensure implementation priorities are clearly communicated to all programme teams and stakeholders.
• Oversee the development and implementation of annual operational plans, procurement plans, staffing plans and spending forecasts.
• Conduct regular programme performance reviews to assess progress, identify implementation bottlenecks and develop corrective action plans.
• Establish systems for adaptive management, ensuring programme approaches are adjusted based on learning, evidence, climate shocks, conflict dynamics, market changes and stakeholder feedback.
• Ensuring integration of climate resilience, gender equality, social inclusion, accountability, conflict sensitivity and sustainability principles across all programme interventions.
• Lead strategic discussions with DRC Senior Management Team regarding programme direction, emerging opportunities, operational risks and mitigation measures.
• Ensure programme implementation remains focused on strengthening local systems, building sustainable market functions and reducing dependency on external support.
• Oversee development and implementation of programme risk management plans and ensure risks are regularly monitored and mitigated.
• Provide strategic leadership during programme reviews, donor missions, evaluations and governance meetings.
• Ensure programme implementation contributes to DRC Somalia's broader strategic objectives and donor engagement priorities.

 

Leadership of Water Market Systems Development and Private Sector Engagement

• Oversee implementation of water market systems assessments, ecosystem mapping exercises and corridor diagnostics during programme inception and throughout implementation.
• Provide strategic oversight to interventions targeting Water Service Providers (WSPs), Water Companies (WCs), Community Water Management Committees (CWMCs), O&M operators and water-related SMEs.
• Ensure programme interventions address systemic market constraints affecting access, affordability, quality and sustainability of water services.
• Guide programme teams in identifying market failures, business growth opportunities and investment barriers affecting water ecosystem actors.
• Oversee implementation of business diagnostics, due diligence assessments and capacity gap analyses for targeted enterprises and institutions.
• Oversee development and implementation of tailored Business Development Service (BDS) packages for water ecosystem actors.
• Ensure targeted enterprises receive technical assistance in business planning, governance, operations management, customer service, financial management and investment readiness.
• Facilitate strategic partnerships between private sector actors, government institutions and financial service providers.
• Promote commercially viable, climate-resilient and inclusive business models capable of sustaining water service delivery beyond programme funding.
• Ensure programme interventions strengthen local supply chains supporting water infrastructure operation and maintenance.
• Oversee implementation of water ecosystem strengthening initiatives designed to improve operational efficiency, service quality and business performance.
• Support establishment of private sector platforms and learning networks to encourage peer learning and sector collaboration.
• Ensure programme interventions contribute to improved access, affordability and reliability of water services for target communities.

 

Leadership of Catalytic Financing and Investment Facilitation

• Lead development and operationalization of catalytic financing mechanisms supporting climate-resilient water service delivery.
• Oversee development of financing governance structures, eligibility criteria, selection frameworks and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure financing mechanisms remain market-compatible and do not distort local financial markets.
• Oversee identification, screening and selection of enterprises eligible for catalytic financing support.
• Direct establishment and management of investment pipelines for water companies, SMEs and service providers.
• Oversee implementation of investment readiness assessments and business strengthening processes.
• Facilitate engagement with commercial banks, microfinance institutions, impact investors, diaspora investors and development finance actors.
• Ensure due diligence assessments are conducted before financing decisions are made.
• Support negotiation and structuring of financing arrangements between investors and water ecosystem actors.
• Lead organization of investment forums, business matchmaking events and investor engagement platforms.
• Monitor performance of financed enterprises and ensure financing contributes to improved sustainability and service delivery.
• Ensure lessons learned from financing initiatives are documented and integrated into programme learning.
• Promote innovative financing models that can be scaled beyond the programme lifecycle.

 

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to demonstrate

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience managing large-scale development, resilience, climate adaptation, water sector, or economic development programmes, with at least 5-6 years in senior leadership positions.
• Extensive experience in designing and implementing Market Systems Development (MSD) and Private Sector Engagement (PSE) programmes.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing strategic partnerships with government institutions, private sector actors, donors, financial institutions, NGOs and development partners.
• Significant experience in managing country or regional programs, including at country senior management level.
• Experience facilitating access to finance, catalytic financing mechanisms, blended finance, challenge funds, investment readiness and enterprise growth initiatives.
• Significant experience with effective coordination with national partners, local/government authorities, NGO partners, UN and other relevant stakeholders.
• University degree in international development, human rights, political affairs, social work, or another relevant field

Languages

• Fluency in spoken and written English required.

• Somali language an advantage

 

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies: 

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

 

We offer

Contract length: 12 Months

Band: Management Band E2

Work location: Mogadishu with frequent travel to all locations in Somalia

Designation of Duty Station: Non-Family Duty Station

Start date: August 2026

 

This position is open to both national and international Icandidates. The relevant terms and conditions of employment will apply.

Application process

Candidates must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

 

Closing date for applications: 14th July 2026.
 

For more information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit our website drc.ngo.

 

Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment regardless of personal characteristics or attributes.

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