Program Manager-Market System Development-W4R

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Program Manager- Market System Development- W4R

About the job

The Program Manager-Market Systems Development will provide technical, operational and thought 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.

This role involves supporting program interventions based on relevance, opportunity for growth, and feasibility of stimulating sustainable change in the market system through different approaches to water market systems strengthening, private sector engagement, climate resilience, governance strengthening, catalytic financing mechanisms, investment facilitation, and institutional capacity development. 

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Technical Oversight of Water Market Systems Development and Private Sector Engagement

• Lead the implementation of water market systems assessments, ecosystem mapping exercises and corridor diagnostics during programme inception and throughout implementation.
• ConductMarket System Mapping and Analysis: Drive the market system mapping and analysis and prioritize market sectors for program intervention.
• Develop and oversee the portfolio of market system development interventions and partnerships within the W4R program.
• Provide technical oversight to interventions targeting Water Service Providers (WSPs), Water Companies (WCs), Community Water Management Committees (CWMCs), O&M operators and water-related SMEs.
• Lead in identifying market failures, business growth opportunities and investment barriers affecting water ecosystem actors.
• Lead the implementation of business diagnostics, due diligence assessments and capacity gap analyses for targeted enterprises and institutions.
• Implement development and implementation of tailored Business Development Service (BDS) packages for water ecosystem actors.
• Provide targeted enterprises with 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.
• Lead the 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.

Technical Leadership, and Stakeholder engagement

• Lead development and operationalization of catalytic financing mechanisms supporting climate-resilient water service delivery.
• Lead 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.
• Lead identification, screening and selection of enterprises eligible for catalytic financing support.
• Ensure direct establishment and management of investment pipelines for water companies, SMEs and service providers.
• Lead the 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.
• Lead negotiation and structuring of financing arrangements between investors and water ecosystem actors.
• Support organization of investment forums, business matchmaking events and investor engagement platforms.
• Ensure  performance of financed enterprises and ensure financing contributes to improved sustainability and service delivery

MEAL and Adaptive Programming

• Lead and/or support MSD and gender and youth inclusion assessments, research studies and stakeholder consultations, as appropriate, to inform program strategies and approaches; Learning Agenda; and adaptive management.
• Provide relevant technical input for program work plans, budgets, and MEAL Plan, including Learning Agenda, as appropriate.
• Actively participate in program monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEAL) activities, including results reviews and other learning exchanges.
• Provide key support for data collection and analyses in collaboration with the MEAL team to ensure interventions are impact-oriented and adjusted
• Contribute relevant technical input for donor reporting and external program communications, such as technical reports, case studies/business cases, video/radio content, social media blogs/posts, etc.
• Participate in development of the annual work plan, ensuring alignment with technical strategy Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations might be needed
• Prepare program progress reporting.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish and effectively manage strong relationships with market system actors (e.g. private companies operating in the relevant value chains, WMCs representatives of the target group, local government offices, etc.
• Networking and representing the organization through coordinating with stakeholders, partners, government officials such as Project line Ministry of Water and to ensure the organization efficiency. 
• Represent the program at networking and relationship meetings with private and public actors, as appropriate.

• Lead and support relevant enabling environment interventions and development of partnerships to address social norms that exclude women and youth and the poor from accessing markets.

People management and Capacity building

• Build capacity of private sector actors to understand the business case for gender equality and unconscious bias; provide technical assistance (TA) to support partners to develop gender equality policies and help them establish equitable hiring and recruitment processes. Support private sector capacity building efforts, including TA to partners to build their understanding of the business case for regenerative and environmentally sustainable solutions, in collaboration with the Regenerative Business/Resilience Lead and Partnership Officers.

• Manage, supervise, mentor corridor managers and gender ,communications and  M and E team

• Deputize the Program Director.

• Work closely with Program Director and Financial Controller to ensure compliance with company and donor regulations and policies.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to demonstrate the following.

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree + 7 years’ experience, master’s degree + 5 years’ experience in Economics, Statistics, Agribusiness, Business Management, Marketing, Finance and Accounting, Program/Project Management or related fields.
• At least 5 years’ experience applying MSD (Market System Development) especially in WASH programs in Somalia or elsewhere
• Demonstrated understanding of - and commitment to challenging - barriers that disadvantage the vulnerable, women and youth and exclude them from economic opportunities.
• Good understanding of market systems and their role in poverty reduction from a systemic perspective; experience conducting market analysis in order to make business or investment decisions.
• Demonstrated orientation toward innovative thinking with strong ability to generate creative ideas/solutions and predict possible outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience leading and coordinating consultative planning processes that involve input from a range of experts and stakeholders toward strengthened evidence-based programming and decision making.
• Strong adaptive management skills, including critical thinking, foresight, and vision to actively analyses program activities, challenge assumptions, and make decisions.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s 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:   12 Months with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. 

Band:      Management- F1

Designation of Duty station:    This position is based in Mogadishu – Somalia with 60% travel to project sites

Reporting Line: Chief of Party-W4R

Start Date: September 2026

This position is open to National Applications. The relevant National terms and conditions of employment will apply.

Application process

All applicants 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: 28th 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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