Senior Manager of WASH Partnerships

Water for Good; Arkansas; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Water for Good seeks a Senior Manager of WASH Partnerships to grow strategic institutional partnerships, manage a portfolio of donors, and drive grant proposals and stewardship. You will coordinate across departments to identify funding opportunities and strengthen donor relationships, representing the organization in the WASH sector.

The role requires 5+ years in fundraising and at least 3 years in WASH or related fields, with strong communication skills and cross-cultural competence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in institutional fundraising, partnership development, grants management, or related field.
• At least 3 years in the WASH sector or closely related fields such as public health or international development.
• Demonstrated experience managing donor relationships and coordinating grant proposals or partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of institutional funding partners and prospects as primary relationship manager.
• Support prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, and stewardship for funding pipeline.
• Coordinate cross-department grant proposal development to ensure timely, high-quality submissions.
• Contribute to donor engagement strategies and stewardship plans for future funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and leadership teams to align proposals with priorities and donor expectations.
• Maintain grant and donor data within CRM and project management systems.

Skills

Relationship mgmt

Proposal writing

Grant coordination

Cross-cultural competence

Public speaking

Emotional intelligence

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Asana

Job description

The Senior Manager of WASH Partnerships will support the growth and stewardship of strategic institutional partnerships that advance Water for Good's mission and funding objectives. This role will manage a portfolio of institutional donors and prospects, coordinate proposal development and grant management processes, and represent Water for Good within the global WASH sector. The Senior Manager will work collaboratively across departments to identify new funding opportunities, strengthen donor relationships, and contribute to organizational thought leadership that advances sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

Responsibilities & Duties Overview:

• Manage a portfolio of institutional funding partners and prospects, serving as the primary relationship manager for assigned accounts.
• Support the development and maintenance of the organization's institutional funding pipeline, including prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, and stewardship.
• Coordinate grant proposal development processes across departments, ensuring timely, high-quality submissions.
• Contribute to donor engagement strategies and stewardship plans that strengthen relationships and position Water for Good for future funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and leadership teams to ensure proposals and agreements align with organizational priorities and donor expectations.
• Maintain grant and donor information within CRM and project management systems.

WASH Partnerships & Sector Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with peer organizations, research institutions, foundations, and sector networks.
• Represent Water for Good in relevant WASH sector events, webinars, conferences, and collaborative initiatives.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships that advance Water for Good's programmatic and fundraising objectives.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration, learning, and visibility within the WASH sector.

Sector Leadership and Representation

• Support Water for Good's thought leadership efforts by contributing to publications, presentations, blogs, and other external content.
• Coordinate with communications, programs, and technical teams to articulate organizational evidence, learning, and impact.
• Assist in preparing presentations and materials for sector events and donor engagements.

Work Experience & Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Passion for Water for Good’s mission of transforming lives through sustainable access to safe water, as well as improved sanitation and hygiene, in places that need it most.
• Bachelor's degree in international development, public health, business, communications, nonprofit management, environmental studies, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in institutional fundraising, partnership development, grants management, international development, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in the WASH sector or closely related sectors such as public health, international development, or climate resilience.
• Demonstrated experience managing donor relationships and coordinating grant proposals or partnership initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proposal writing, facilitation, and public speaking.
• Cross-cultural competence and high emotional intelligence.
• Legally eligible to work in the country location; no sponsorship will be provided.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with institutional donors, foundations, bilateral agencies, or multilateral organizations.
• Experience with Salesforce, Asana, or similar CRM and project management platforms.
• Experience developing thought leadership content, research dissemination, or external communications.
• Conversational level fluency in French
• Experience working in or closely supporting programs in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Travel Required:

Up to 6 weeks of travel per year for donor engagement, sector representation, partnership development, and internal planning meetings.