Director – Finance, Administration & Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: GWPO Headquarters, Windhoek, Namibia

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer & Executive Secretary, GWPO

Team: Finance & Administration

Grade Range: P4-P5

Deadline: 18 June 2026

 

EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT

BACKGROUND

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is an international institution with a unique model comprising an intergovernmental organisation, the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO), and a global network of more than 2,800 partner organisations. GWP was founded in 1996 with the support of the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency with a mission to support countries in the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels.

In 2002, the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) was established as an intergovernmental organisation with a mandate to serve as the global secretariat of GWP and support the worldwide GWP Network in pursuit of its mission and vision of a water secure world.

For more than two decades, GWPO and the GWP Network have been at the forefront of promoting integrated water resources management and strengthening water governance globally. GWP comprises 13 Regional Water Partnerships and 77 Country Water Partnerships operating in more than 180 countries. Since 2014, GWP has directly and indirectly supported investments and strengthened water governance and policy frameworks in more than 90 countries.

In 2025, GWPO and its GWP Network launched a Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments. Under the GWP Strategy 2026–2030, GWPO is undertaking a profound institutional transformation to accelerate mobilization and deployment of finance at scale, strengthen water governance, and management of water resources for sustainable, climate-resilient, and equitable development.

This bold new chapter includes strengthened partnerships with G20 countries, multilateral development banks (MDBs), global climate finance institutions, the private sector, and regional financial and economic institutions to scale up impact. It also includes establishment of GWPO’s innovative Dual Headquarters anchored in the Global South while offering an opportunity to visionary States and governments around the world to join the organisation — a historic opportunity to renew global water cooperation and be part of the world’s first Global South anchored intergovernmental architecture on water investments.

 

POSITION PURPOSE

The Director – Finance, Administration & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides strategic leadership and executive oversight for GWPO’s financial stewardship, fiduciary governance, institutional sustainability, corporate services architecture, and enterprise financial management systems across the GWPO Secretariat and the GWP Network.

The CFO underpins GWPO’s institutional credibility, operational resilience, fiduciary integrity, and delivery capacity by ensuring sound financial governance, strategic resource management, robust internal controls, and effective corporate systems. The effectiveness of this role is fundamental to enabling GWPO’s transformation into a globally trusted delivery and investment platform and sustaining the confidence of governments, development partners, multilateral development banks, climate finance institutions, investors, and strategic partners.

The CFO serves as GWPO’s senior institutional authority on financial governance, fiduciary systems, corporate finance, treasury governance, financial sustainability, grant governance, enterprise risk management, and financial compliance architecture.

The position provides executive leadership across finance, administration, procurement, human resources administration systems, treasury governance, grant management systems, payroll governance, and corporate services functions supporting all global thematic, hub-based, and institutional operations.

The CFO leads strategic oversight of GWPO’s decentralized financial governance architecture, including joint delivery and cost recovery frameworks, enterprise financial integration, financial harmonization across the GWP Network, and implementation of institutional fiduciary standards.

The CFO serves as a member of GWPO’s Senior Management Team and works closely with the CEO & Executive Secretary, Steering Committee, Audit & Finance Subcommittee, Global Technical Committee, Regional Water Partnerships, host institutions, donors, auditors, governments, multilateral development banks, climate finance institutions, sovereign partners, and strategic stakeholders.

The Director shall lead a small but highly capable Finance & Administration Team responsible for sustaining, strengthening, and continuously modernizing GWPO’s global financial management systems and practices across the GWP Network.

Certain operational responsibilities may be exercised directly or through delegated supervision and coordination of finance, treasury, payroll, grants management, procurement, and administrative personnel within the Finance & Administration function.

STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director shall:

• Serve as GWPO’s Chief Financial Officer and provide executive leadership of the Finance & Administration function across the GWPO Secretariat and GWP Network;
• Lead implementation of GWPO’s financial and administrative strategy in support of the GWP Strategy 2026–2030 and the Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments;
• Lead development and implementation of relevant GWPO financial policies, fiduciary systems, grant-making policies, cost recovery policies, and enterprise financial governance frameworks;
• Safeguard GWPO’s financial sustainability, liquidity position, and long-term institutional viability;
• Position GWPO as a credible and globally trusted fiduciary, delivery, and investment implementation partner for governments, MDBs, climate finance institutions, bilateral donors, sovereign partners, and private sector actors;
• Lead institutional financial architecture for GWPO’s joint delivery and cost recovery framework, including governance structures, allocation principles, sustainability mechanisms, and financial oversight across decentralized delivery systems;
• Lead full strategic oversight and institutional integration of GWPO’s Network Integrated Financial Management and Reporting System (NIFMARS) across the GWP Network;
• Provide strategic leadership for harmonization of financial governance, fiduciary standards, enterprise financial systems, and financial management practices across the GWP Network;
• Lead institutional financial sustainability planning, long-term scenario modelling, liquidity strategy, and revenue diversification mechanisms;
• Strengthen fiduciary assurance, internal controls, compliance systems, enterprise risk management, and audit responsiveness across GWPO-led and jointly delivered programmes;
• Oversee institutional fiduciary frameworks, accreditation-related financial governance systems, and financial due diligence standards applicable to RWPs, CWPs, host institutions, implementing partners, and strategic delivery entities;
• Lead development and execution of financial management systems and institutional financial strategies supporting GWPO’s ambition to help mobilize and influence USD 15 billion in water investments by 2030.

 

CORE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Strategy, Planning and Sustainability

• Develop and oversee GWPO’s multi-year financial management strategy, annual budgets, and medium-term financial forecasts;
• Lead enterprise financial planning, institutional resource allocation, liquidity management strategy, and long-term sustainability modelling;
• Integrate portfolio-based delivery and joint-delivery cost-recovery mechanisms into institutional financial planning and operational architecture;
• Support the financial sustainability of GWPO’s delivery and Global Investment Platform (GIP) through scenario planning, cost optimization, and revenue diversification;
• Lead GWPO strategic funding partners, donors engagements with their respective CFOs including senior financial representatives of governments, G20 countries, MDBs, climate funds, sovereign financing institutions, and development partners;
• Advise the CEO & Executive Secretary and Senior Management Team on institutional financial strategy, sustainability risks, and financial implications of strategic decisions;
• Ensure financial sustainability of the dual GWPO Headquarters and decentralized GWPO technical support hubs across Africa, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America & the Caribbean.

 

Financial Governance, Treasury and Enterprise Controls

• Provide executive oversight of accounting, treasury governance, cash management frameworks, payroll governance, and enterprise financial reporting systems;
• Ensure robust internal controls, segregation of duties, delegated authority frameworks, and enterprise financial risk management systems;
• Oversee institutional financial policies, procedures, controls, and compliance frameworks;
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, donor financial regulations, and institutional fiduciary obligations;
• Provide executive oversight of payroll governance, pension and insurance financial frameworks, and staff financial entitlement systems;
• Oversee payroll governance frameworks, payroll quality control systems, and institutional compensation administration controls;
• Oversee strategic financial governance of bank account structures, treasury frameworks, liquidity controls, and institutional financial reconciliations;
• Ensure institutional coordination with pension and insurance providers and oversee governance of staff benefit frameworks and related financial obligations;
• Oversee strategic review and market comparison of insurance, pension, and related corporate service providers to ensure institutional effectiveness, competitiveness, and value for money.

 

Portfolio, Programme and Network Financial Oversight

• Provide strategic financial oversight of GWPO-led programmes and programmes jointly delivered with Regional and Country Water Partnerships and strategic partners;
• Oversee financial governance of grant-making, programme financial management, and delivery-related financial accountability systems;
• Support programme costing, financial modelling, and budget negotiations during programme development and contracting processes;
• Monitor institutional portfolio financial performance, financial sustainability indicators, and enterprise financial risk exposure;
• Guide implementation of financial governance systems supporting decentralized operational delivery and hub-based institutional structures;
• Provide oversight and strategic support on financial and contractual matters involving RWPs, CWPs, host institutions, and implementing partners;
• Review funding applications for regional, country, thematic, and programmatic activities to ensure compliance with GWPO financial and fiduciary requirements.

 

Donor Compliance, Fiduciary Assurance and Audit

• Ensure full compliance with donor agreements, funding conditions, financial reporting obligations, and institutional fiduciary requirements;
• Serve as GWPO’s senior institutional focal point for fiduciary engagement with donors, development banks, climate finance institutions, auditors, host governments, and strategic funding partners;
• Provide executive oversight of internal and external audit processes and ensure timely implementation of audit recommendations;
• Oversee institutional fiduciary due diligence systems, accreditation-related financial governance mechanisms, and financial compliance frameworks;
• Guide institutional financial risk mitigation systems and enterprise compliance monitoring frameworks;
• Maintain executive oversight of institutional financial risk registers and mitigation frameworks in coordination with the Chief of Staff & Governance Affairs.

 

Procurement, Human Resources Administration  & Corporate Services Governance

• Provide strategic oversight of institutional procurement systems, financial delegations, procurement governance frameworks, and contracting policies;
• Ensure transparent, competitive, accountable, and value-for-money procurement and contracting practices;
• Provide strategic oversight of GWPO human resources administration systems, staff financial frameworks, payroll governance systems, and related corporate services structures;
• Provide advice and guidance in relation to GWPO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules, and related institutional administrative frameworks;
• Oversee the work of human resources consultants and service providers supporting recruitment, performance management, internal training, and human resources administration functions;
• Oversee governance and issuance frameworks for employment contracts, staff entitlements, and related administrative instruments;
• Oversee governance and maintenance standards for confidential personnel records and related human resources administration systems in accordance with GWPO policies and applicable requirements;
• Oversee institutional travel administration frameworks and corporate travel service arrangements to support efficient and cost-effective operational delivery;
• Oversee corporate administrative infrastructure, operational support systems, office service arrangements, and non-IT office equipment frameworks required for effective institutional operations;
• Arrange for an adequate, well-functioning, and cost-effective institutional work environment, including service arrangements, administrative support systems, and operational insurance frameworks;
• Oversee development and maintenance of institutional administrative tools, templates, procedures, operational manuals, and policies supporting corporate efficiency, accountability, and service delivery;
• Oversee institutional corporate services frameworks supporting operational efficiency, financial accountability, organizational effectiveness, and staff support systems across GWPO operations;
• Support contractual activation of GWPO delivery and service roles in coordination with the Office of Legal Counsel and programme leadership.

 

Institutional Leadership, Governance and Representation

• Serve as a member of GWPO’s Senior Management Team and contribute to institutional leadership, strategic planning, and organisational performance management;
• Directly supervise finance, administration, procurement, treasury, grants management, and corporate services personnel;
• Maintain all aspects of the Finance & Administration function by planning resources, directing personnel, and implementing finance-related systems, policies, procedures, and institutional controls;
• Manage team members to effectively set objectives, evaluate performance, motivate staff, provide guidance, and support professional development;
• Hold regular performance development discussions with staff and contribute to broader Secretariat performance management processes where required;
• Build and sustain a culture of financial integrity, accountability, fiduciary excellence, service orientation, transparency, and compliance across the organisation and network;
• Represent GWPO in high-level financial, fiduciary, audit, donor, institutional governance, and partnership engagements with governments, development partners, auditors, and strategic stakeholders;
• Liaise with the Chair of the Audit & Finance Subcommittee and serve as Secretary to the Audit & Finance Subcommittee;
• Support preparation for Steering Committee, Sponsoring Partners, Financial Partners Group, and other governance-related meetings requiring financial oversight and reporting;
• Support GWPO fundraising efforts through financial monitoring of donor agreements, donor reporting systems, and strategic engagement with funding partners;
• Ensure that the management of the GWPO Secretariat supports a productive, transparent, accountable, and service-oriented work environment;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO & Executive Secretary.

 

AUTHORITY AND DECISION-MAKING

Within delegated authority, the Director – Finance, Administration & Chief Financial Officer is authorised to:

• Approve financial procedures, controls, manuals, operational guidelines, and financial governance frameworks;
• Validate institutional budgets, financial reports, financial sustainability mechanisms, and cost-recovery systems;
• Approve financial transactions within approved delegations of authority;
• Approve institutional financial controls, treasury frameworks, and enterprise financial governance procedures;
• Exercise delegated authority over finance, treasury, procurement, payroll governance, and corporate financial management systems.
• Final contractual and financial approvals remain with the CEO & Executive Secretary and other delegated financial authorities.

 

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

The Director – Finance, Administration & Chief Financial Officer will be evaluated against:

• Financial sustainability, liquidity performance, and institutional financial resilience;
• Fiduciary compliance outcomes and audit performance;
• Effectiveness of enterprise financial governance systems and internal controls;
• Quality, timeliness, and accuracy of institutional financial reporting and forecasting;
• Effectiveness of cost recovery systems and joint delivery financial governance;
• Operationalization and integration of NIFMARS across the GWP Network;
• Quality and effectiveness of donor compliance, fiduciary assurance, and financial governance systems;
• Operational efficiency and responsiveness of finance, administration, procurement, and corporate services functions;
• Effectiveness of financial governance harmonization across decentralized network structures.

 

CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Core Values

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity

 

Core Competencies

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning & Organizing
• Accountability
• Creativity
• Client & Partner Orientation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Technological Awareness

 

Managerial Competencies

• Leadership
• Vision
• Empowering Others
• Building Trust
• Managing Performance
• Judgement & Agile Decision Making

 

Functional Competencies

• Strategic financial leadership and enterprise financial governance;
• Fiduciary assurance, compliance systems, and institutional risk management;
• Treasury governance, sustainability planning, and financial forecasting;
• Financial governance harmonization across decentralized institutional structures;
• Enterprise financial systems, ERP systems, and integrated reporting frameworks;
• Grant governance, donor compliance, and financial due diligence systems;
• Strong institutional leadership, stakeholder engagement, and negotiation capabilities;
• Ability to operate effectively in complex multi-country and multi-partner environments.

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced university degree in accounting, finance, business administration, economics, management, or related field;
• Professional accounting qualification (CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CA or equivalent) is highly desirable.
• At least fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, accounting, treasury, fiduciary management, audit, financial governance, institutional administration, or corporate services leadership;
• Significant experience in international organisations, development finance institutions, multilateral systems, or complex donor-funded environments is highly desirable;
• Experience engaging with multilateral development banks, climate finance institutions, bilateral donors, sovereign funding partners, or institutional investors is highly desirable;
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise financial governance systems, fiduciary compliance frameworks, treasury governance, and institutional financial sustainability processes;
• Experience supporting decentralized operational structures and multi-country financial governance systems;
• Experience managing and leading finance and administration teams in complex institutional environments;
• Experience with ERP systems, enterprise financial management systems, integrated financial reporting systems, and institutional financial controls.

 

Skills and Attributes

• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities;
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, transparency, and accountability;
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills;
• Capacity to address and deliver training to international and multicultural audiences;
• Ability to lead complex institutional transformation and organizational change processes;
• Ability to operate effectively in multicultural and matrix-management environments;
• Strong attention to detail, institutional risk awareness, and numerical accuracy;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Working knowledge of French, Spanish, Swedish, or other UN languages is an advantage;
• Strong proficiency in enterprise financial systems, spreadsheets, and modern office technologies.