CAWST is a Canadian charity and licensed engineering firm. We address the global need for safe drinking water and sanitation by building local knowledge and skills on household solutions people can implement themselves.

At the heart of everything we do is our belief that when people have their basic water and sanitation needs met, they have the opportunity to succeed. This is what drives our dedicated team to work with a global network of more than 1,500 clients and partners. Together, we have reached more than 16 million people since our inception in 2001.

Collectively, we are making a difference at a scale beyond what any of us could do individually. But our job isn’t done yet and we need you to help us expand our reach.

The Senior Director, Business Development leads the development and execution of CAWST’s business development strategies; including existing and new markets of clients, partners, collaborators and funders (institutional, corporate and individual donors).  

Success in this role will ensure CAWST’s financial strength through growing and diversifying funding, and global awareness, influence and adoption of CAWST’s vision, mission and model. This position is responsible for leading and developing a diverse team with three direct reports, and a full team of twelve that engages across the full organisation to achieve success.  

Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategy

• Provide strategic direction, by developing and executing on CAWST’s business development strategy and contributing to organisation-wide strategic planning and team activities.
• Set goals and objectives for the business development function, including multi-year targets, resourcing, and performance metrics. 
• Initiate, lead or contribute to other initiatives that support CAWST’s mission and accelerate our impact globally, as defined by the CEO and senior leadership team.
• Actively engage and work with the senior leadership team and Board of Directors to develop and implement a comprehensive fund development strategy. Lead and engage with the Board’s Revenue Strategy Committee. 

Business Development 

• In collaboration with Global Services, generate & qualify leads for clients, partners, funders and collaborators to achieve impact and reach.
• Generate demand for our services internationally, working with development agencies and donors, to collaborate on funding opportunities.
• Generate & qualify leads for funding CAWST’s and partners’ work, with an emphasis on unrestricted and undesignated funding.
• Secure multi-year grants and negotiate contract terms and conditions for proposals and funding arrangements.
• Ensure a highly positive donor experience through accurate, timely reporting, ad hoc communications, and other creative engagement.
• Work with the CEO and other members of our team to maintain & strengthen existing key relationships and build new ones with prospective donors and funders (including major donors, foundations, governmental agencies, and other organizations.)
• Increase awareness in Canada of global WASH issues and attract individuals to collaborate with CAWST.
• Build and steward CAWST’s brand in Canada as a strategic social investment that achieves results.

Engage others in our Vision

• Advocate to sector leaders (e.g., funders, donors, partners, clients, global citizens) to accelerate adoption of decentralised WASH technologies and approaches for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.
• Position CAWST as a sector leader in (a) decentralised WASH and (b) capacity development by representing CAWST at meetings and conferences and engaging with sector leaders. 

Internal Collaboration

• Lead the marketing and communications team to increase the awareness and engagement in CAWST and our cause; and build and steward CAWST’s brand internationally and in Canada.
• Work collaboratively with the Global Services team to identify new partnership and funding opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with the Finance team to develop business unit and revenue budgets and forecasts.
• Work collaboratively with the IT team to ensure the Business Development team is utilising tools effectively and efficiently.

Budget Oversight

• Develop, maintain, and be accountable for the business development team’s budget 
• Develop, maintain, and be accountable for CAWST’s revenue budget
• Provide timely and accurate reports to leadership and periodically to the Board of Directors

• Masters degree or equivalent work experience in a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years experience in a related field, including business development, international development and/or program management.
• Basic understanding of the WASH industry and the technical areas of CAWST’s mission, with interest and ability to become a subject matter expert.  Ideally the candidate will have work experience in developing countries where CAWST carries out its mission.
• Strong network among current and potential funders, as well as with sector influencers. 
• Demonstrated achievement in developing new partnerships and programs, and significantly growing revenue. 
• Demonstrated achievement in fundraising, resource mobilisation, grant writing, social investing and related areas.
• Experience in leading and developing diverse teams of high-performing individuals. 
• Ability to mobilize cross-functional teams from across the organisation and with partners and collaborators, in-person and virtually.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate to a broad range of technical and non-technical audiences, including peers in our sector, funders, donors and Board.
• Active social media presence with the ability to write and review blogs, vlogs and articles.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and industry-specific analysis software.

Personal Qualities

• A sense of purpose and mission in the field of international development 
• Enthusiasm for developing and motivating a highly effective team.
• Enthusiasm and passion for problem-solving and innovation
• Ability to strategically plan and execute financial, operational and revenue goals
• Ability to foster positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ideally, proficiency in two or more languages relevant to countries where CAWST carries out its mission
• Requires a high level of initiative, with limited supervision

Benefits of working at CAWST:

• A meaningful role, making a difference every day for people living without basic water and sanitation
• A workplace culture where collaboration and innovation are fostered
• Rich on-the-job experiences and professional development opportunities
• Strong promotion of work-life balance and flexible work environment

When applying, please include:

• A cover letter that gives an overview of your experience as it applies to this role, and explains why you are excited about joining our team.

• Your resume

CAWST values equitable opportunities, sustainable solutions, and collaborative and inclusive processes. CAWST recognizes and accepts differences in cultural, religious, and political processes and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.