Project Director

***Only candidates with the relevant right to work in the UK will be considered***
 
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: Project Director
Position Type: Full-Time
Duration/Level of Effort: Permanent Position
Location: London, UK    
 
 
BACKGROUND
Cowater is a global international development consultancy firm that works with partners to deliver technical assistance to governments and the private sector in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Our key technical areas of focus include: public financial management and accountability, revenue reform, customs, trade and investment facilitation, conflict, stability and security, inclusive economic growth, sustainable extractives industries, social service delivery, climate adaptation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as women’s economic empowerment.     
 
Cowater works with a diversified set of development donors, including the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) the European Union (EU), the Nordic donors, the World Bank, and others. Cowater further counts on a dynamic and diverse team of professionals committed to designing and implementing projects that deliver lasting results for the clients and countries with whom we work.    
 
 
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
Cowater is recruiting for a Project Director to join our Cowater UK team in London. This is a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic and senior international development professional interested in leading active FCDO-funded programmes as well as business development efforts to grow our portfolio.
 
This Project Director will work initially on the Programme d'Appui à la Redevabilité et l'Inclusion (PARI) Programme to provide Technical Assistance and Civil Society Support (TAC) to support accountability and inclusion in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (PARI-TACs) – a £9.55m programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO), implemented by Cowater International.
 
We particularly welcome candidates with experience in Public Financial Management (PFM), Tax, Accountability, Governance reform, and/or Conflict/Stabilisation.
 
 
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Directors are the most senior Cowater representatives on our programmes. They are overall accountable for the successful implementation of and compliance with our client contracts. The role includes the following key responsibilities:
 
Project Implementation:  

• Provide effective leadership and oversight of the implementation of project activities in accordance with the client contract and in support of desired project results. Ensure strong project performance and client satisfaction.
• Build, maintain, and manage client and partner relationships, and represent Cowater to project stakeholders.
• Lead a flexible and adaptive approach to project delivery; ensuring the workplan, approach and method of delivery remains relevant to the context and priorities.
• Supervise technical and operational project teams in the field and internationally to achieve project results, including especially Team Leaders and Project Managers.
• Ensure strong financial performance of projects and compliance the clients’ and Cowater’s financial management processes. Manage commercial contract in line with contract and business targets.
• Ensure compliance of field operations with local regulatory and legal requirements, in coordination with Cowater’s Finance team.
• Ensure projects’ compliance with Cowater’s and the client’s Code of Conduct policies, including Duty of Care for staff in the field (in coordination with Cowater’s Head of Risk and Security).
• Report to Cowater UK’s Head of Programme Delivery on project progress, risks and issues. Take corrective action in the management of projects as required.

 
Business Development:  

• Identify prospective projects through various channels, contacts and networks.
• Carrying out robust research and analysis that will aid in the pursuit of new projects.
• Represent the company with key stakeholders, including potential clients and partners; conduct scoping trips as required.
• Prepare promotional materials for the sector and specific projects being tracked.
• Lead the development of technical proposals, including:
  • leading on innovative project design and approaches;
  • leading on technical writing and conveying technical methodologies compellingly;
  • assembling partners/consortia as necessary for each opportunity;
  • managing the bid process efficiently and effectively from beginning to submission in accordance with donor requirements;
  • managing the bid team, including quality assuring and coordinating inputs from team members and developing junior team members.
• Develop compelling commercial strategies for live bids in coordination with Cowater’s Finance team and Cowater UK’s Head of Business Development.

 
The exact split between project management and business development will be dependent on need, but is expected to be approximately a 50-50 split.
 
 
JOB REQUIREMENTS 
Academic qualifications:  

• A master’s degree or equivalent experience.

Required skills and experience:   

• Around 8-10 years’ years of professional experience in international development consulting, with a focus on areas such as PFM/Tax, Accountability, Governance reform, Conflict/Stabilisation.
• Experience working and/or living in countries which are priorities within the UK’s international development, trade, security and stabilisation agendas.
• Experience leading and managing multi-national teams in project delivery and/or business development settings.
• Experience delivering complex, multi-million-pound programmes for FCDO or other major donors. Experience with FCDO is highly desirable.
• Proven business development skills winning work for donors.
• Strong interpersonal skills – an ability to build and maintain strong relationships based on trust and mutual respect with clients, counterparts, sub-contractors, and team members.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills – an ability to convey information compellingly to donors and stakeholders through writing and delivering clear, accessible, well-structured documents and presentations.
• A strong commercial mindset, including an ability to negotiate effectively with consultants, partners, clients.
• Strong organisational skills, with a focus on results.
• Strong teamworking skills.
• Ability to take initiative – a penchant for taking personal accountability – and to collaborate effectively with others.
• Capacity to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

 
Strong assets:   

• Working proficiency in a second language is desirable – particularly French.
• Working experience in sub-Saharan Africa – particularly DRC.

 
Conditions of employment:   

• The position(s) will be full-time and permanent based in London (UK). We are only considering candidates with a right to work in the UK.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required.

 
APPLICATION PROCESS 
Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible by no later than Friday, 11th July 2025. For your application to be considered, please upload your CV (no more than 2 page-limit) and Cover Letter as follows: “Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position”    
 
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.    
 
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.    
 
 
ABOUT US
With more than 35 years’ experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specializing in international development and has managed the implementation of over 800 projects in more than 80 countries around the globe. We work with governments, partner organizations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, financial and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Cowater International also has corporate offices in Montreal, Quebec; London, United Kingdom; Nairobi, Kenya; Berlin, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Madrid, Spain; Auckland, New Zealand; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Manila, Philippines; and Singapore, in addition to project offices in a wide variety of other locations across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
 
We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.