Aqua for All is an international foundation committed to providing universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation services that are inclusive, affordable, and sustainable. Our mission is to mobilise private capital for entrepreneurs to transform the water and sanitation sector in low- and middle-income countries.

We support local water and sanitation service providers to scale their market-based solutions and to attract private capital. By catalysing private capital for market development and increasing access to finance, we accelerate access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services, especially in Africa and Asia.

We believe that market-based solutions, combined with public and private capital are needed to bridge the service and financial gap to achieve SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation for all.

Purpose of the Assignment

Aqua for All seeks to engage an independent Consultant to support the screening of concept notes and the development of full proposal packages with water and sanitation enterprises in Africa and Asia. The assignment is intended to help move promising enterprise opportunities from initial screening through proposal development, approval preparation and contracting documentation.

The Consultant will perform the assignment independently. Aqua for All will evaluate the quality, completeness and timeliness of agreed outputs and deliverables.

Client Relationship

The Consultant will coordinate with a designated Aqua for All focal point in the Market Development team for assignment-related information, feedback on deliverables and coordination with relevant Aqua for All staff on programme, impact finance, finance, legal and monitoring inputs.

The consultant will ensure that agreed deliverables are completed on time and coordination with Aqua for All and participating enterprises is effective.

Assignment Terms

Independent consultancy assignment for 32-36 hours per week for an estimated duration of 3–6 months, subject to the agreed scope, deliverables, availability and contract terms. The assignment will be governed by a consultancy agreement and does not constitute an employment contract. The assignment is desk-based and does not require travel to the enterprises.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

Concept Note Screening and Assessment:

• Completed reviews of concept notes from water and sanitation enterprises in Africa and Asia, including checks on completeness, eligibility and alignment with Aqua for All priorities.
• Documented scoring assessments applying Aqua for All’s criteria and assessment frameworks consistently, with clear findings for review and decision-making.
• Coordinate follow-up with enterprises to clarify information, request missing materials and help prepare them for full proposal development.
• A maintained proposal pipeline overview, including status, next steps, deadlines, risks and information gaps.

Proposal Development Support:

• Full proposal packages developed with selected enterprises, including problem statements, business models, activities, budgets, milestones, results frameworks and implementation plans.
• Proposal drafts strengthened for clarity, feasibility, commercial logic and alignment with Aqua for All’s grant requirements.
• Consolidated inputs from relevant Aqua for All contacts on impact, finance, legal, contracting and monitoring requirements, as needed for agreed deliverables.
• Proposal packages prepared for Aqua for All review, approval processes and contracting documentation.

Contracting Documentation Support:

• Complete, accurate and well-structured contracting documentation prepared for selected enterprises.
• A documented tracker of contracting requirements, outstanding inputs and follow-up actions with enterprises and relevant Aqua for All contacts.
• Contract documentation aligned with approved proposal content, budgets, milestones and reporting expectations.

Performance Monitoring and Knowledge Management:

• Support the development of practical performance monitoring frameworks for enterprise proposals, including indicators, milestones, reporting requirements and verification approaches.
• Organised proposal, due diligence and contracting files prepared for review and future reference by Aqua for All.
• Knowledge products delivered that capture lessons, recurring issues and practical improvements for future calls for proposals and enterprise support processes.

Consultant Profile

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field such as international development, business, water and sanitation, enterprise development, finance, public policy or a closely related discipline.

• Demonstrated professional experience relevant to a mid-level consultancy assignment, preferably including advisory, programme development or grant-related assignments.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: enterprise development, water and sanitation, proposal development, grant assessment, concept note screening, business model review or SME support.
• Preference for experience in international development, water and sanitation, and small and medium enterprise development in low- and middle-income countries.
• Familiarity with performance monitoring, results frameworks, milestones, indicators and basic grant reporting requirements.
• Strong writing and analytical skills, with the ability to turn enterprise information into clear, complete and fundable proposal documents.
• Ability to manage multiple proposal processes, deadlines and follow-up actions independently, with strong attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Availability to coordinate effectively with Aqua for All and participating enterprises during the assignment period.

Key Compentecies

• Analytical Ability: Demonstrates strong analytical skills to critically assess complex problems, analyse data, and make informed decisions, contributing to effective problem-solving and strategic planning
• Result Orientation: Strong commitment to achieving measurable outcomes and meeting targets, with a focus on delivering high-quality results within set deadlines.
• Organisational Sensitivity: Demonstrates emotional intelligence and cultural awareness, adapting communication and collaboration styles to navigate organizational and partner dynamics and foster effective teamwork.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, to convey ideas, information, and instructions clearly and effectively to various stakeholders.

Deadline: September 11th, 2026

• Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
• Only short-listed consultants will be contacted.

How To Apply

Submission procedure:

Interested and qualified consultants shall submit a brief expression of interest, recent CV and indicative availability via e-mail: hr@aquaforall.org

NOTE: submissions will not be considered unless they include both a CV and a brief expression of interest.

Aqua for All encourages submissions from qualified consultants with diverse backgrounds and experience. Selection will be based on relevant expertise, demonstrated capability, availability and fit with the assignment requirements.