Lead Project Manager: Water Utility - Grundfos

Are you interested to make a change by managing the Ghana Water Initiative across all areas of the micro-water utility business in underserved communities? This will include new construction, oversight of effective O&M (Operation and Maintenance), as well as delivering results in terms of people reached.

Here, you will be responsible for a team of five people that will support you in delivering on agreed performance, service, quality and sales targets and cover the technical, customer engagement, quality, data management, customer management, and media and communications functions of the unit.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

• Manage and operate small water systems across Ghana
• Design and planning:
• With the team, develop the optimal and most cost-effective design for water supply bringing in the right expertise to provide input internally and externally. Consider how to incorporate wastewater management.
• Plan a comprehensive program of expansion related to the production, storage, and treatment of water supply to underserved communities

• Plan a comprehensive program for the expansion of distribution networks and metering of customer accounts, taking into consideration the business case.
• Oversee the arrangements with contractors to provide services related to water supply or distribution functions or jobs not performed by agency personnel.
• Regularly revise standard operation procedures, water quality standards and other guidance documents.
• Stay apprised of technology and develop plans to improve services at low cost. Learn about Grundfos solutions so you can engage in whether we deploy the appropriate ones to our projects.
• Develop a system expansion Master Plan.
• Assist with capital improvement planning by reviewing and making recommendations for water system improvements.
• Operations:
• Oversee activities of the water distribution or supply operation functions.
• Oversee the day-to-day water distribution or supply operation functions of the Ghana Water Initiative.
• Oversee water quality standards, regulatory reporting, and water treatment facilities.
• Monitor for issues of wastewater management linked to the water systems.
• Oversee preventive maintenance on water supply equipment, pumps, wells and sources.
• Oversee preventive maintenance on water pipelines, hydrants (if relevant), blow-offs, and valves.
• Manage the data management systems ensuring operations performance standards are met, including non-revenue water.
• Work with the Customer Service Department and Billing Department to coordinate non-pay shut-off and meter reading schedules.
• Oversee water system GIS updates to ensure accuracy and functionality.
• Stay apprised of new trends and innovations in the field of retail water service.
• Contract management
• Identify contractors with a strong performance record to deliver
• Develop and negotiate with contractors to ensure value for money
• Ensure Grundfos procurement procedures are complied with
• Oversee the construction and implementation of new water systems.
• Finance and staff management
• Manage the programs and activities of the staff responsible for the operations of each site.
• Work closely with relevant colleagues across Grundfos to resolve challenges
• Provide sparring to team members to ensure that they are adopting a critical-thinking approach to the decisions taken
• Recommend and administer policies and procedures, including the Grundfos Code of Conduct.
• Select, train, motivate, evaluate assigned personnel, and ensure delivery of results.
• Prepare in the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, supplies, capital, and infrastructure improvements.
• Manage project expenditures and ensure compliance with budgets and financial regulations
• Prepare, review, and participate in the development of the annual budget for water distribution or water supply O&M activities and capital improvement projects/expenditures.
• Prepare, review, and evaluate a variety of operational reports.
• Prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence to the Challenger Board.
• Coordinate assigned activities with those of other departments, agencies, and organizations.
• Operate vehicles and equipment in a safe and efficient manner.
• Establish and expand water access solutions
• Using a framework to identify new communities, perform feasibility assessments to establish commercially viable areas in which community water access could be managed.
• Work with the Technical Manager to design the most cost-effective solution for water access delivery to underserved communities.
• Produce and manage budgets for the construction of new water systems and ongoing O&M.
• Oversee the entry into new communities ensuring that risks are managed effectively and human rights are respected.
• Partnership management
• Establishing and managing relationships with local authorities and national and regional government agencies to deliver water services under a public-private partnership agreement.
• Manage existing and new partnerships within GWI, supporting the Community Engagement Manager.
• Overseeing the rollout of marketing to customers
• Work with the implementation team in the Ghana Water Initiative and in Grundfos more broadly to increase customer demand and effectively drive uptake
• Oversee customer/ stakeholder engagement and administrative management
• Establish a framework for complaints and grievances
• Update and maintain customer contracts
• Register customer complaints and identify appropriate remedial measures.
• Any other issues that may arise.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or similar in Engineering
• 5-10 years of experience in working with water access, preferably in Africa
• Proven track record of managing a department within a water utility both in terms of service delivery and budget management
• Understanding of national legal and regulatory framework for the micro-utilities
• Understanding of water quality requirements and how to manage risks
• Competencies
• Mindset and attitude to cooperate broadly
• Mindset and attitude to work flexibly
• Sensitivity and awareness of local cultural practices and traditions
• A personality who enjoys and is good at building trust
• Excellent at networking with internal and external stakeholders in a multicultural context
• Problem-solving abilities and discipline to oversee the management of customer grievance procedures
• Empathy in how you manage staff
• Good at communicating
• Strong project management skills