Sierra Leone – Districts of Karene, Bombali, Tonkolili, Port Loko and Kambia
Position based in Makeni, Bombali
Context
In Northern Sierra Leone, access to safe drinking water remains limited. Some villages are still not equipped with water systems and, where systems exist, many do not provide water continuously throughout the year.
Since 2011, Inter Aide has been implementing in Sierra Leone a preventive maintenance program for hand pumps. Initially launched in Bombali District, the program has progressively expanded to Karene, Port Loko, Tonkolili and in 2026 Kambia, today covering one third of the country.
The program is based on mandatory annual preventive maintenance for all water points located in participating chiefdoms. Preventive maintenance is implemented through a network of private Pump Technicians (PTs), certified by the Ministry of Water Resources.
This strategy contributes directly to the sustainability of rural water services by significantly reducing the risk of major breakdowns and improving long-term functionality of water points.
The program has enabled functionality rates of community water points to remain above 80% in intervention areas and contributes each year to maintaining access to safe drinking water for more than 1,000,000 people in rural areas.
Beyond operational implementation, Inter Aide aims to progressively strengthen the capacities and ownership of local institutions and sector stakeholders so that the maintenance service can increasingly be coordinated, promoted and sustained locally.
We are currently looking for a Program Manager to support the implementation, consolidation and progressive institutionalization of the maintenance service model in close collaboration with local teams, Pump Technicians Associations, District Water Directorates and the Ministry of Water Resources.
MISSIONS OF THE PROGRAM MANAGER
The Program Manager will ensure the coordination, quality and sustainability of the program in the five intervention districts while supporting the strengthening of local stakeholders and institutions involved in rural water service management.
The Program Manager will be based in Makeni with frequent field trips within the intervention areas and to Freetown. He/she will report directly to the Head of Sector based in Versailles, France.
The position combines operational coordination, institutional capacity strengthening and support to local stakeholders. The Program Manager is expected to work through accompaniment, coaching, delegation and capacity building approaches in order to reinforce local ownership of the maintenance strategy.
1) Program coordination and support to local teams
- Support and mentor the Assistant Program Manager and field teams in the implementation and monitoring of preventive maintenance activities;
- Strengthen the capacities and autonomy of local teams through coaching, training and technical support;
- Support the coordination and continuous improvement of the Preventive Maintenance Campaign;
- Support the monitoring of Pump Technicians networks and the development of sustainable spare-parts supply chains;
- Contribute to the expansion and replication of the maintenance model in Kambia District
2) Institutional strengthening and support to sector stakeholders
- Support the strengthening and structuring of Pump Technicians Associations to improve their sustainability, governance and coordination capacities;
- Support District Water Directorates and Ministry of water Resource and Sanitation representatives in progressively taking greater ownership of the maintenance strategy and related coordination activities;
- Facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity strengthening of institutions on topics such as preventive maintenance planning, technical monitoring, data analysis, and coordination of sector actors;
- Support local authorities at section, chiefdom and district levels in promoting and monitoring the maintenance service strategy;
- Represent and promote the Preventive maintenance model with sector stakeholders, NGOs and public institutions.
3) Monitoring, learning and knowledge sharing
- Support the implementation and improvement of monitoring and evaluation systems;
- Accompany teams and institutional partners in data collection, analysis and interpretation;
- Contribute to surveys, studies and sector analyses related to rural water services and maintenance systems;
- Capitalize and share lessons learned, operational tools and experiences with local stakeholders and sector partners;
4) Financial, administrative and logistical coordination
- To ensure the operational and financial reporting of the programs in collaboration with the headquarters in France (English written narrative reports, project accountancy and supervision of the expenditures, monthly and quarterly fund requests);
- In collaboration with IA-SL Logistic Departments, in charge of the management of all logistic and HR aspects of the program
- To manage the programs’ financial, assets and logistic resources;
- To participate to the operation of the three bases.
PROFILE
- Advanced education in a relevant field (project management, hydraulics, water governance, institutional development, territorial development, rural development, logistics, social sciences, etc.);
- Previous experience in project coordination and/or capacity strengthening programs;
- Experience working with public institutions, decentralized services or local stakeholders highly appreciated;
- Experience in institutional strengthening, facilitation or organizational development strongly valued;
- Experience in developing countries appreciated;
- Strong facilitation, coaching and training skills;
- Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills;
- Ability to work collaboratively and support local ownership processes;
- Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools and data analysis;
- Basic IT skills and experience in database management (Excel & Access);
- Field-oriented profile with adaptability, autonomy and problem-solving capacities;
- Fluent English, including strong writing skills;
- Driving licence and/or off-road motorbike riding skills considered an asset.
STATUS
- 1-year volunteer contract renewable (French legal status: Volontariat de Solidarité Internationale – VSI);
- Monthly allowance + field allowance;
- Round-trip flight at beginning and end of mission;
- Full health insurance + repatriation insurance;
- Possibility of departure as a couple.
Position available in October 2026
If you are interested in our organization and the responsibilities associated with this role,
please send your resume and cover letter to recrutement@interaide.org,
making sure to include the reference SL/YPMS/MAK/2026 in the subject line of your email
For more information, please visit our websites
www.interaide.org and https://reseau-pratiques.org/