Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) is one of the nine (9) Water Works Development Agencies (WWDA) established under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation & Irrigation under the Water Act 2016 vide Legal Notice No. 28 of 26th April 2019. The Board of Directors (BOD) is seeking to recruit a dynamic, exceptional, and visionary leader with good professional and ethical standing to fill the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Role Summary
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will be responsible for overseeing all strategic, operational, and financial performance of the organization through effective management.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic direction and leadership in line with the Corporation’s Strategic Plan.
- Lead in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of the Agency’s strategic plans, annual operation plans, short-term and long-term plans to drive achievement of the Agency’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives.
- Provide strategic leadership in resource mobilisation and effective sustainability of the Agency and implementation of planned projects.
- Lead in the development of the Agency’s Budget to ensure financial sustainability for the Agency and support in the funding of various projects.
- Lead in the preparation and implementation of the Agency’s procurement plan through coordination of various departments to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.
- Translate the strategic objectives, annual plans, short-term and long-term plans of the Agency into actionable initiatives and effectively cascade them to divisional heads.
- Oversee the implementation, accountability, and execution of the plans to fulfil the mandate of the Agency.
- Undertake prudent financial management and investment mandates by ensuring sound policies and practices are adopted for optimal utilization and returns.
- Oversee optimal and effective operations of the Corporation’s water infrastructure.
- Develop and engage effective leadership teams to ensure excellent performance and effective succession planning at the Corporation.
- Develop and strengthen networks and partnerships with the government, development partners, and private sector to spearhead fundraising for project implementation and sustainability.
- Foster a conducive corporate culture that promotes strong ethical practices, good governance, employee productivity, and compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements as stipulated in Mwongozo (code of conduct for state corporations).
Qualifications and Work Experience
- Have at least fifteen (15) years’ cumulative work experience, of which must have been in the grade of Director or in a comparable position.
- A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from a recognised institution.
- A Master’s degree in a relevant field from a recognised institution.
- Membership to a relevant professional body and be in good standing where applicable.
- Professional qualification where applicable.
- Certificate in Leadership Course lasting not less than four (4) weeks from a recognised institution.
- Proficiency in Computer applications.
- Demonstrated managerial, administrative, and professional competence in work performance and results.
- Exhibited a thorough understanding of national goals, policies, objectives and ability to relate them to AWWDA mandate.
- Demonstrate knowledge and familiarity with water management, Water Sector reforms, and management of large water projects.
- Demonstrate the ability to mobilise resources through the various financing models.
Personal Competencies
- Strong visionary leadership and negotiation skills with capacity to engage with local, regional, and international organizations.
- Conversant with GoK Funding, donor funding mechanism, and familiarity with water sector management.
- Strategic thinker with good commercial acumen and the ability to identify economic opportunities in a changing environment and to capitalize on them.
- Demonstrate competence in steering implementation of large-scale water projects.
- Familiarity with reforms in the public sector and commercial settings.
- Track history of creativity, innovation, self-drive, result orientation, and ability to handle a public organization.
- Be conversant with various investment models including public-private partnerships (PPP), build-operate-transfer (BOT), and Engineering Procurement Construction and Funding (EPCF), among others.
- Transformational leader with the demonstrated adaptability to drive change and transformation, with proven capability of quickly assessing complex situations, generating astute, practical, and pragmatic solutions, generating plans of action, and addressing problems.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, strong interpersonal, analytical, organizational, and team capacities, and high professional ethical standing.
- Experience in steering and managing an organization and related staff welfare matters.
- Thorough understanding of the Performance contracting process and performance management in the public sector.
Requirements Under Chapter Six of Kenya Constitution 2010
Applicants will be required to attach copies of:
- Certificate of Good Conduct from the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI);
- Clearance Certificate from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB);
- Tax Compliance Certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA);
- Clearance from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC); and
- Report from an Approved Credit Reference Bureau (CRB).
Terms of Appointment
The appointment will be for a contractual period of three (3) years renewable once for a similar period subject to satisfactory performance and delivery of set performance targets evaluated by the Board.
How to Apply
Candidates should submit either hard copy or soft copy applications enclosing a cover letter, detailed CV, copies of academic and professional certificates, national ID card, and contacts of three (3) professional referees, quoting Ref: AWWDA/CEO/2026-27-01.
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Email Applications: Send as a single PDF attachment to recruitment@awwda.go.ke.
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Hard Copy Applications: Deliver in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the reference number to:
The Board Chairperson
Athi Water Works Development Agency
Athi Water Plaza, Muthaiga North Road
P.O. Box 45283, 00100 Nairobi
Deadline: 3rd September 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
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