Project Manager (South Africa)
Salary: £17,520 (approx. ZAR 35,000 per month)
Contract: 1 year, full time, with potential for renewal subject to funding
Closing Date: Monday 5th January 2026 – 5.30pm SAST
Applicants must have the right to live and work in South Africa and should already be based in/around Johannesburg as WasteAid cannot support relocation costs. WasteAid began working in South Africa in 2020 with the launch of the Circular Economy Network, a platform uniting industry, academia and waste practitioners to accelerate circular solutions. What started as an awareness initiative soon revealed a pressing need: supporting thousands of informal waste collectors to grow their micro-enterprises and become “Wastepreneurs” driving pollution reduction, job creation and circularity from the ground up.
Applicants must have the right to live and work in South Africa and should already be based in/around Johannesburg as WasteAid cannot support relocation costs.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Project Manager
Location: Home based in/around Johannesburg, South Africa
(with regular field work in Johannesburg and Mpumalanga Province).
Reports to: Programme Manager – South Africa & Uganda
Direct Reports: Training & Mentoring Coordinator, Community Facilitators (2 secondees)
Key Relationships: Director of Programmes, Head of Strategy & Impact, Grants Finance Officer, Director of Fundraising, Communications Officer, Members of the Programmes Team.
Gross Salary: £17,520 per annum gross (this is equivalent to approx. ZAR 35,000 per month).
Contract Duration: 1 year, full time, with potential for renewal subject to funding.
About WasteAid
WasteAid is an international non-governmental organisation that works in low and middle-income countries to implement environmental and economic development programmes, focusing on support to nascent green businesses and grassroots entrepreneurs. The work improves the livelihoods of some of the poorest and most marginalised, promotes circular economy innovation and contributes to a cleaner and healthier future for all.
WasteAid promotes and shares locally appropriate, evidence based and inclusive practices, supporting and empowering others to take positive action. We partner with public, private and community-based organisations in countries where practices are harming the environment, economy and society.
WasteAid in The South Africa
WasteAid began working in South Africa in 2020 with the launch of the Circular Economy Network, a platform uniting industry, academia and waste practitioners to accelerate circular solutions. What started as an awareness initiative soon revealed a pressing need: supporting thousands of informal waste collectors to grow their micro-enterprises and become “Wastepreneurs” driving pollution reduction, job creation and circularity from the ground up.
Since then, WasteAid has focused on empowering those at the start of the waste value chain. Through a tailored training and mentorship programme, we help participants develop essential life skills and learn how to run viable waste businesses – from financial management to extracting value from different waste streams. Micro-grants for tools and equipment further enable them to work safely, confidently and profitably.
Today, WasteAid continues expanding its reach across Gauteng and Mpumalanga, delivering this proven curriculum and supporting a growing network of Wastepreneurs and informal waste workers. Our vision is a world where waste causes no harm, and its value is fully recovered—and empowering informal waste workers is central to achieving it.
We welcome passionate individuals who share this commitment and want to help build a more sustainable future.
Job Purpose
The Project Manager will have responsibility for delivering nominated project(s) in South Africa – initially focusing on first-step waste management systems in two districts of Mpumalanga Province and a Wastepreneur® project in Cosmo City, Johannesburg. The nature and number of projects to be managed will vary according to organisational needs and available funding. Reporting to the Programme Manager, the post-holder will lead the day-to-day delivery of high quality and impactful community-focused projects in the waste management and recycling sectors. With a small, but growing, project portfolio, the Project Manager will need to take a hands-on approach to supporting many different aspects of programme growth and delivery.
Key Tasks & Responsibilities
Project Delivery:
• Develop and/or maintain an up-to-date activity plan for each project, ensuring that all staff, secondees and consultants involved in project delivery are aware of, and delivering in accordance with, the agreed timetable
• Lead the timely delivery of project activities against the activity plan with support from direct reports, colleagues and external consultants as appropriate.
• Ensure that project activities are professionally delivered in accordance with donor obligations and requirements and achieve value-for-money
• Where project activities are being delivered with external support, ensure that the necessary legal agreements are in place supported by clear Terms of Reference (or similar) and that partners/consultants are held accountable for delivering to a high standard against them
• Ensure that high-quality donor reports are submitted in line with contractual obligations.
• In collaboration with the Programme Manager, ensure that project activities align with national waste management strategies and environmental policies
Stakeholder Engagement:
• Build strong relationships with project participants, municipalities, businesses, government bodies, NGOs and other key stakeholders in the waste management space as appropriate for each project
• Where appropriate, facilitate the establishment of strong partnerships between communities and private sector actors, for example recycling businesses and waste offtakers, to create sustainable market linkages.
• Represent WasteAid externally, attending meetings and events as reasonably requested
• Contribute to the creation of a positive image and credibility of WasteAid in South Africa
Financial & Resource Management:
• Manage the project budgets, including tracking expenditure against available funds
• Manage and report on cash advances issued to you for project delivery purposes
• Ensure that all expenditure is incurred in accordance with contractual obligations and requirements and in line with WasteAid’s financial policies and processes
• Ensure that all procurement is carried out in accordance with donor and WasteAid requirements
• In collaboration with UK-based finance staff and the Programme Manager, ensure that high-quality accurate financial reports are submitted in accordance with donor requirements
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL):
• With support from the Head of Strategy and Impact and the Programme Manager, ensure that there is an appropriate MEL plan in place for each project that aligns with donor requirements
• Ensure that the MEL plans are followed, with relevant indicators data collected on a regular basis in line with project monitoring and reporting requirements
• Where appropriate, coordinate the delivery of external assessments such as baseline or endline surveys, by external consultants
• Document lessons learned and shared insights with stakeholders to improve future interventions.
Communications, External Relations & Business Development:
• Work in partnership with WasteAid’s communications staff in the UK to ensure that an appropriate external communications plan is in place for the project(s) that aligns with internal and external (donor) requirements.
• Provide a regular flow of information and updates on project delivery for dissemination though WasteAid’s online and offline communications channels.
• Attend and contribute to WasteAid project and team meetings, ensuring the Senior Management Team are kept up to date on the progress against key milestones set for the project(s); and ensuring activities reflect WasteAid technical recommendations.
• Proactively seek to identify opportunities for additional funding or partnerships to expand the project
• Support with developing funding proposals for new projects in South Africa
Line Management
• Lead and motivate direct reports, providing them with the guidance and support needed to thrive in their roles
• Contribute to fostering a positive and collaborative ‘remote working’ spirit amongst staff in South Africa, Uganda and beyond
• Monitor the performance of direct reports in line with their job description and objectives.
• Lead by example, promoting and demonstrating best practice behaviours that align with the WasteAid Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies.
Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field; or equivalent combination of qualifications and practical experience. (Essential)
• Experience of leading project delivery in the development or other relevant sectors (Essential). Preference will be given to candidates with experience of working on projects in the waste management and/or recycling sectors.
• Experience of working on donor-funded projects, including ensuring adherence to donor requirements and producing reports for donors (Essential)
• Experience of engaging with communities to implement locally led initiatives, with a strong focus on participation, capacity-building, and sustainability (Essential)
• Budget and/or expenditure management experience (Essential)
• Proven ability to lead, manage, and motivate others (Desirable)
• Experience of remote line management (Desirable)
• Experience of working with monitoring & evaluation tools and frameworks (Desirable)
• Knowledge of the waste management and/or recycling sectors in South Africa (Desirable)
Skills & Abilities
• Outstanding verbal communication skills; and the ability to build productive relationships with a wide range of different stakeholders and audiences (Essential)
• Excellent written communication skills; and the ability to produce high-quality written documents such as donor reports (Essential)
• Good decision-making skills, and able to make good judgements on when your decisions need validating by a more senior staff member. (Essential)
• Excellent organisational skills (Essential)
Personal Qualities
• Self-motivated, with the ability to independently manage your workstreams and workload (Essential)
• Excellent relationship-building skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with many different types of stakeholders ranging from informal waste collectors to government officials. (Essential)
• Flexible, solution-orientated attitude to managing the delivery of project activities in a logistically challenging context (Essential)
Guidance for Applicants
To apply please send your CV and a covering letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining your interest in the role and how your profile aligns with the criteria laid out in the person specification by email to recruitment@wasteaid.org with Project Manager – South Africa in the email subject box.
Deadline for applications is Monday 5th January 2026 – 5.30pm SAST
Please note that WasteAid may review, shortlist and interview candidates prior to the closing date so we encourage all candidates to apply as soon as possible. If we receive a very high response, we may close the vacancy early and will not accept further submissions. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Applicants must have the right to live and work in South Africa and should already be based in/around Johannesburg as WasteAid cannot support relocation costs.
The successful applicant will be salaried in GBP, paid from the UK, and required to take responsibility for deduction and remittance of their own taxes and other statutory payments in South Africa.
WasteAid is an equal opportunities employer, and we encourage applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups.
Project & Consortium Coordinator (S-ORGANICS)
Salary: £25,000 per annum (approx. GMD 200,000 per month)
Contract: 1 year
Closing Date: Monday 5th January 2026 – 5.30pm GMT.
Applicants will ideally be already based in The Gambia and must have the right to live and work in the country. From January 2025, WasteAid anticipates taking over the lead delivery role for the final year of the EU-funded S-ORGANICS project. This project seeks to reduce demand for, and reliance on, chemical-based fertilisers by increasing availability of, and demand for, a range of high quality locally produced organic fertilisers and composts including those derived from household and commercial organic waste sources. It is expected that the associated impact on agricultural practices will increase consumption of foods grown using organic inputs and subsequently have a positive impact on health.
Applicants will ideally be already based in The Gambia and must have the right to live and work in the country.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Project & Consortium Coordinator (S-ORGANICS)
Location: Home based within Banjul, with regular in-person meetings and frequent field travel
Reports to: Country Programme Manager – The Gambia
Direct Reports: Project Officer(s)
Key Relationships:
Internal: Director of Programmes, Head of Strategy & Impact, Project Finance & Compliance Officer, Communications Officer, Members of the WasteAid Gambia Team.
Project Partners: Trust Agency for Rural Development (TARUD), Women Initiative Gambia (WIG), National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB)
Gross Salary: £25,000 per annum (approx. GMD 200,000 per month)
Contract Duration: 1 year
About WasteAid
WasteAid is an international non-governmental organisation that works in low and middle-income countries to implement environmental and economic development programmes, focusing on support to nascent green businesses and grassroots entrepreneurs. The work improves the livelihoods of some of the poorest and most marginalised, promotes circular economy innovation and contributes to a cleaner and healthier future for all.
WasteAid promotes and shares locally appropriate, evidence based and inclusive practices, supporting and empowering others to take positive action. We partner with public, private and community-based organisations in countries where practices are harming the environment, economy and society.
WasteAid in The Gambia & the S-ORGANICS Project
WasteAid is delivering a growing portfolio of projects in The Gambia centred around the Greater Banjul Area. Our work focuses on supporting grassroots green businesses, first-step waste management systems and establishing a circular economy network. Our existing programme in The Gambia is funded by a combination of institutional, corporate and private donors.
From January 2025, WasteAid anticipates taking over the lead delivery role for the final year of the EU-funded S-ORGANICS project. This project seeks to reduce demand for, and reliance on, chemical-based fertilisers by increasing availability of, and demand for, a range of high quality locally produced organic fertilisers and composts including those derived from household and commercial organic waste sources. It is expected that the associated impact on agricultural practices will increase consumption of foods grown using organic inputs and subsequently have a positive impact on health.
Job Purpose
The Project & Consortium Coordinator will have day-to-day responsibility for managing the delivery of the S-ORGANICS project by WasteAid and our Co-Applicants (TARUD & WIG); with support from our project partners (NARI & TGSB).
You will play a hands-on role in directly planning and executing (with the support of the Country Programme Manager, Project Officer and other colleagues) a series of project activities. And at the same time, you will be responsible for manging the relationship with the Co-Applicants and project partners and ensuring that they are supported and empowered to achieve the planned results in line with agreed workplans and budgets.
You will also be responsible for managing the project budget, ensuring that resources are allocated and expended in line with relevant policies and guidelines. As well as producing narrative reports and supporting the finance team to produce financial reports in line with EU reporting requirements.
Key Tasks & Responsibilities
Project Delivery:
• Lead on the development and maintenance of the consolidated project implementation plan, including timelines, activity schedules, milestones, and deliverables
• Track and follow up partner progress on activities, outputs, and outcomes, flagging delays and implementation challenges and supporting corrective action
• Lead the timely delivery of project activities that WasteAid is delivering against the implementation plan with support from direct reports, colleagues and external consultants as appropriate.
• Ensure that all project activities are professionally delivered in accordance with donor obligations and requirements and achieve value-for-money
• Where project activities are being delivered with external support, such as consultants, ensure that formal agreements are in place supported by clear Terms of Reference (or similar) and that service providers are held accountable for delivering to a high standard against them
• Ensure that high-quality narrative and financial reports are submitted bi-annually in line with contractual obligations.
Consortium Coordination:
• Establish strong working relationships with the Co-Applicants & Project Partners (referred to collectively as the Consortium Partners)
• Organise, minute, and follow up on regular consortium coordination meetings
• Ensure that WasteAid has a formal agreement in place with each Consortium Partner that clearly articulates their deliverables and the associated budget allocated to them.
• Maintain regular dialogue with each Consortium Partner ensuring close collaboration where required to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of activities and outputs.
• Maintain up-to-date workplans, action trackers, partner contact lists, and decision logs
• Facilitate strong working relationships and problem-solving between consortium members at both operational and management levels.
• With technical support from the Head of Strategy and Impact, ensure that there is an appropriate MEL plan in place for the project(s) that aligns with donor requirements
• Ensure that the MEL plans are followed by the Consortium Partners, with relevant indicator data collected on a regular basis in line with project monitoring and reporting requirements
• Ensure all Consortium Partners understand and comply with EU contractual obligations, visibility rules, and procurement regulations
Financial & Resource Management:
• Manage the project(s) budget, including tracking WasteAid expenditure against available funds
• With support from the Project Finance & Compliance Officer track expenditure by Consortium Partners against agreed budgets and timelines
• Manage and report on cash advances issued to you for project delivery purposes
• Ensure that all expenditure in incurred in accordance with EU expenditure guidelines and in line with WasteAid’s financial policies and processes
• Ensure that all procurement is carried out in accordance with both EU and WasteAid requirements
• In collaboration with the Project Finance & Compliance Officer, ensure that high-quality accurate financial reports are submitted in accordance with donor requirements
Stakeholder Engagement & External Relations:
• Build strong relationships with project participants, Municipal Councils, businesses, government bodies, NGOs and other key stakeholders
• Where appropriate, facilitate the establishment of strong partnerships between communities and private sector actors (e.g. recycling businesses and waste offtakers) to create sustainable market linkages.
• Represent WasteAid externally, attending meetings and events as reasonably requested
• Contribute to the creation of a positive image and credibility of WasteAid in The Gambia
• Work in partnership with WasteAid’s communications staff in the UK to ensure that a communications strategy is in place for the project(s) that aligns with EU visibility requirements
Team Supervision and Cross-Organisational Collaboration
• Lead and motivate direct reports, providing them with the guidance and support needed to thrive in their roles
• Contribute to fostering a positive and collaborative team spirit amongst staff in The Gambia
• Monitor the performance of direct reports in line with their job description and objectives.
• Lead by example, promoting and demonstrating best practice behaviours that align with the WasteAid Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies.
• Attend and contribute to WasteAid project, country and team meetings, ensuring the Senior Management Team are kept up to date on the progress against key milestones set for the project(s); and ensuring activities reflect WasteAid technical recommendations.
• Provide a regular flow of information and updates on project delivery for dissemination though WasteAid’s online and offline communications channels.
Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field; or equivalent combination of qualifications and practical experience. (Essential)
• Experience of leading project the delivery of consortium programmes in the agricultural, rural livelihoods or waste sector (Essential)
• Experience of working on donor-funded projects, including ensuring adherence to donor requirements and producing reports for donors (Essential)—Preference will be given to those applicants with experience of working on EU-funded projects.
• Experience of engaging with communities to implement locally led initiatives, with a strong focus on participation, capacity-building, and sustainability (Essential)
• Budget and/or expenditure management experience (Essential)
• Proven ability to lead, manage, and motivate others (Essential)
• Experience of remote line management (Desirable)
• Experience of working with monitoring & evaluation tools and frameworks (Essential)
Skills & Abilities
• Outstanding verbal communication skills; and the ability to build productive relationships with a wide range of different stakeholders and audiences (Essential)
• Excellent written communication skills; and the ability to produce high-quality written documents such as donor reports (Essential)
• Good decision-making skills, and able to make good judgements on when your decisions need validating by a more senior staff member. (Essential)
• Excellent organisational skills (Essential)
Personal Qualities
• Self-motivated, with the ability to independently manage your workstreams and workload (Essential)
• Excellent relationship-building skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with many different types of stakeholders ranging from informal waste collectors to government officials. (Essential)
• Flexible, solution-orientated attitude to managing the delivery of project activities in a logistically challenging context (Essential)
Guidance for Applicants
To apply please send your CV, salary history/expectations for this role, and a covering letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining your interest in the role and how your profile aligns with the criteria laid out in the person specification by email to recruitment@wasteaid.org with Project & Consortium Coordinator (S-ORGANICS) in the email subject box.
Deadline for applications is Monday 5th January 2026 – 5.30pm GMT.
Please note that WasteAid may review, shortlist and interview candidates prior to the closing date so we encourage all candidates to apply as soon as possible. If we receive a very high response, we may close the vacancy early and will not accept further submissions. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Applicants will ideally be already based in The Gambia and must have the right to live and work in the country.
The successful applicant will be salaried in GBP, paid from the UK, and required to take responsibility for deduction and remittance of their own taxes and other statutory payments in The Gambia.
WasteAid is an equal opportunities employer, and we encourage applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups.
*Please Note: appointment is subject to confirmation of funding award*