Country Leader, Programs

The Senior Advisor is the primary responsible executive for the success of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) program in-country.This role is accountable for delivering the full scope of the country program in alignment with AEPW Strategy ****, ensuring that projects are designed and executed as part of a system-change agenda rather than isolated interventions.The Senior Advisor manages all in-country stakeholders—including government entities, DFIs, industry partners, and implementing organizations—and oversees AEPW staff, consultants, and contractors to ensure programs are delivered safely, efficiently, compliantly, and with measurable impact.The Senior Advisor is both a strategic representative of AEPW to external stakeholders and an operational manager ensuring contract compliance, impact reporting, and staff performance.Key Responsibilities 1. Program Strategy & Alignment Develop, maintain, and execute a comprehensive country strategy aligned with AEPW's global Strategy ****.Ensure that *****% of projects drive system-level transformation (e.g., integrated waste infrastructure, EPR alignment, circular economy enablers) with the remaining *****% focused on pilots for learning, impact generation, or stakeholder engagement.Identify opportunities for replication and scaling across the country and region.Anticipate regulatory, political, and market shifts that may affect the program; adapt strategy proactively 2. Stakeholder Engagement & Representation Work very closely with AEPW Members, and facilitate all PAG, pre-PAG, and Member engagement relative to the Country Program Implementation.Serve as AEPW's senior representative in-country, maintaining strong relationships with:a) Local and national government ministries, regulators, and municipalities;b) DFIs and co-funding partners active in waste and circular economy infrastructure;c) Industry stakeholders including brands, recyclers, and waste operators; andd) Civil society groups, NGOs, and academic institutions.Represent AEPW in policy dialogues, conferences, and industry roundtables, ensuring the organization is seen as a co-creator of solutions.Work with the Central PA team to ensure alignment of government relations.Act as primary escalation point for all stakeholder issues arising within the program.3. Project Development & Execution Oversight Guide development of new projects to ensure alignment with program objectives and system-change principles.Review and approve project proposals prior to submission to the Portfolio Management Committee / Governing Council.Oversee in-country execution teams and implementing partners to ensure adherence to AEPW's global standards.Ensure strict compliance with AEPW's E2E Program Implementation process, safeguard requirements, and contractual obligations.Conduct regular site visits, milestone reviews, and partner performance evaluations.Collaborate with Circular Solutions Centre to ensure technical due diligence and innovation pilots are rigorously assessed.4. Contract Compliance & Risk Management Ensure all projects adhere to the terms of their contracts, including milestones, disbursement conditions, reporting obligations, and safeguard actions.Work closely with Central Legal / Contracts to enforce compliance and resolve disputes.Maintain a country-level risk register and escalate risks (financial, operational, reputational, HSE) to the Central Risk team.Ensure world-class HSE standards are embedded in all project activities, in line with AEPW expectations and international best practices.5. Financial Structuring & Oversight Collaborate with Impact Finance to co-structure deals with DFIs, private investors, and corporate co-funders.Monitor financial performance of all projects (grants, loans, blended finance) including repayment obligations.Ensure transparent and timely financial reporting for donors, DFIs, and AEPW central finance.6. Impact Measurement & Reporting Ensure all projects deliver on AEPW's impact metrics: plastic waste collected, sorted, and valorized; access to waste management; jobs created; safety performance, etc..Work with Global Support to provide accurate and timely reporting for impact metrics, Portfolio Management Committee / Governing council, donor, and member communications.Facilitate external audits, evaluations, and lessons-learned reviews.7. People Leadership & Team Development Lead, mentor, and manage all AEPW employees and consultants in-country.Ensure teams operate safely, efficiently, and productively with clear accountability.Foster a culture of compliance, transparency, and impact delivery.Build local capacity by coaching and developing staff and ensuring knowledge transfer across teams.Ensure strong collaboration across functions (Execution, CSC, Support, Finance, Legal, PA and Strategy/Planning).Requirements / Qualifications Advanced degree in business, engineering, public policy, or a related field.Minimum 20+ years' experience in senior leadership roles within infrastructure, development, or circular economy sectors.Proven experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs with government, DFIs, corporates, and NGOs.Strong contract management, compliance, and risk oversight skills.Demonstrated financial acumen in structuring and monitoring large-scale projects.Experience working in international development, public-private partnerships, or donor-funded projects highly preferred.Excellent communication, negotiation, and diplomatic skills.High integrity, resilience under pressure, and ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on operational management.