Senior Associate - Reporting, Data and Analytics Acumen East Or West Africa

About the role

Acumen is seeking a Senior Associate for Reporting, Data, and Analytics to enhance data management, analysis, and reporting for the Green RISE Africa program. This role involves maintaining MEL systems, supporting partner reporting, and generating insights to inform program decisions. You will help track progress toward ambitious targets for youth employment in green sectors across East and West Africa.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Support the creation and execution of quarterly, biannual, and annual reporting for Green RISE Africa.
• Generate regular reports detailing program indicators, KPIs, and targets, including actuals versus goals.
• Build and maintain dashboards using Salesforce, Power BI, or similar tools to provide current performance views.
• Create clear infographics and data visualizations for diverse audiences.
• Respond to ad hoc data requests from internal teams, partners, and external stakeholders like the Mastercard Foundation.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to integrate and assure the quality of financial and impact data, including for Impact Linked Finance reporting.
• Oversee program indicator data flows, ensuring timely, complete, and accurate data submissions.
• Manage partner data submissions through mobile and online tools such as KoBoToolbox, Airtable, or Salesforce.
• Consolidate data from various partners, countries, and program pillars into master datasets.
• Maintain and update indicator tracking sheets and reporting templates.
• Conduct quantitative analysis of program datasets to identify trends, gaps, risks, and areas of progress.
• Perform descriptive and diagnostic analyses disaggregated by gender, age, geography, country, sector, pillar, and partner.
• Assist the Impact Manager in translating data into insights for program learning and decision-making.
• Prepare clean, documented datasets for internal reviews, evaluations, and donor reporting.
• Contribute to Value for Money, benefit-cost, SROI, or Impact Linked Finance analyses as needed.
• Support the implementation, configuration, and maintenance of MEL data systems like Salesforce, Power BI, Airtable, or KoBoToolbox.
• Ensure data systems align with the program's MEL framework and indicator requirements.
• Help develop and maintain technology-enabled tools for improved data collection, reporting, analysis, and learning.
• Advise on technology and AI-enabled solutions to enhance MEL workflows, reporting efficiency, data quality, and learning.
• Develop and apply standardized data validation rules, quality checklists, and cleaning protocols.
• Review incoming datasets for duplicates, outliers, missing values, and inconsistencies.
• Maintain clear documentation and audit trails for data cleaning and changes.
• Liaise with partners and program teams to resolve data issues and coordinate resubmissions.
• Conduct quarterly data quality reviews across partner organizations.
• Work with Compliance and Legal teams to ensure data protection and adherence to standards.
• Support partners in using reporting systems and submitting high-quality data.
• Develop guidance materials, templates, and training resources for partner data collection and reporting.
• Build internal team capacity in using MEL technology platforms and dashboards.
• Support lower-capacity partner organizations in strengthening their data management systems.
• Conduct site visits to review partner data systems and quality processes.
• Contribute to quarterly reporting on partner data quality and system strengthening needs.
• Support the setup and maintenance of internal knowledge management systems for Green RISE Africa.
• Work with the Programme Insights team to organize and make qualitative data and learning products accessible.
• Support the documentation of learning from program implementation and data trends.
• Ensure timely availability of data and evidence for learning reviews and program adaptation.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of practical experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning, data management, and reporting within international development.
• Experience managing program data flows across multiple partners, countries, or workstreams, including submissions, cleaning, consolidation, validation, and reporting.
• Experience producing routine MEL reports, including reporting against indicators, KPIs, targets, and actuals versus targets.
• Strong skills in data cleaning, quality assurance, validation, documentation, and audit trail management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain data dashboards using platforms like Salesforce, Power BI, or similar.
• Proficiency in using mobile and online data collection tools such as KoBoToolbox, Airtable, or Salesforce.
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills, including descriptive and diagnostic analysis, and the ability to identify trends and insights.
• Experience translating data into actionable insights for diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with data protection requirements and ensuring compliance.
• Experience in capacity building for partners and internal teams on data management and MEL tools.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment across East and West Africa.

Nice to have

• Interest in AI-powered solutions to improve MEL workflows.
• Experience with Value for Money, benefit-cost, SROI, or Impact Linked Finance analyses.

Skills & tools

• Salesforce
• Power BI
• KoBoToolbox
• Airtable
• Data visualization tools
• Quantitative analysis tools

Practical notes

This role supports the Green RISE Africa program, which aims to reach 443,200 young people, including 308,000 young women, with dignified green work opportunities by 2030 across 15 countries.