Impact Manager - Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Acumen East Or West Africa
Acumen is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Impact Manager with at least 8 years of work experience to provide Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) technical support at a regional level for a transformative business and economic empowerment programme across Africa with a strong focus on young women, leadership and organisational growth and development.
This role will be based out of Acumen office in Nairobi or Lagos with an expectation of working from office 3 days a week. Remote from other geographies is not an option.
About Acumen
Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half-a-billion lives. To learn more visit acumen.org.
About the role
As the Impact Manager you will be responsible for designing and implementing the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework, ensuring adherence to the design and alignment with donor and organisational standards. Working as part of the East and West Africa regional teams, you will coordinate MEL activities with programme staff and implementing partners and organisations, ensuring that data collection, analysis, and reporting are conducted to the highest standards of quality, ethics, and inclusivity, and supporting high-quality project delivery.
Additionally, you will be responsible for ensuring that MEL activities are adapted to align with private sector financing approaches to Impact measurement and management.
The role will report into the Academy Impact lead and work closely with the Impact Manager: Reporting, Data and Analytics. The role Impact Manager: reporting, Data and Analytics is a role with a strong focus on data and software analytical skills, growing skills in the use of AI and ability to develop data management systems and processes. Additionally, you will work with other Impact & Insight staff based in the UK and in East and West Africa.
Accountabilities include:
Oversight of the MEL framework design and implementation
- Support the design and implementation of the programmatic MEL framework (including MEL plan, data collection plan, data management plan, quality assurance protocols, results framework).
- Work collaboratively cross functionally with the Impact Manager: Reporting, Data and Analytics to co-develop quarterly reporting processes and reports on key metrics and KPIs (including financial metrics), for sharing with a range of stakeholders
- Translation of data into understandable and clear insights for action
- Set up processes and practices and proactively identify opportunities to strengthen MEL processes, tools and data quality
- Monitor use of the regional MEL budget and ensure efficient use of resources
- Develop and maintain the Impact issues log – to ensure overall management of any Impact issues.
Oversight of Programme monitoring and adaptive management
- Oversee the day-to-day MEL of the programme
- Support the design and rollout of data collection plan for a range of SMART indicators
- Support the design and rollout of data collection tools and surveys
- Conduct monitoring visits and gather feedback from participants and partners, including private sector companies
- Lead in the analysis framework and presentation of regional level data
- Ensure the highest standards of data quality, including accuracy, completeness and timeliness.
- Liaise with compliance team to ensure data management is compliant with best practices.
Oversight of Knowledge Management and Learning
- Work closely with Programme Insights team to ensure lessons are captured and knowledge management processes are followed.
- With Programme Insights, oversee adaptive learning activities.
Evaluation
- Co-ordinate and Support ad hoc research and evaluation activities as per the MEL plan.
- Lead on the compilation of the Annual Impact Report for the project.
Capacity building - team and partners
- Capacity building and training the team on Logical Framework approach, use of templates and tools and providing ongoing support to regional teams to use the tools.
- Lead in the development of the development of the Impact and MEL Implementation Manual (Impact section) for partners
Skills and qualifications
- Experience implementing an adaptive management approach.
- High level of experience with collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Understanding of data privacy, ethics and safeguarding in MEL.
- Strong technical MEL skills including developing indicators, designing tools and managing data quality processes.
- Experience of MEL on large donor funded projects such as with FCDO, UN, large Foundations, bi-laterals or similar
- Experience of MEL activities as part of private sector initiatives with enterprise support orientation
- Ability to translate data into clear language with actionable insights
- Ability to implement MEL frameworks with fidelity while adapting to regional contexts
- Excellent analytical skills and ability to synthesise learning into recommendations for change
- Capacity building teams on MEL .
Desirable
- Experience in working on investments for private sector organizations
- Experience in working on impact linked finance initiatives
- Formal training in MEL methodologies, data analysis or project evaluation.
- Project management qualification.
- Experience working in a multi-country programme.
- Experience of working in gender and youth inclusive programmes OR working with businesses who want to grow and scale
- Experience working in a matrix-managed environment, demonstrating the ability to effectively collaborate with multiple managers and cross-functional teams.
- Familiarity and experience in using Power BI/Airtable/Sales Force and similar.
Location: Nairobi (East Africa) or Lagos (West Africa)
Acumen is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, differential ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or background.
Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis.
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