Job Description

Acumen is seeking a detail-oriented and organised Senior Associate with at least 5 years of work experience to provide Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) coordination and administrative support 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’s office in Nairobi or Lagos, with an expectation of working from the office 3 days a week. Remote from other geographies is not an option.

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 Senior Associate: MEL Green Rise Africa, you will support the Impact Manager in the day-to-day coordination and administration of MEL activities across the programme. You will be responsible for maintaining the reporting calendar, coordinating data collection activities with regional teams and partners, reviewing and refining data collection tools, and ensuring MEL processes run smoothly and on time. This is a hands-on coordination role that keeps the MEL function organised, efficient, and responsive.

The role reports to the Impact Manager: MEL and works closely with the Impact Manager: Reporting, Data and Analytics, as well as programme staff and implementing partners across East and West Africa.

Accountabilities include:

MEL Administration and Coordination

• Manage and maintain the programme reporting calendar, ensuring all MEL deadlines are tracked, communicated, and met
• Coordinate data collection activities across regions, liaising with programme staff and implementing partners to ensure timely and complete submissions
• Maintain MEL documentation including the MEL plan, data collection plan, tools register, and issues log
• Support the management of the regional MEL budget, tracking expenditure and flagging variances
• Organise and minute MEL meetings, track action items, and follow up on deliverables
• Maintain organised filing and version control of all MEL documents, tools, and datasets

Data Collection Tools - Review and Quality Assurance

• Review and refine data collection tools and survey instruments to ensure clarity, accuracy, and fitness for purpose
• Support the rollout of data collection tools to partners, including preparing guidance notes and troubleshooting queries
• Conduct basic quality checks on incoming data, flagging inconsistencies or gaps to the Impact Manager
• Support the design of new tools as directed by the Impact Manager

Reporting Support

• Compile and organise data inputs for quarterly and annual reports
• Prepare first drafts of data summaries and visualisations for review by the Impact Manager
• Coordinate inputs from regional teams for the Annual Impact Report
• Support the preparation of materials for donor reporting and stakeholder presentations

Evaluation and Learning Support

• Provide logistical and administrative support for evaluation activities, including scheduling, document preparation, and liaison with external evaluators
• Support the coordination of learning activities, including capturing and filing lessons learned
• Assist in organising monitoring visits, including logistics, briefing packs, and follow-up documentation

Capacity Building Support

• Support the delivery of training sessions for regional teams and partners on MEL tools, templates, and processes
• Help develop and maintain the Impact and MEL Implementation Manual for partners
• Provide ongoing first-line support to regional teams on MEL queries and tool usage

Skills and qualifications

• Atleast 5 years of experience in a MEL, project coordination, or programme administration role
• Strong organisational and project coordination skills with excellent attention to detail
• Experience managing reporting calendars, deadlines, and multi-stakeholder coordination
• Familiarity with data collection tools and survey design (e.g. KoboToolbox, SurveyCTO, Google Forms, or similar)
• Ability to review data for quality and flag issues clearly
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable working across time zones and with remote teams
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word

Desirable

Experience working on large donor-funded programmes (FCDO, UN, large foundations, or similar)

• Experience working in a multi-country programme across Africa
• Familiarity with Power BI, Airtable, Salesforce, or similar platforms
• Experience in gender-inclusive or youth-focused programming
• Formal training in MEL methodologies or project management
• Experience working in a matrix-managed environment

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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