Junior Consultant (Data, Research & Intelligence) at PIF Africa

Role Overview

• The Junior Consultant, Data, Research & Intelligence will sit within PIF Africa’s  Business Development, Strategy, HR & Information function and support all PIF Africa functions in executing the work they do for PIF Africa and for clients.
• The Junior Consultant, Data, Research & Intelligence converts external research and internal organizational data into intelligence in executing the work they do for PIF Africa and for clients; insights for thought leadership, and impact evidence for all PIF Africa functions.

The role exists to turn two core inputs into 3 core outputs:
Core Inputs:
External research:

• What is happening outside PIF Africa across markets, sectors, clients, competitors, laws, policies, regulations, technologies, funding, investing, tools, talent, operations, communications and wider operating environments.

Internal organizational data: 

• What is happening inside PIF Africa through its clients, proposals, projects, programmes, people, finances, operations, legal work, delivery activities, systems, tools, outputs, outcomes and impact.

Core Outputs:
Intelligence for Execution

• Providing teams with the information, recommendations and decision-support required to execute more effectively.
• This includes identifying opportunities, risks, threats, gaps, trends, improvements, priorities and actions that may affect how PIF Africa or its clients operate, deliver services, manage projects, engage stakeholders, develop products, remain compliant, raise funding, deploy capital or achieve their objectives.

Insights for Thought Leadership:

• Generating research-backed insights that can be shared externally to position PIF Africa and its clients as credible, knowledgeable and forward-thinking organizations.
• This includes identifying emerging trends, developments, opportunities, challenges and lessons that may be relevant to stakeholders, industries, sectors, policymakers, funders, investors, partners, clients and the wider public.
• These insights may be translated into thought leadership content, publications, reports, articles, presentations, events, stakeholder engagements, media engagements, advisory outputs and other external-facing knowledge products that strengthen visibility, credibility and influence.

Impact:

• Capturing, analyzing and communicating the value, outcomes and impact generated through PIF Africa’s work for itself and its clients.
• This includes helping to identify appropriate indicators, collect relevant evidence, measure results, track progress, demonstrate achievements and communicate impact to management, clients, partners, funders, investors, governments, stakeholders and the wider public.

Functions Supported:
The Junior Consultant will support all PIF Africa functions in executing the work they do for PIF Africa and for clients, including:

• Business Development & Strategy;
• Human Resource Management;
• Information;
• Administration & Project Management;
• Programmes & Initiatives;
• Finance, Funding & Investing;
• Legal, Policy, Regulation, Governance & Compliance.

Who You Are

• You are a research- and data-driven professional who can turn external information and internal organizational data into practical intelligence, thought leadership and impact evidence.

You should have:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Statistics, Data Analytics, Public Policy, Law, International Development, Political Science, Sociology, Management, Computer Science, Information Management, Research or a related discipline.
• 12–24 months’ relevant experience in research, data analysis, business intelligence, consulting support, policy research, market research, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, proposal research, project support, AI-enabled research, workflow improvement or relate strategy work.
• Strong research capability, including the ability to find, verify, interpret and synthesize credible information across different sectors, functions, markets, policies, regulations, tools, operating environments etc.
• Strong data capability, including the ability to identify what data should be collected, structure and analyze data, maintain trackers, and translate findings into useful & actionable recommendations.
• Strong proficiency in Excel, Google Sheets, PowerPoint, Word, Google Workspace, online research tools and AI-enabled productivity tools.
• Ability to produce concise briefs, reports, presentations, thought leadership and impact reports etc.
• Strong analytical thinking, writing, documentation, communication, problem-solving, attention to detail, curiosity and stakeholder management skills.
• A practical, commercially aware and execution-oriented mindset, with the ability to use research and data to support decisions, improve execution, enhance influence and demonstrate impact.

What You'll Do
Identify Input and Output Requirements

• Work with each PIF Africa function to understand its priorities, challenges, opportunities, decision-making requirements and execution needs.
• Determine what, why, when, from where (sources), how external research is required to support each function’s  work for PIF Africa and its clients - intelligence for execution, thought leadership and impact.
• Determine what internal organizational data should be collected, tracked, analyzed and reported, how it should be collected, where it should be stored, how frequently it should be updated and how it should be analyzed from each PIF Africa function’s activities. Design appropriate indicators/ metrics and data sources.
• Identify what intelligence, thought leadership, impact evidence should be produced and in what form, how frequently, and to whom and what is required to make it happen.
• Establish and continuously refine the above and ensure they remain aligned with organizational activities, and existing / emerging developments.

Conduct External Research Required to Produce the Agreed Outputs:

• Conduct external research based on the input and output requirements identified with each PIF Africa function;
• Assess what each external development means for PIF Africa and its clients, including the opportunities, risks, implications, recommendations or actions arising from it. Specifically:
• Monitor developments across markets, sectors, industries, clients, competitors, policies, laws, regulations, governance requirements, compliance obligations, technologies, AI, tools, talent, funding, investing, communications, operations and wider operating environments.
• Research client archetypes, stakeholder needs, market gaps, competitor activities, positioning opportunities, service innovation opportunities and emerging  business development opportunities.
• Research talent sources, recruitment approaches, role design, competency requirements, compensation models, learning and development practices, performance management approaches, employee engagement models, exit processes and evolving work arrangements.
• Research branding, positioning, communications, marketing, PR, reputation management, stakeholder engagement, media, digital platforms, website practices and external visibility opportunities.
• Research project management, coordination, administration, workflow optimization, productivity tools, travel, logistics, facilities, vendor solutions and operational improvement opportunities.
• Research programme and initiative design, implementation models, MVP validation approaches, quality assurance methods, monitoring, evaluation, learning and impact measurement approaches.
• Research accounting, budgeting, financial management, funding opportunities, grants, donor programmes, financing facilities, investment opportunities, capital deployment opportunities and financial tools.
• Research legal, policy, regulatory, governance, compliance, risk management, licensing, filing, reporting and industry-specific requirements.

Collect, Clean, Store, Structure, Track, Analyse & Report Internal Organisational Data:

• Collect using relevant templates with defined indicators; clean & structure; store in relevant databases/repositories in a way that is properly named, version-controlled and easy to retrieve; track through trackers / dashboards & tools; analyse using tools to manage and use the data to extract intelligence, thought leadership and define impact & report using relevant templates internal organisational data based on the input and output requirements identified with each PIF Africa function.
• Support teams to interpret / translate / implement the data into execution for PIF africa & client delivery, thought leadership and impact communication.

Produce Outputs:

• Intelligence for Execution: Convert external research and internal organizational data into practical intelligence that helps PIF Africa functions execute better for PIF Africa and for clients
• Explaining what is happening, why it matters, what the risks or opportunities are, and what action should be taken; B. Recommend changes or improvements to services, workflows, tools, templates, policies, procedures, SOPs, pitch decks, proposals, legal documents, governance documents, programme frameworks, reporting systems, client-facing materials, communication materials, etc.
• Recommend software & hardware tools including AI platforms & accompanying prompts, tool use guides, and automation workflows
• Insights for Thought Leadership: Convert insights into PIF Africa’s thought leadership and identifying appropriate routes to publish / disseminate same working with the Information function to implement accordingly and refresh
• Impact Evidence: Produce the outcomes and impact of PIF Africa’s work for itself and for clients and communication for management, clients, partners, funders, investors, governments, stakeholders and the wider public.