Program Officer, Data & Insights (Development Finance)

Responsibilities

Data Architecture & Management

• Identify, acquire, and maintain relevant datasets related to development finance (e.g., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) and International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) for Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Other Official Flows (OOF)) and development outcomes (e.g., World Development Indicators).
• Establish robust data pipelines and develop replicable, well-documented data quality assurance code for repeated use across datasets.
• Collaborate with foundation IT and Communication teams to implement secure, efficient data storage and sharing solutions, including by translating substantive analytic needs into technical requirements.

Analytics & Reporting

• Create data dashboards (e.g., in Power BI or R-Shiny) that offer interactive exploration of critical development and financing data at the country, sector and flow type levels.
• Support the production of regular data insights through internal notes, memos, and leadership-ready analyses in highly accessible formats.
• Apply new AI models, machine learning techniques, or advanced statistical techniques where beneficial (e.g., forecasting ODA, exploring patterns in financing flows) to generate novel insights.

Knowledge Sharing & Capacity Building

• Maintain a central knowledge hub or SharePoint site with FAQs, technical documentation, and best practices.
• Conduct training sessions, tutorials and help host “Data Days” to elevate the use of empirical data and analytic insights across GPA.
• Partner with the foundation’s communications teams to develop visually compelling data stories for internal and external audiences.

Methodological Leadership

• Serve as an internal data expert on major development finance datasets, including their methodologies, and talk fluently about their relative strengths and limitations.
• Draft technical notes based on metadata analysis for examining the gaps in datasets and potential solutions related to improving the collection, cleaning, quality assurance, and analysis of official development finance datasets with future investments or partnerships.
• Contribute to policy research and publications by translating complex data insights into accessible recommendations to support foundation leadership’s strategic decision making.

Collaboration & Strategic Alignment

• Work closely with leadership and cross-functional teams (policy, program, communications) across GPA and beyond to proactively identify and fulfill their emerging data needs.
• Support ongoing strategic planning efforts by projecting future development financing scenarios and analyzing relevant trends related to human welfare outcomes.
• Serve as a liaison with external data providers and research partners to ensure timely and accurate data flow, and insight generation.

Skillset

• Experience setting up automated data processing pipelines using digital APIs and replicable code, and ensuring data integrity across various official data sources related to development finance flows.
• Proficiency in data visualization and reporting, using tools such as Power BI, R Shiny, or Tableau for creating interactive, custom-designed dashboards and projections for senior leaders.
• Hands-on experience using advanced data analysis and processing tools for economics and policy analysis, including but not limited to R, Python, and SQL for large-scale data management.
• Practical expertise in a professional capacity (preferably in a research organization, policy think tank, or development finance institution) in data analytics and strategic insights generation.
• Experience working with econometric modeling, forecasting, or machine learning techniques to derive actionable insights from development finance data.
• Proficiency in building multi-source analytical frameworks, mapping indicators to objectives, and evaluating progress toward key outcomes.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, macros, and strong data visualization skills in PowerPoint.
• Experience crafting and contributing to policy-oriented research, including development finance publications and strategic advisory materials.
• Familiarity with major development finance and aid effectiveness datasets, such as OECD-DAC, IATI, or World Bank indicators.
• Experience working in international development, philanthropy, government, or a global policy institution is strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of proven experience in a similar role, focusing on data-driven policy analysis, research, and strategic insights.