Senior Programme Officer – Data Science

Position description

The African Population Cohorts Consortium (APCC) Secretariat, hosted by the Science for Africa Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya, brings together African cohort leaders and researchers to network, share best practices, adopt new technologies, and harmonise data and analysis approaches. The APCC’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of populations across Africa through robust and innovative research methods and strengthened health and social systems.

We are seeking a Senior Programme Officer – Data Science to join the APCC Secretariat team. The successful candidate will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to analyse data, develop analytical models, and generate actionable insights that drive data harmonisation and research objectives. The role involves close coordination with senior data scientists and cross-functional teams to define data needs and deliver impactful, data-driven solutions.

SFA Foundation is committed to fostering a culture grounded in Respect, Accountability, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), and Excellence. We seek individuals who embody these values in their work and interactions.

Job Details

Key Responsibilities

Scientific and Technical Leadership

• Collect, clean, and preprocess data from diverse sources, including African population cohorts.
• Develop pipelines for data extraction from Local Participating Cohorts (LPCs).
• Analyse structured and unstructured data to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights.
• Develop predictive models, statistical analyses, and machine learning algorithms to support research objectives.
• Visualise data insights using tools such as Tableau, Power BI, matplotlib, or Seaborn.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and cohort partners to understand data requirements and inform project design.
• Map and harmonise metadata across APCC LPCs.
• Document methods, models, analyses, and data-related workflows in a clear, reproducible manner.
• Ensure adherence to FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and best practices in data governance.
• Stay updated on emerging data science methodologies, statistical tools, and computational techniques.
• Support the development and implementation of data harmonisation protocols, metadata standards, and data interoperability strategies.
• Implement and monitor data quality assurance, validation, and reproducibility processes.
• Ensure compliance with ethical standards, data protection regulations, and secure data-sharing protocols.
• Maintain and manage APCC data repositories, including GitHub and other collaborative platforms.

Research Strategy and Innovation

• Conduct programme-relevant research to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects within the APCC portfolio.
• Collaborate with the M&E team to collate, track, validate, and analyse programme data, providing actionable insights for decision-making.
• Develop and implement innovative data-driven solutions to enhance programme delivery and research outcomes.
• Track research trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in population health and data science to inform APCC strategy.
• Prepare reports, policy briefs, publications, and presentations for grantee meetings, stakeholders, and strategic discussions.
• Build and maintain relationships with universities, research institutions, government agencies, think tanks, and intergovernmental organisations.
• Support cross-cohort comparative analyses and meta-analyses to strengthen evidence generation.

Programme Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent SFA Foundation and APCC programmes at internal and external meetings and events.
• Work closely with Communications teams to develop media, outreach, and dissemination strategies to enhance programme visibility and stakeholder engagement.
• Support cross-cutting programme activities across SFA Foundation initiatives when required.
• Coordinate training and capacity-building sessions for cohort partners on data management, analytics, and visualisation tools.
• Contribute to programme planning, budgeting, and resource allocation in collaboration with the Programme Manager.
• Support risk management, including identifying, tracking, and mitigating data-related and programme risks.

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• A Master's or PhD degree in a relevant Data Science/, Computer Science, Statistics, or related research field obtained over the past 5 years; or equivalent training qualities and experience.

Experience

• At least 5 years’ experience working in research/data capacity and development of programme design and implementation on the African continent.
• A proven record of data analysis.
• Experience with data visualisation tools.
• Knowledge of big data platforms.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data interpretation skills, with a proven record of applying scientific and data analysis expertise across multiple disciplines.
• Working knowledge of programming languages such as Python or R, and familiarity with statistical analysis, machine learning concepts, and big-data platforms.
• Experience using data visualisation tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or similar) to communicate insights effectively.
• Understanding of data privacy regulations, research ethics, and responsible data-sharing practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and manage multiple stakeholders with diverse interests.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while contributing effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong planning, organisational, and time-management skills, with the ability to multitask, prioritise, and deliver under pressure.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and quality in all outputs, maintaining an efficient and timely workflow.
• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and respect for confidentiality, diversity, and teamwork; proficiency in English (knowledge of Swahili, Arabic, or French is an advantage).

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates trends and drives innovative, data-driven solutions.
• Technical Credibility: Demonstrates strong expertise and sound scientific judgment.
• Collaboration: Builds partnerships and fosters knowledge sharing across diverse stakeholders.
• Influence: Leads through expertise and persuasion to align stakeholders toward common goals.
• Results Orientation: Delivers high-quality outputs with accountability and attention to detail.
• Decision Making: Applies analytical thinking to solve complex data and research challenges.
• Communication: Clearly conveys technical concepts to varied audiences.
• Adaptability: Responds effectively to change and maintains composure under pressure.
• Integrity: Upholds ethical standards, confidentiality, and fairness in all actions.
• Capacity Building: Mentors others and supports growth in data science and research capability.

Organisational Values

All SFA Foundation staff are expected to uphold and demonstrate the organisation’s core values in the execution of their duties:

• Respect: Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and professionalism in all interactions.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of responsibilities and follows through on commitments.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): Committed to inclusive practices and equitable decision-making.
• Excellence: Strives for continuous improvement and consistently delivers high-quality outputs.

Application instructions

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