Program Associate at Rockefeller Foundation

Program Associate Job Responsibilities

Data Analysis

• Assist the YieldWise Director in ensuring the strategic direction of the Initiative through the use of data and analytical thinking to monitor progress towards targets, make any adjustments to implementation as needed, and strategically plan for future waves of work.
• Provide analytical support to enable day-to-day, data, and evidence-based discussions, decision-making and adaptive management
• Process and analyze data collected from multiple sources to test key assumptions, synthesize key insights, and identify implications for initiative strategy and operations
• Facilitate information flow through proper monitoring of business processes, preparing high-level summary reports, and ensuring progress towards delivery of agreed results
• Work closely with the M&E team to modify YieldWise M&E agenda in response to lessons learned
• Use information from environmental scanning, and other sources, to identify trends and opportunities for the Initiative

Strategic Planning

• Assist in establishing and/or refining effective mechanisms for strategic planning, target-setting, monitoring, risk management and timely reporting, including the use of an operational dashboard and other means
• Assist Initiative team with target setting and yearly planning, including resource management, tracking both budget and grant-making, and timely responses to internal reporting requirements, queries, and deadlines
• Conduct risk assessment and mitigation planning in collaboration with Initiative team
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses to inform decision-making within the Initiative, including landscape and market analysis, option analysis, and systems mapping
• Provide general strategic and planning support to the Initiative.
• Knowledge Management: Drawing from knowledge being generated by Initiative’s partners, ensure facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement
• Develop, implement and optimize the initiative’s knowledge management infrastructure
• Engage with Rockefeller Foundation’s M&E and Communications teams to generate knowledge practices, products and reports for a range of audiences (e.g. Senior Leadership, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, grantees, peers, learning forums and the Foundation Website)
• Synthesize insights, best practices, and lessons learnt gleaned from the data for both internal and external purposes.
• Ensure strategic support in structuring sessions of YieldWise Partners convenings, including key areas to be discussed and addressed, and bi-lateral and multi-lateral meetings to be held with description of areas to be discussed and followed-up.

Competencies for Success

• In addition to the below competencies, successful candidates will be action-oriented, entrepreneurial self-starters, with the ability to work independently as well as in teams. You will also embody exemplary communication skills, sound, mature judgment and integrity, commitment to The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission and Core Values – effectiveness, equity, integrity, innovation and leadership.
• Leadership: Proven ability to manage towards and successfully realize outcomes-based projects.
• Partnership and Relationship Building: Ability to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Strategic and Decision-Making Ability: Ability to identify trends in dynamic, complex systems across a wide range of content domains and to evaluate opportunities and risks using analytical and problem-solving skills. Comfort operating with a hypothesis-driven approach.
• Execution: Strong project management skills, deadline management, sense of responsibility and accountability and the ability to effectively multi-task.
• Communications: High level of comfort communicating to diverse audiences. Able to understand stakeholder needs and tailor information for them.

Qualifications for the Program Associate Job

• At least 5 years of experience in data analysis, strategic planning and/or monitoring and evaluation
• A firm understanding of the agricultural sector in sub-Sahara Africa is a plus
• Entrepreneurial and strategic mindset to spot critical issues, leverage points, opportunities, challenges, and required choices
• Ability to synthesize and visualize data and information in a compelling way, customizing it for a range of audiences, including the YieldWise team, the Executive team, and Board
• Exceptional commitment to accuracy and attention to detail
• An appetite for and sensitivity to working with and in diverse cultures