Senior Communications Officer, Audience Research and Digital Analytics (Africa Regional Office) at Gates Foundation

What You’ll Do

• Work with colleagues and partners to build a pan-African research and analytics portfolio that supports communications activities to engage audiences on our most important priorities.
• Translate research findings into research-informed communication assets and strategic recommendations, and collaborate with colleagues to implement these findings.
• Coordinate and manage vendors involved in the production, collection, and analysis of communications data and research.
• Use social listening and media monitoring tools to translate real-time data on social discourse into insights with clear, actionable implications for communications strategy.
• Conduct social, digital, and media sentiment analysis to support issues and reputation monitoring across multiple African markets, as well as understanding of information disorder on key topics.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, scorecards, and reporting tools with key performance indicators tailored to regional and audience needs.
• Design and implement systems to measure the outputs, outcomes, and impact of digital and integrated communications efforts.
• Build measurement frameworks for digital communication interventions, including theories of change, KPIs, and learning agendas.
• Oversee the implementation of public opinion research projects (both qualitative and quantitative) to inform communication design and audience engagement strategies in Africa.
• Scope, design, and manage audience research, including segmentation, message development and testing, content testing, perception and attitude benchmarking, and tracking studies.
• Develop measurement plans and evaluate the impact of foundation communications initiatives across diverse cultural, linguistic, and policy environments.
• Support an inclusive, collaborative culture by modeling foundation values and escalating issues appropriately and in a timely manner.

Your Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred) in relevant discipline or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant experience (8-10 years) in communications research, measurement, evaluation, or audience insights in a similar role, focused on African audiences and media.
• Demonstrated expertise in evaluating digital communications campaigns and media performance.
• Deep understanding of pan-African media dynamics and context.
• Strong proficiency in social and traditional media analytics, digital monitoring, network analysis, sentiment analysis, and owned-channel performance.
• Experience building multi-channel measurement frameworks and mapping indicators to objectives, outcomes, and goals.
• Agency and consultancy experience an advantage.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (including pivot tables and macros) and strong data visualization skills, particularly in PowerPoint.
• Experience using social listening and media analysis tools such as Brandwatch, Meltwater, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with digital analytics and tracking tools (e.g., Adobe Analytics, social media analytics, UTM/CID codes, pixel-based remarketing).
• Familiarity with, experience using, and deep curiosity about AI-enabled tools and systems.
• Experience interpreting quantitative and qualitative public opinion research methods, including survey research, focus groups, and interviews.
• Experience setting up digital data collection activities, with additional evaluation methods considered a plus.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex information and clearly communicate insights and present implications to diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of project and program management processes, workflows, and terminology.
• Familiarity with the research supplier landscape, including regional and global vendors and partners.
• Experience working with emerging research methodologies, metrics, and best practices in digital and social media environments.
• Knowledge of paid media and promotion techniques is an asset.
• Experience working in a fast-paced and matrix environment, requiring cultural awareness and a collaborative nature that knows the benefits of seeking consensus, is strongly preferred.