Data Analyst

PACT Overview

A global nonprofit with experience in more than 60 countries, Pact fosters thriving, resilient communities that chart their own development paths. We deliver solutions that are rooted in evidence and driven by data.

Department

Programs - Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.

Position Overview

The The Data Analyst is the lead technical resource for programme data analysis and impact measurement for ACHIEVE South Africa. Working with the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and programme teams, the role turns routine monitoring and other programme data into credible evidence about reach, quality, outcomes and performance. The postholder applies appropriate statistical methods, explains findings in plain language and helps teams use evidence to improve implementation and meet donor expectations.

The role covers the full analytical process, from data extraction, cleaning, documentation and validation to analysis, visualisation and reporting. The Data Analyst works closely with the database administrator while remaining accountable for the quality and usefulness of the analysis. The role also strengthens the skills of MEL and programme staff through coaching, practical tools and hands-on analytical support.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and maintain a program analysis plan linked to the results framework, learning priorities, reporting commitments and management questions.
• Analyze program reach, service quality, outcomes, and performance. Disaggregate findings by relevant characteristics such as geography, age, sex and population group to identify variation, inequities and areas needing attention.
• Apply sound statistical methods, including descriptive, trend and cohort analysis.
• Use more advanced methods where the data and study design support them, and state assumptions and limitations clearly.
• Prepare documented and repeatable analytical workflows using Excel and suitable query or statistical tools. Maintain analysis files, syntax, data dictionaries and version records so that results can be checked and reproduced.
• Extract, combine, clean and validate data from CBIMS, DATIM and other program sources. Work with the database administrator to resolve data structure, indicator and system issues without shifting analytical accountability to that function.
• Conduct routine data quality assessments and reconcile reported figures with source records. Track material issues through to resolution and explain how remaining limitations affect interpretation.
• Develop and maintain practical dashboards and visualizations in Power BI, Tableau or Excel. Design products around decisions and user needs, not simply the availability of data.
• Lead the analytical content for biweekly and monthly performance reviews and for semi-annual, annual, donor and proposal reporting.
• Provide concise interpretation, recommendations, and follow-up questions alongside the figures.
• Present findings in program and leadership meetings, facilitate discussion of what the data means, and help teams agree and monitor actions in response.
• Support evaluations, learning studies, indicator reviews, target setting and other impact measurement work, including analysis plans and interpretation of findings.
• Coach MEL and program staff in data interpretation, data quality and the responsible use of dashboards and analytical tools.
• Provide hands-on support for priority analyses while building staff confidence to use the methods themselves.
• Protect confidential and sensitive information and follow organizational and donor requirements for data access, storage, analysis and sharing.
• Employee complies with all company policies and procedures, including completing all compliance training topics by the deadline to satisfy each and receiving the corresponding acknowledgment statement that the training has been completed.   
• All other duties as assigned

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in statistics, data science, epidemiology, economics, monitoring and evaluation, public health, social sciences or a related quantitative field, together with at least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in program data analysis. This should include experience leading complex analytical assignments or coaching colleagues.
• A relevant master's degree is an advantage. An equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered.

Essential knowledge and technical experience:

• Demonstrated ability to clean, link, analyses and interpret large program datasets, with examples of analysis that informed a management, program or policy decision.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong working ability in SQL, R or Python. The successful candidate must be able to produce analysis that another analyst can review and reproduce.
• Strong experience with Power BI, Tableau or a comparable visualization tool, including data modelling, quality checks and dashboard design for non-technical users.
• Practical knowledge of statistical methods used for performance and outcome analysis, and the judgement to match the method to the question and the quality of the available data.
• Experience with results frameworks, indicator definitions, target setting, routine data quality assessment and program or donor reporting.
• Clear analytical writing and presentation skills, including the ability to explain findings, uncertainty and limitations to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience handling sensitive individual-level data and applying appropriate confidentiality, access and data protection controls.

Core Capabilities:

• Checks unexpected results against source data before drawing conclusions.
• Able to move between technical detail and the practical program question that the analysis needs to answer.
• Works constructively with MEL, program, technical and database colleagues, and follows agreed actions through to completion
• Organizes competing reporting and analytical deadlines without compromising data quality.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with PEPFAR MER indicators, DATIM reporting requirements and timelines.
• Experience using the Community-Based Intervention Monitoring System (CBIMS) or a comparable case management information system.
• Experience analysing HIV, OVC, public health or social protection programmes in South Africa.
• Experience with quantitative evaluation methods, survey analysis, geographic analysis or mixed-methods studies.
• Professional fluency in English and eligibility to work in South Africa. A valid South African driver's licence is an advantage where travel is required.