Research and Advocacy Specialist

Key responsibilities 
Evidence strategy and planning 
The Specialist will: 

• Support the Director to define and maintain AfricaNenda Foundation’s evidence-generation and advocacy priorities. 
• Develop an annual and rolling evidence agenda linked to AfricaNenda Foundation’s organizational strategy, program priorities and emerging sector issues. 
• Translate strategic priorities into clear research questions, analytical workstreams, products, audiences and influencing opportunities. 
• Identify critical evidence gaps that limit policy action or weaken the case for inclusive instant payment systems reforms. 
• Maintain a forward-looking calendar of research outputs, policy processes, regulatory developments, stakeholder moments and advocacy opportunities. 
• Ensure that evidence-generation plans are realistic, appropriately sequenced and linked to intended policy or advocacy outcomes. 

Research and analysis 

The Specialist will: 

• Conduct high-quality desk research, literature reviews, policy and regulatory reviews, comparative analysis, political-economy analysis and rapid evidence assessments. 
• Design and support primary research using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods, including 
• interviews, focus groups, surveys, consultations and case studies. Support research commissioning and quality assurance. 
• Analyze developments affecting IIPS, including, governance, participation rules, scheme design, pricing, use cases, access channels, consumer protection and recourse. 
• Produce analysis on relevant adjacent issues, including digital public infrastructure, digital identity, data governance, competition, open finance, cross-border payments, digital trade and responsible innovation. 
• Undertake country, regional and continental scans to identify policy trends, implementation gaps, emerging risks and transferable lessons. 
• Develop research frameworks, methodologies, interview guides, survey tools, evidence matrices and quality-assurance protocols. Validate findings through triangulation, peer review and stakeholder consultation. 
• Maintain complete and traceable source records and ensure that all factual claims are verifiable. 
• Present evidence honestly, distinguishing clearly between findings, interpretation, assumptions and recommendations. 
• Identify where evidence is incomplete or contested and advise on the implications for AfricaNenda Foundation’s position. 
• Maintain a clear record of approvals, versions, sources, research ethics requirements and intellectualproperty arrangements. 

 Advocacy strategy and execution 

• The Specialist will support the translation of AfricaNenda Foundation’s evidence into clear institutional positions, targeted advocacy strategies and coordinated actions that influence policy, regulation and practice.  

The Specialist will: 

• Support the Director in developing, executing and periodically refining AfricaNenda Foundation’s advocacy strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and approved institutional positions. 
• Translate research and technical evidence into clear policy implications, institutional positions, practical recommendations and targeted advocacy asks. 
• Develop issue-specific advocacy plans defining objectives, priority audiences, influence pathways, key messages, tactics, milestones, risks and indicators. 
• Produce high-quality advocacy materials, including policy briefs, position papers, regulatory analyses, consultation responses, executive memos, briefing notes and talking points. 
• Identify policy windows and decision points, segment stakeholders by influence and interest, and tailor advocacy approaches to the mandates and incentives of priority actors. 
• Coordinate advocacy execution across technical programs, capacity development, communications and partnerships, including coalition building, leadership engagement and systematic follow-up on commitments. 
• Monitor stakeholder responses, institutional constraints and advocacy outcomes; adapt approaches accordingly; and maintain a repository of approved positions, messages, recommendations and supporting evidence. 
• Ensure all advocacy is technically sound, politically informed, non-partisan, inclusion-focused and consistent with AfricaNenda Foundation’s mission. 
• Design and coordinate stakeholder engagement strategies, policy dialogues, consultations, roundtables and bilateral meetings, including preparing materials and decision-focused briefing packs for the AfricaNenda leadership. 
• Build trusted relationships, represent AfricaNenda Foundation when delegated, incorporate underserved-user perspectives, and maintain disciplined records and follow-up on decisions, commitments and agreed actions. 

Essential qualifications 

• A master’s degree in public policy, economics, finance, development studies, law, political science, international relations, public administration or another relevant discipline. 
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in applied research, policy analysis, advocacy, financial inclusion, digital financial services, payment systems, digital public infrastructure or a closely related field. 
• Demonstrated experience conducting research and converting findings into clear DFS ecosystem recommendations and advocacy propositions. 
• Strong experience producing high-quality policy briefs, research reports, presentations and stakeholder engagement materials. 
• Experience engaging policymakers, regulators/central banks, development partners and private-sector institutions 
• Experience managing research assignments or consultants and assuring the quality of technical outputs. 
• Strong understanding of African DFS policy, regulatory and instant payment system contexts. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver high-quality outputs under tight timelines. 
• Demonstrated experience applying systematic-review methodologies and tools, including PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-P protocols; managing research references and citations using Zotero and EndNote; and conducting qualitative thematic coding and analysis using NVivo and ATLAS.ti. 
• Ability to develop concise executive products as well as substantive research outputs 

Desirable qualifications 

• Direct experience in instant payments, interoperability, payment-system governance, financial-sector regulation or digital public infrastructure. 
• Experience working across multiple African countries or regions and applying political-economy analysis to policy or advocacy work. 
• Relevant publications or a demonstrable portfolio of policy and research products. 
• Mandatory proficiency in English, while bi-lingual English - French desired.