Senior MEL and Data Systems Associate

Sr MEL and Data Systems Associate

• Reports to: MEL Advisor
• Location: 100% work-remote, preference for +/-4hrs EST
• Employment type: Full-time with benefits
• Start Date: Summer 2026
• Salary: Starting at $56,000 USD

What’s the job and who is Nuru?

The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) and Data Systems Associate will support the Sustainability Team by helping manage Nuru’s survey systems, data organization processes, and practical MEL support across the Nuru Collective. This role will work under the guidance of the MEL Advisor to support country teams with survey tools, data quality, documentation, basic analysis, and local reporting dashboards.

This is not primarily a donor-facing, advanced research, or data science role. It is a practical MEL systems and coordination role for someone who is comfortable working across multiple countries in diverse cross-culture contexts, organizing complex information, responsible for thorough data quality control and management, supporting survey processes, and helping local counterparts strengthen their use of data. The right candidate will be an early-career generalist with strong attention to detail, good data instincts, and a genuine interest in African agriculture, international development, MEL systems, and locally led work.

Nuru is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the ability to hire employees globally. Founded in 2008, Nuru is a global collective of locally-led NGO’s working to break cycles of unjust poverty in marginalized communities across Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Niger, and Togo. We achieve this by helping smallholder farmers transition from subsistence to professionalized farming. While Nuru staff work across separate and locally led organizations in different countries, we are united by a shared vision to expand meaningful choices for the communities we serve.

A pioneer in remote work, Nuru has been fully remote since 2008. Our team members work from the locations that suit them best, and we remain committed to this flexible, remote-first model. For this role, candidates must be able to maintain regular working overlap with the U.S. Eastern Time, preferably within approximately four hours.

What you’ll be doing:

• Coordinate the design, testing, and rollout of surveys using tools such as KoboToolbox, ODK, SurveyCTO, or similar platforms.
• Maintain core MEL infrastructure including survey forms, datasets, codebooks, trackers, dashboards, and documentation to ensure high data integrity.
• Execute data cleaning, quality checks, and basic analysis using Excel, Google Sheets, and related tools.
• Optimize simple dashboards and reporting tools built through Google Drive, Google Sheets, and similar platforms to help country teams access and use their data effectively.
• Facilitate practical capacity building with country counterparts on survey tools, data quality, basic analysis, and documentation.
• Annual travel to a Nuru local country location in East or West Africa for in-person collaboration.

What you bring to the team:

• Required Experience
  • At least 2-4 years of relevant experience and/or formal training in monitoring, evaluation, learning, data management, international development, research, agriculture, information systems, evaluation, or a related area.
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets creating simple dashboards, trackers, or reporting tools.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, especially when working with files, datasets, trackers, deadlines, and follow-up items.
  • Experience collaborating effectively within a multicultural environment.
• Bonus Skills (Please apply even if you don’t check every box!)
  • Experience with survey tools such as KoboToolbox, ODK, SurveyCTO, or similar platforms.
  • Experience supporting surveys, field data collection, enumerator training, data cleaning, or data quality review.
  • Experience or demonstrated interest in African agriculture, rural communities, food systems, livelihoods, cooperatives, or climate-smart agriculture.
  • Intermediate or working proficiency in French.
  • Experience with Stata, R, SQL, Python, Power BI, or other data tools.

Who you are:

• Detailed-Oriented Systems Thinker: You find satisfaction in organized spreadsheets and clean datasets. You enjoy keeping files, trackers, and documentation orderly, accurate, and accessible for a global team.
• Practical Data Generalist: You have strong data instincts and strong proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets. You are a problem solver who can spot errors, clean data, and translate numbers into simple, actionable dashboards.
• Collaborative Support Partner: You enjoy working behind the scenes to help local teams succeed. You are comfortable troubleshooting survey tools, building new trackers, and facilitating practical training for international colleagues.
• Culturally Agile Communicator: You thrive in a remote, global environment. You communicate with clarity and humility, building trust with counterparts across different time zones and cultural contexts. You jump at the chance to travel internationally, whether joining our annual team retreat or visiting our organizations in the Collective across East and West Africa.

What Nuru offers you:

• Culture of Wellbeing: A 100% remote, flexible work environment that prioritizes personal resiliency and a healthy work/life satisfaction.
• Commitment to Growth: Access to professional development, clear paths for career advancement, and a leadership team dedicated to mutual feedback and coaching.
• Global Collaboration: The opportunity to work alongside a diverse, purpose-driven team of professionals dedicated to Nuru’s mission.
• Inclusive Environment: A workplace that actively values diversity and ensures you have the resources and training needed to succeed.
• Competitive Compensation: We provide equitable, data-driven salaries and a comprehensive benefits package - including medical/dental/vision. 401(k) matching, paid parental leave, and generous time off.

Note: We prioritize transparency and will discuss compensation and benefits during our first interview.

How to apply:

Please submit your application “here”.

Nuru is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status. Through our Diversity@Nuru and Lean-In initiatives, we prioritize continuous learning and an environment where every team member belongs.

What happens next:

After you apply, you will receive a confirmation email. While we do not provide individual feedback during the initial review, we will contact you directly if you are advancing to the interview stage. To ensure a fair and equitable hiring process for all candidates, please do not contact our staff members directly via social media or email regarding your application. Our goal is to follow our interview process, and review candidate applications through the official portal.

Our Interview Process:

1. Initial Screen: Interview with People & Culture team.
2. Technical Interview: Interview with the Hiring Manager.
3. Work Simulation & Panel: A final interview with the team that includes a practical work simulation exercise.

All interviews are conducted via Google Meet. We are happy to discuss any accommodations you may need to participate fully in our process.

• Culture of Wellbeing: A 100% remote, flexible work environment that prioritizes personal resiliency and a healthy work/life satisfaction.
• Commitment to Growth: Access to professional development, clear paths for career advancement, and a leadership team dedicated to mutual feedback and coaching.
• Global Collaboration: The opportunity to work alongside a diverse, purpose-driven team of professionals dedicated to Nuru’s mission.
• Inclusive Environment: A workplace that actively values diversity and ensures you have the resources and training needed to succeed.
• Competitive Compensation: We provide equitable, data-driven salaries and a comprehensive benefits package - including medical/dental/vision. 401(k) matching, paid parental leave, and generous time off.