Background information about the job or company

Aceli Africa ("Aceli”) is a market catalyst mobilizing finance for small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) in the agriculture sector in East Africa. Informed by original data on the economics of agri-SME lending, Aceli Africa is designed to align capital supply and demand to mobilize $500M in lending to agri-SMEs while creating a more sustainable and competitive marketplace.

The Data and Product Design Manager will lead the day-to-day analysis and coordination that inform the design and continuous improvement of Aceli’s financial incentive products.

Working at the intersection of strategy, data, and implementation, the role translates strategic direction from the Senior Manager into actionable analyses, insights, and recommendations, while managing deliverables and supervising a small team of associates through guidance, coaching, and quality assurance.

The role has responsibilities across the following areas:

Product Design, Data & Analytics

Support the end-to-end design and ongoing refinement of Aceli’s financial incentives aligning the product design with Aceli’s long-term vision and impact objectives.

Identify opportunities to improve or evolve products based on data insights, partner feedback, and implementation experience.

Support the development and application of analytical frameworks and dashboards to assess lender performance, portfolio quality, and impact outcomes.

Manage the design and delivery of Aceli’s annual financial benchmarking exercise, including evolution of methodologies over time.

Translate analytical findings into clear insights for internal decision-making and external engagement with partners.

Annual planning and risk management

Lead the preparation of Aceli’s annual financial incentive budget, including multi-year financial projections, scenario analysis, and sensitivity testing to support strategic decision-making.

Ensure the incentive budgeting process is data-driven, realistic, and aligned with organisational priorities, funding constraints, and risk appetite.

Lead the annual loan audit and verification process, ensuring loans submitted by partner lenders comply with Aceli’s eligibility criteria and impact guidelines.

Stakeholder engagement

Collaborate closely with lending partners to gather market feedback, explain product mechanics, and ensure a clear and consistent understanding of Aceli’s financial incentives and requirements.

Work cross-functionally with internal teams (including Operations, Impact, and Leadership) to ensure product developments align with Aceli’s strategic priorities and implementation realities.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

Manage, supervise, and mentor a team of junior team members working on product design, analytics, and benchmarking.

Provide clear direction, prioritisation, and quality control across team deliverables.

Coach team members on analytical rigor, structured thinking, and effective communication.

Support professional development through regular feedback, performance management, and on-the-job learning.

Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture with strong ownership and accountability.

Qualifications or requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., finance or business) preferred.

Experience: 7 years of relevant experience in product design, financial services, development finance, consulting, or a related field.

People Management: Demonstrated experience managing and developing junior team members.

Analytical Expertise: Strong experience working with complex datasets and designing practical analytical frameworks and dashboards.

Financial Sector Knowledge: Solid understanding of financial institutions, lending products, and portfolio performance metrics.

Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.

Organisational Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, priorities, and deadlines in a dynamic environment.

Values alignment: Demonstrated collaborative approach to working across functions and beyond formal reporting lines; growth mindset with an interest in operating at the frontier of industry practice; and strong commitment to Aceli’s mission and values.

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• Support the end-to-end design and ongoing refinement of Aceli’s financial incentives aligning the product design with Aceli’s long-term vision and impact objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve or evolve products based on data insights, partner feedback, and implementation experience.
• Support the development and application of analytical frameworks and dashboards to assess lender performance, portfolio quality, and impact outcomes.
• Manage the design and delivery of Aceli’s annual financial benchmarking exercise, including evolution of methodologies over time.
• Translate analytical findings into clear insights for internal decision-making and external engagement with partners.
• Lead the preparation of Aceli’s annual financial incentive budget, including multi-year financial projections, scenario analysis, and sensitivity testing to support strategic decision-making.
• Ensure the incentive budgeting process is data-driven, realistic, and aligned with organisational priorities, funding constraints, and risk appetite.
• Lead the annual loan audit and verification process, ensuring loans submitted by partner lenders comply with Aceli’s eligibility criteria and impact guidelines.
• Collaborate closely with lending partners to gather market feedback, explain product mechanics, and ensure a clear and consistent understanding of Aceli’s financial incentives and requirements.
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams (including Operations, Impact, and Leadership) to ensure product developments align with Aceli’s strategic priorities and implementation realities.
• Manage, supervise, and mentor a team of junior team members working on product design, analytics, and benchmarking.
• Provide clear direction, prioritisation, and quality control across team deliverables.
• Coach team members on analytical rigor, structured thinking, and effective communication.
• Support professional development through regular feedback, performance management, and on-the-job learning.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture with strong ownership and accountability.

• Strong experience working with complex datasets and designing practical analytical frameworks and dashboards.
• Solid understanding of financial institutions, lending products, and portfolio performance metrics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, priorities, and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated collaborative approach to working across functions and beyond formal reporting lines.
• Growth mindset with an interest in operating at the frontier of industry practice.
• Strong commitment to Aceli’s mission and values.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., finance or business) preferred.
• 7 years of relevant experience in product design, financial services, development finance, consulting, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing junior team members.