Global Director of Impact & Knowledge Management

ABOUT NEW ENERGY NEXUS

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international NGO that supports climate solutions and builds a more equitable clean energy economy. Our laser focus is on clean energy entrepreneurs: providing them with funds, accelerators, and networks to thrive. They are our main audience and our agent of change.

We started in California in 2004 and now operate across China, India, Southeast Asia, East and West Africa, and Australia. We have leveraged US$5.4 billion in investment and supported more than 11,000 entrepreneurs.

ABOUT THE ROLE & OPPORTUNITY

The Global Impact Director & Knowledge Management is the champion of New Energy Nexus’ ambition to be a true learning organization. They will lead the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning  function at New Energy Nexus (NEX) that tracks, highlights, and strengthens the impact of the NEX network. The role owns NEX Global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework, collaborates with the leadership to refine and maintain global Theory of Change (TOC), is the organization’s leading subject matter expert on disciplined TOC development and evaluations  and supports country offices, programs, and initiatives to align their work with the overarching NEX global MEL framework. It supports the network to keep a common strategic direction and demonstrate its collective impact to funders, partners, and the wider clean energy entrepreneurship ecosystem.

NEX already has a strong Global MEL framework, impact indicators and supporting systems in place. The Director will be responsible for:

1. Overseeing the implementation of the global framework across the network, providing strategic guidance and hands-on support to chapter and program.
2. Continuously strengthening, refining and adapting the framework as NEX’s programs, geographies, partnerships and strategic priorities evolve. 

The Director will  support country teams and global programs by making impact work practical and useful with: clear definitions, light-touch templates, and practical coaching, plus visible proof that the data they collect shapes decisions, wins funding, and improves programs.

The role works in close partnership with the Strategy, Development and Communications teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Global Impact Strategy, Theory of Change & MEL (40%)

• Leads the development and implementation of NEX's global monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) framework, translating NEX’s Theory of change (TOC) into measurable outcomes and learning practices, while embedding justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) principles throughout.
• Refine and update the standardized global impact indicators and data standards for collection, reporting, and management as needed.
• Lead design and implementation of MEL related policies, processes and practices across the organization in collaboration with Impact staff across the network.
• Actively contribute to the design of multi-country proposals and programs by developing and implementing log frames and MEL plans with clear indicators and learning loops.
• Actively participate in country and global strategy discussions from the outset, working closely with leadership to shape, review, and assess strategic priorities and ensure alignment with NEX’s Theory of Change, impact goals and JEDI commitments.
• Manage global impact databases and produce regular reports for the board, NEX leadership, funders, and external audiences as needed.
• Co-lead the annual Global Impact Report project with communications team 

Chapter/Country Office Support & Capacity Building (30%)

• Give chapters, program partners, and the fundraising team technical guidance on TOC, log frames, and indicators as needed.
• Strengthen staff capacity to understand and perform MEL related activities through training, building and maintaining global MEL toolkit of templates, guidelines, and best practices and facilitating cross learning sessions.
• Work with chapters to ensure alignment of chapter TOCs and MEL plans with the global framework while respecting local context.
• Lead and facilitate monthly Impact Guild meetings and an annual in-person convening to share best practices and insights.
• Provide 1:1 advisory support to chapter impact leads on MEL related topics.

Knowledge Management,  Data Architecture & Impact Reporting (30%)

• As a champion of NEX as a learning organization by embedding learning into its culture and collective capabilities, and turning  network-wide impact data into insights on trends, gaps, and opportunities that inform program and product strategy.
• Lead the organization-wide knowledge management structure, data systems, and AI strategy for the purposes of MEL, program design, and stakeholder management, ensuring information on program participants, partners, funders, investors etc can be connected and used across teams.
• Collaborate with teams to integrate knowledge management systems and various databases, ensuring information is accurate, accessible, well-organized, and actionable for informed decision-making.
• Oversee the governance, security, and responsible use of organizational data, including in AI-enabled knowledge tools.
• Own and manage the global impact database (currently Airtable), including structure, definitions, data privacy and quality standards, and bi-annual update cycles with chapters and partners.
• Leverage AI and integrate it into NEX's MEL systems to build efficiency and standardization in data collection, validation, analysis, and reporting, while protecting data privacy and quality.
• Work with Communications Team to make collecting stories and case studies, with informed consent, part of the Impact team’s routine data collection, and to share emerging insights early enough to shape external communications.
• Maintain one approved set of impact figures, and review external materials for accuracy and attribution before publication, so Communications, Development and leadership quote the same numbers and describe NEX’s contribution to policy and ecosystem change in the same way.