Data & Systems Lead

Data & Systems Lead role 

Acumen is looking for a bilingual Data & Systems Lead to build and strengthen its global Salesforce and connected data systems. The role combines technical leadership with team enablement — overseeing architecture, integrations, data governance, and reporting. It also includes building and training a distributed data operations team to foster long-term adoption and data excellence. 

About Acumen 

Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half-a-billion lives. Through our investment adviser Acumen Capital Partners, we are responsible for $166 million in assets under management via our returnable pooled investment funds which have impacted 238 million lives and offset 48 million metric tons of CO2.  To learn more visit acumen.org. 

About Acumen Academy

Acumen Academy provides transformative, cohort-based leadership programs for entrepreneurs who want to solve and scale solutions to poverty. We support a global community of more than 1,800 alumni who are building businesses and organizations that redefine the future of food, education, healthcare, workforce development, and more.  We provide online courses (Founders Hub) which are for anyone, anywhere seeking to create a positive impact in their communities. Acumen Academy is part of the wider Acumen organization. This role will not focus on data systems like finance, HR, grant management etc. It is specific to Impact and delivery data. 

We are a global nonprofit organization working to expand opportunities and help communities around the world tackle the root causes of poverty. Data plays a critical role in how we learn, make decisions, and measure the impact of our work.

This Data & Systems Lead role is more than a technical position—it is an opportunity to contribute directly to meaningful, systemic change. By strengthening our data systems and building the capacity of teams across regions, you will help ensure that our programs are effective, accountable, and responsive to the people and communities we serve.

This role reports to the Associate Director of Impact for Acumen Academy, based in London, and works closely with colleagues across multiple regions and time zones. The position is remote-first, with occasional in-person visits to the Bogotá office for collaboration, planning, or key moments of connection. We operate in a hybrid and flexible work environment, where success is measured by outcomes rather than fixed hours, and where trust, autonomy, and clear communication are core to how we work together globally.

You will lead the evolution of our Salesforce-centered data ecosystem while empowering a distributed, global team to confidently use data in their daily work. This role blends technical leadership, project management, and people development, and offers the chance to see how your work supports real-world impact at scale.

If you are motivated by purpose, collaboration, and using technology to advance social good, this role offers a meaningful way to align your skills with a mission to change lives.

We strongly encourage women and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification listed.

What You’ll Do

Systems Architecture & Implementation

• Lead the design and evolution of our global data management architecture, ensuring alignment with operational and impact reporting needs
• Own the redesign or creation of Salesforce objects and system architecture for current and future datasets
• Collaborate with Salesforce consultants and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality solutions
• Project-manage data migrations and integrations from legacy systems
• Ensure smooth integrations between Salesforce and connected platforms (LMS, events, marketing, etc.)
• Establish clear governance for system access, permissions, and security
• Design bilingual (English/Spanish) user experiences, documentation, and training materials
• Oversee low-level data system support requests while enabling teams to handle these independently over time
• Continuously identify and implement system improvements

Data Quality, Reporting & Governance

• Establish and maintain data governance frameworks and quality assurance processes in partnership with Legal and Compliance
• Champion best practices in data stewardship, security, and ethical data use
• Build dashboards and routine reports using Salesforce and Airtable
• Enable teams to conduct their own data analysis and visualization
• Set and oversee regular data cleaning and validation schedules
• Produce or enable access to weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports
• Partner with Business Development to provide impact data for grant and donor reporting

Team Enablement & Capacity Building

• Build, mentor, and support a distributed data operations team across regions
• Design and lead onboarding for new staff and re-orientation for existing teams
• Deliver bilingual training to strengthen data confidence and skills across the organization
• Develop regional capacity for data entry, cleaning, and analysis
• Identify staffing needs and resource gaps within the data function
• Contribute to realistic budgeting and planning for data and systems work

What We’re Looking For

Required Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of experience designing, implementing, or managing data systems or data architecture
• Strong hands-on experience with Salesforce (administrator level required; development experience is a plus)
• Experience managing data or systems transformation projects
• Experience integrating multiple platforms and workflows
• Data analysis and visualization experience
• Fluency in English and Spanish

Nice to Have (Not Required)

• Experience in Impact Measurement, MEL, ESG, or social impact organizations
• Familiarity with tools such as Airtable, Power BI, Zapier, Looker Studio, or HubSpot
• Experience working in INGOs, nonprofits, or mission-driven organizations
• Interest in how AI can improve internal processes
• Degree in a quantitative or technical field

 Skills & Attributes

• Strong systems thinking with attention to both technical detail and human usability
• Collaborative, empathetic leadership style
• Comfortable training and enabling non-technical users
• Ability to build and grow teams over time
• Confident working independently while engaging diverse stakeholders
• Solutions-oriented and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Values-driven and aligned with Acumen’s mission and principles

Location & Work Authorization

• Based in Colombia
• Authorization to work in Colombia required
• Some travel may be required

If you’re excited about this role but don’t check every box, we still want to hear from you. We value diverse experiences, perspectives, and career paths—and we believe great candidates grow into roles, not just match them on paper.

Deadline
Apply as soon as possible. Candidates will be screened and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis. 

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