Role Overview

We are seeking an Analyst based in Nairobi to support strategic advisory work across the Middle East and Africa. The role is suited to a sharp, intellectually curious researcher who can combine rigorous analytical work with field-based inquiry, client engagement, and high-quality written outputs.

The ideal candidate will have a background in investigative journalism, intelligence analysis, political risk, security research, corporate investigations, or a comparable analytical field. They should be comfortable moving between desk-based research, interviews, field visits, stakeholder mapping, and direct client-facing work. This is a hands-on role for someone who can operate independently and discreetly, ask precise questions, assess complex political and commercial dynamics, and produce clear, actionable analysis for senior decision-makers.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct strategic, political, security, commercial, and stakeholder analysis across priority markets in Africa and the Middle East.
• Design and execute field-based research plans, including interviews, site visits, local source development, and structured information gathering.
• Meet with clients, partners, government stakeholders, private-sector actors, and civil society contacts across the region.
• Produce concise analytical products, including client briefings, risk assessments, country and sector notes, due diligence reports, stakeholder maps, and field research summaries.
• Support strategic advisory engagements by identifying key risks, opportunities, decision-makers, incentives, and local operating dynamics.
• Conduct open-source research, media monitoring, corporate and political mapping, and background research on individuals, entities, sectors, and jurisdictions.
• Translate complex, incomplete, or sensitive information into practical insights for clients and internal teams.
• Contribute to proposal development, client presentations, scopes of work, and research methodologies.
• Maintain high standards of source protection, confidentiality, discretion, and analytical integrity.
• Travel regularly across the Middle East and Africa for research, meetings, and project delivery.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Based in Nairobi or willing to relocate to Nairobi.
• Strong analytical background, ideally gained through investigative journalism, intelligence analysis, political risk, security analysis, corporate investigations, due diligence, international development, or strategic consulting.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct field research, interviews, and source-based inquiry in complex operating environments.
• Excellent written English, with the ability to produce clear, concise, evidence-based analysis under tight deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and confidence engaging senior clients, government officials, local stakeholders, and private-sector counterparts.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and operate with discretion in sensitive contexts.
• Strong understanding of regional political, security, commercial, or development dynamics in Africa, the Middle East, or both.
• Experience working in and willingness and ability to travel frequently to austere environments, sometimes at short notice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as an investigative journalist or field reporter covering politics, security, corruption, conflict, illicit networks, business, energy, critical minerals, or governance.
• Experience working in East Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Gulf, North Africa, or other relevant Middle East and Africa markets.
• Familiarity with OSINT tools, corporate records, sanctions databases, litigation records, procurement data, media archives, and social media research.
• Experience producing client-ready briefings, intelligence notes, due diligence reports, or advisory memos.
• Existing regional networks among journalists, analysts, civil society, private sector actors, researchers, or government-adjacent stakeholders.
• Strong language skills relevant to the region, including Arabic, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Amharic, Somali, or other regional languages.
• Prior work with consulting firms, media organizations, think tanks, NGOs, development organizations, security firms, or government contractors.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be:

• Curious, persistent, and comfortable following leads beyond the obvious answer.
• A strong writer who can distinguish fact, inference, judgment, and uncertainty.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and making sense of fragmented information.
• Professional and credible in front of clients and senior stakeholders.
• Field-oriented, practical, and culturally aware.
• Discreet, ethical, and careful with sensitive information.
• Able to balance analytical depth with commercial usefulness.

Example Work Products

• Country or sector risk briefs.
• Stakeholder and influence maps.
• Political economy assessments.
• Market-entry or operating-environment analysis.
• Investigative research memos.
• Field interview summaries.
• Client briefing notes.
• Due diligence and background research reports.
• Strategic advisory inputs for senior client engagements.

Application Materials

Candidates should submit:

• CV or resume.
• Short cover note explaining relevant regional, analytical, field research, or investigative experience.
• One or two writing samples, preferably analytical, investigative, or client-facing.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We welcome candidates from diverse professional backgrounds and assess applicants based on relevant skills, judgment, integrity, and ability to deliver high-quality analytical work in complex environments.