Dr Faith Masekesa

A professional consultant and mixed-methods researcher who transforms complex challenges into actionable solutions through 8+ years of rigorous analysis across private and public sectors. Drives business outcomes by analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, designing evidence-based strategies, and delivering clear, compelling recommendations that accelerate executive decision-making in dynamic environments. Proven expertise in translating intricate data narratives into strategic roadmaps that deliver measurable results for diverse stakeholders.

• Engineered a standardized methodology template that increased proposal win rates and reduced bid preparation time by 25%, enhancing competitive positioning.

• Led capacity building initiative across Africa, training 60+ government officials in microsimulation modeling techniques, directly influencing tax policy and social protection program development in 8+ countries

• Optimized data processing workflows by developing custom STATA automation code, reducing data cleaning time by 15% and improving analytical accuracy for large-scale research projects

• Created compelling investment cases that enabled clients to secure funding and achieve expansion in program coverage, directly impacting thousands of beneficiaries

• Delivered strategic research for South Africa's Department of Basic Education, producing a comprehensive insights report used in developing a South African competency framework.

• Date of Birth: 26/03/1986
• Gender: Female
• Nationality: Zimbabwean with a South African ID
• ID Type: South African ID

Senior Analyst & Project Manager, Institutional   consultancy to support Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and   Investment Promotion in carrying out Education Public Expenditure Review   (PER) | United Nations Children's Fund (Zimbabwe), Zimbabwe (Sep   2025 - Aug 2026)

The assignment is to   undertake a thorough review and analysis of public spending patterns in the education   sector over the five-year period 2021-2025. This involves collecting and   analysing financial data, assessing budget alignment with policy priorities,   identifying inefficiencies and areas for improvement and develop   recommendations for policy and institutional reforms to enhance spending   efficiency and effectiveness. Dr Masekesa’s role is evaluating budget   allocations and expenditures across multiple level of education, identifying   gaps or inefficiencies in resource utilization and assessing whether the current   financing system meets the country’s education goal. Key deliverables include   a Public Expenditure Review report that will be used to shape future   investments in education.

Principal Researcher, UPDATED   FISCAL SPACE ANALYSIS OF SOCIALPROTECTION IN IRAQ | United   Nations Children's Fund (Iraq), Iraq (Sep 2025 - July 2026)

The objective of this   consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive fiscal space analysis of social   protection in Iraq, with the aim of identifying potential sources of revenue   and expenditure rationalization options that can enhance the fiscal   sustainability of social protection programs and support expansion of social   protection in line with a proposed SPSF. Dr Masekesa’s research and analytical   role involves developing a simulation model that will quantify the impact of   each policy scenario on a range of key socio-economic indicators, providing a   comprehensive assessment of welfare changes. Key deliverables include recommendations   on fiscal policy options and how to effectively mobilize the resources.

Consultant and Project Manager, Mapping   and assessment of alternative channels / partnerships for NORHED III in   Sub-Saharan Africa | Norwegian Agency for Development   Cooperation, Norad (Norway), East Africa (July 2025 - October 2025)

This initiative   focuses on assessing whether there are other channels or partnerships that   could be more efficient in strengthening the capacity and quality of higher   education (HE) institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, compared to Norad’s   current interventions in this area. Dr. Masekesa's research role involves   detailed landscape assessments and mapping of relevant channels /   partnerships that have the set up and the competence to play a role in   strengthening capacity and quality of HE institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa   with a focus on East Africa. Her responsibilities include comprehensive   primary and secondary data collection and analysis on HE programs that   deliver much of the same as NORHED, and drafting substantive findings. Key   deliverables, including a detailed report, designed to guide resource   mobilization and inform alternative partnerships/channels for NORHED III.

Microsimulation Expert and Project   Manager, International consultancy to assess   possibility of implementing universal child benefits (UCBs) in Tajikistan,   perform UCB simulation and develop an investment case | United   Nations Children's Fund (Tajikistan), Tajikistan (May 2025 - Dec 2026)

The project focuses on   conducting policy simulations in the area of social protection to ensure that   the national system is well-designed, well-targeted to cover all vulnerable   groups, and cost-effective. Dr. Masekesa's analytical role involves developing   a simulation model and running simulations of the effects of policy reforms   on the risk of poverty and vulnerability, with particular attention to   coverage, tax, benefits, and fiscal space. Key deliverables, including   investment cases, are designed to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and   ensure the country benefits from innovative models for designing   cost-effective policies.

Research analyst, Institutional   Contract for the development of the Business case for Community Health and   Nutrition in Namibia | United Nations Children's Fund (Namibia),   Namibia (Nov 2024 - Aug 2025)

This project focuses   on developing crucial business cases for community health and nutrition in   Namibia. Dr. Masekesa's research role involves detailed landscape and   affordability assessments for Community Health Worker (CHW) deployment. Her   responsibilities include comprehensive secondary data collection and analysis   on CHW coverage and financing, and drafting substantive findings. Key   deliverables, including two investment cases, are designed to guide resource   mobilization and inform evidence-based financial assessments for impactful   public health policy.

Senior researcher, Evaluation   of the Child-Sensitive Social Protection (CSSP) program in Asia and Africa   supported by Save the Children Finland | Save the Children   Finland, Somalia, Zambia, Cote d'Ivoire, Philippines, India, Nepal (Mar 2025   - Jul 2025)

This initiative   evaluates Child-Sensitive Social Protection (CSSP) programmes across six   diverse Asian and African countries to enhance their impact. Dr. Masekesa   leads on methodology development, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of   programme relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and   sustainability, importantly integrating gender and disability inclusion into   the analysis. The evaluation's findings and detailed recommendations serve as   key deliverables to inform future programming design, showcasing her M&E   expertise for impactful social protection interventions.

Senior Associate, Estimating   the resources needed to roll out the Community Health Workers Guidelines in   Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar | United Nations   Children's Fund (Tanzania), Tanzania (Dec 2023 - Jun 2025).

This work generates   critical economic evidence to inform the sustainable implementation of   community health programs in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. Dr. Masekesa's   role involves applying detailed resource estimation methodologies to   accurately determine the finances needed for the effective rollout of   Community Health Worker Guidelines. This delivers crucial financial analysis   for evidence-based public expenditure decisions, highlighting her skills in   financial planning and contributing to informed investments in the national   health sector.

Social Protection expert,  Development of a Social Cash Transfer Communications Strategy | United   Nations Children's Fund (Malawi), Malawi (Aug 2024 - Apr 2025)

The project entails   developing a comprehensive communications strategy for Malawi's Social Cash   Transfer Programme. Dr. Masekesa's expert role focuses on creating an updated   strategy, the core deliverable, to guide key messaging and outreach. Her   methodology involves aligning with national policies to positively shift   perceptions of cash assistance by meticulously highlighting evidence of its   impact on livelihoods and leveraging this evidence for robust advocacy with   diverse public, political, and development stakeholders.

Senior Associate, Zambia   Inclusion of Cash Plus Care for Vulnerable Children | The   World Bank, Zambia (Mar 2024 - Dec 2024)

This consultancy   supported the strengthening of social protection systems in Zambia to assist   vulnerable children affected by COVID-19 and other adversities. Dr. Masekesa   provided technical support for three main activities: mapping, identifying,   and targeting affected children; enhancing linkages and referrals for the   delivery of 'Cash Plus' care support; and building institutional capacity to   plan and implement these vital interventions, including Social Cash   Transfers. These activities also focused on generating transferable   knowledge.

Lead Researcher, A South   African Competency Framework | The NECT and DBE South Africa (Aug   2022 - Apr 2023).

This research study   aimed to determine the attributes and competencies essential for South   African learners to thrive in a fast-changing world, conducted for the   Department of Basic Education (DBE). Dr. Masekesa developed the concept note   and theory of change, and managed and directed all research aspects. This   included designing robust mixed-methods data collection instruments, ensuring   methodological rigor, leading data collection, storage, quality assurance,   transformation, modelling, analysis, and report writing. The key research   findings, a primary deliverable, guided the DBE in developing the framework.

Senior Research Analyst, Enhancing   Water Security through Water Conservation | Environmental   Economics Policy Research Unit, South Africa (Jun 2021 – Sept 2021).

This project involved   conducting data analysis and providing recommendations on water security for   the Environmental Economics Policy Research Unit. Dr. Masekesa managed data,   provided technical assistance on quality assurance, data analysis, and   visualisation. Her work explored financing nature-based solutions to enhance   water security and behavioural nudges for water conservation. Key   deliverables included authored concept notes and research insight reports   which provided recommendations that guided the organisation in determining   impactful interventions for the subsequent year.

Senior Research Consultant, The Food   Constraints scale up project | Innovations for Poverty Action   (IPA), Zambia (Apr 2020 to Sep 2020).

This consultancy for   IPA Zambia focused on leveraging a company's existing infrastructure to   provide cash loans to the unbanked rural population, aiming to smooth   consumption for vulnerable households. Dr. Masekesa conducted data cleaning   of primary data and analysed administrative and survey data to assess the   effect of these cash loans on customer loyalty and to evaluate if default   rates varied between different loan package recipients. Her research report,   outlining key insights and recommendations, was a critical deliverable used   to modify the loan terms for greater effectiveness.

Researcher and Trainer,  Tax-Benefit Microsimulation Models | UNU-WIDER, Uganda,   South Africa and Mozambique (June 2018 - Jul 2019).

This initiative   supported countries across Africa in developing and utilizing tax-benefit   microsimulation models for policy analysis. Dr. Masekesa assisted countries   by providing crucial training on how to create the model, ensure correct   coding, and thoroughly clean the underpinning data. Furthermore, she trained   teams on how to effectively use these models in developing impactful tax and   social protection policies, including modelling policy scenarios and their   impacts on government revenues, poverty levels, and inequality.

• Intra-household inequality, fairness and productivity. Evidence from a real effort experiment, Faith Masekesa, Alistair Munro, World Development, 127, 2020, 104763, 0305-750X
• Exploring the quality of income data in two African household surveys for the purpose of tax-benefit microsimulation modelling: Imputing employment income in Tanzania and Zambia, McLennan D, Noble M, Wright G, Barnes H, Masekesa F, 2021, WIDER Working Paper, 2021/134, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• Assessing the quality of the income data used in SAMOD, a South African tax-benefit microsimulation model, Wright G, Barnes H, Noble M, McLennan D, Masekesa F, 2018, WIDER Working Paper, 2018/173, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• Tax-benefit microsimulation modelling in Zanzibar: A feasibility study, Leyaro V, Masekesa F, Ramadhan R, Kisanga E, Noble M, Wright G, 2020, WIDER Working Paper, 2020/15, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• Exploring options for a universal old age pension in Tanzania, Khalfan T, Kisanga E, Leyaro V, Masekesa F, Noble M, Wright G, 2020, WIDER Working Paper, 2020/81, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• Modelling value-added tax (VAT) in South Africa: Assessing the distributional impact of the recent increase in the VAT rate and options for redress through the benefits system, Gcabo R, Moche B, Steyn W, Moahlodi B, Pirttilä J, Noble M, Wright G, Barnes H, Masekesa F, 2019, WIDER Working Paper, 2019/13, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER

• Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya dominate the e-commerce industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, Faith Masekesa, 2020, The Asian Banker, https://www.theasianbanker.com/updates-and-articles/nigeria,-south-africa-and-kenya-dominate-the-e-commerce-industry-in-sub-saharan-africa
• Evolving payments landscape in Africa threatens traditional bank account services, Faith Masekesa, 2019, The Asian Banker, https://www.theasianbanker.com/updates-and-articles/evolving-payments-landscape-in-africa-threatens-traditional-bank-account-services
• Customer-centric mobile technologies continue to reshape Sub-Saharan Africa's payments industry, Faith Masekesa, 2019, The Asian Banker, https://www.theasianbanker.com/updates-and-articles/customer-centric-mobile-technologies-continue-to-reshape-sub-saharan-africa%E2%80%99s-payments-industry
• Balancing Tax Collection And Equality: The Case Of Value-Added Tax In South Africa, U.N.U. WIDER, 2019, Research Brief, 2019/3, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• SOUTHMOD Country Report Uganda - UGAMOD v1.1, Waiswa R, Ayo JO, Barugahara TK, Musoke N, Nakyambadde D, Noble M, Byaruhanga C, Kavuma S, Masekesa F, Nalukwago MI, 2019, Helsinki, UNU-WIDER
• Decent Standard of Living Index Final Report, Frye I, Wright G, Elsley T, Noble M, Barnes H, Jele J, Masekesa F, Zembe-Mkabile W, McLennan D, 2018, National Department of Social Development, South Africa

• Traveling
• Sports (golf, tennis, basketball, ice-skating, hiking)