In this role, you would be responsible for:
Product Lifecycle Management
Product Strategy & Planning
- Developing comprehensive product strategies informed by market research, competitive intelligence, and customer insights
- Creating and maintaining 12-month rolling product roadmaps aligned with business growth objectives
- Defining product positioning strategies that differentiate M-KOPA in increasingly competitive markets
- Leading product portfolio optimization to maximize market share and profitability
Product Development & Launch
- Managing end-to-end product development from concept through launch
- Coordinating product testing, pilots, and market validation activities
- Orchestrating and collaborating with Customer Care, Retail, Marketing, Sales, and Smartphone teams to ensure seamless product implementation
- Developing go-to-market strategies and launch plans for new products and features
- Working with supply chain to engage OEM partners and suppliers to secure optimal product terms and specifications
Post-Launch Performance Management
- Monitoring product performance metrics including adoption, revenue, margin, and customer satisfaction
- Analyzing customer and DSR feedback to identify product improvement opportunities
- Driving continuous product optimization based on competitive dynamics and market trends
- Leading product lifecycle decisions including enhancements, phase-outs, and repositioning
Cross-Functional Product Leadership
- Serving as primary product owner coordinating across Global Product, Marketing, Operations, and Commercial teams
- Ensuring alignment between global product strategy and Kenya market execution
- Advocating for Kenya market needs in global product development discussions
- Facilitating product-related decision-making across organizational boundaries
Market Intelligence & Competitive Strategy
Competitive Intelligence
- Establishing and maintaining systematic competitive monitoring processes across all relevant competitors
- Conducting in-depth competitive analysis covering product offerings, pricing, promotions, and market positioning
- Monitoring competitive threats and opportunities, providing early warning of market shifts
- Developing competitive response strategies to counter threats and exploit competitor weaknesses
- Assessing competitive landscape dynamics and their implications for M-KOPA's strategy
Market Environment Analysis
- Tracking and analyzing legislative changes, regulatory developments, and policy shifts affecting the business
- Monitoring macroeconomic factors including FX trends, inflation, and their impact on product economics
- Analyzing market trends, consumer behavior shifts, and technology developments
- Identifying emerging opportunities and threats in the broader market ecosystem
Strategic Market Positioning
- Developing proactive market strategies that anticipate competitive moves rather than react to them
- Designing strategic positioning frameworks that create sustainable competitive advantages
- Recommending market entry, expansion, or exit strategies based on comprehensive market analysis
- Evaluating effectiveness of market strategies and adjusting based on performance data
Customer Intelligence & Insights
Customer Research & Profiling
- Developing comprehensive customer profiles, personas, and segmentation frameworks
- Conducting customer needs assessments, behavior analysis, and satisfaction tracking
- Analyzing customer journey maps to identify pain points and opportunity areas
- Researching customer preferences, purchase drivers, and decision-making factors
Advanced Customer Segmentation
- Creating sophisticated customer segmentation models based on behavior, needs, and value
- Developing targeted customer strategies for each segment
- Mapping customer journeys for different segments to optimize touchpoints and experiences
- Recommending segment-specific product, pricing, and marketing approaches
Customer-Centric Product Strategy
- Translating customer insights into product selection and prioritization decisions
- Ensuring product features and specifications align with customer needs and preferences
- Validating market fit for new products through customer research and testing
- Championing the customer perspective in all product and strategic decisions
Your application should demonstrate:
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, or a related field
- MBA or Master's degree in Business, Strategy, or Product Management preferred
Experience
- 6-7 years of progressive experience in product management, strategy, business analysis, or related roles
- Minimum 3 years' experience in product lifecycle management or product strategy
- Proven track record of driving business performance improvements through data-driven insights
- Experience in competitive intelligence, market analysis, or strategic planning
- Experience in FMCG, consumer electronics, telecommunications, or fintech sectors strongly preferred
- Understanding of consumer product markets in Kenya or East Africa
- Exposure to competitive market environments requiring strategic agility
Technical Skills
- Advanced proficiency in data analysis and business intelligence tools Excel, SQL, Power BI, Tableau
- Strong quantitative and analytical capabilities
- Experience with product management frameworks and methodologies
- Proficiency in market research and competitive analysis techniques
- Financial modeling and business case development skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Product management certification
- Experience with brand management or category management in FMCG
- Background in management consulting or strategic roles
- Experience managing OEM or supplier relationships
- Knowledge of pricing strategy and revenue optimization
What Sets You Apart
- You're a strategic thinker who sees around corners—you anticipate market moves rather than react to them
- You're equally comfortable in data analysis and in front of senior leadership—you can build the model and present the narrative
- You understand that product strategy is ultimately about customers—you champion the customer perspective even when it's inconvenient
- You're a skilled cross-functional collaborator who can align diverse teams without direct authority
- You translate complexity into clarity—whether it's competitive dynamics, regulatory shifts, or customer behavior patterns
- You have the commercial instincts to connect product decisions to P&L impact and business outcomes
- You're proactive by default—you bring recommendations, not just analysis
- You're comfortable with ambiguity and energized by markets that don't sit still
