REPORTS TO: Managing Director, Emerging Markets
START DATE: May 2018
About the Position
The Director of Operations makes the business work.
As a key member of the leadership team, the Director of Operations will play a critical role within our organization. The Director of Operations will oversee supply chain, logistics and after sales service, and will interact closely with our Finance Manager, ensuring efficient allocation and management of our resources. S/he will also work closely with the Sales, Marketing, and Product Development teams to ensure that BioLite’s operations will adequately support our plans for growth and expansion. The Director of Operations will be a key player in making BioLite a scalable, sector-leading organization.
The Director of Operations will be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of all operational elements within the company. S/he will also be tasked with helping foster a healthy work culture within our company, and to drive the execution of approaches to measure and improve the team’s capacity and performance.
Specific Responsibilities
People Management: Recruit, motivate, train and grow our Kenya team to over 50 professionals over the coming year; ensure that KPIs for the whole team are being measured effectively and tracked regularly.
Supply Planning and Purchasing: Actively manage supply planning. Analyze sales forecast/demand planning to drive supply chain efficiencies that can be integrated across BioLite’s channel partners and geographies.
Logistics: Manage logistics partners. Lead inventory management, quality control, and containerized shipment processes. Oversee warehouse partners, ensure compliance for international import, including packaging & labeling details, tariff codes, etc. Implement process improvements when necessary.
Sales Operations Support: Support the new distribution sales channel leaders and partners to execute against delivery commitments and optimize last-mile delivery plans; ensure process flows for data, revenues, and forecasts are running smoothly.
Market Planning: Support the new product or new market launches; help set up strategies and plans to support these (e.g., business plans, installation teams, marketing collateral, sample coordination, etc.)
After Sales Servicing: Establish workflows and ensure internal standards compliance on reporting, servicing, and tracking after-sales service and warranty claims.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Management of all data collection, analysis and reporting tools (including survey tools, CRM, and field management software); prepare data-driven analyses and reports, as assigned.
About You
You are a natural manager able to guide our operations strategy and management while working in a complex, constantly changing and resource-constrained environment. You are a strong planner who is detail focused and committed to driving operational efficiency. You are process oriented and results driven. To this end, you see opportunities to build and/or improve the organization’s tools and systems.
You have deep operational expertise and are excited about being hands-on, without getting lost in the weeds. You are a problem-solver, a direct and candid communicator, and a thoughtful change agent who understands that there are tensions to balance in this kind of diverse organization. You are comfortable collaborating with others who do not necessarily report to you and eager to build relationships with teams across the organization.
You are eager for the challenge of shaping the future of this organization as one of the closest advisors to our Managing Director. You have the skills to provide clear, consistent operational leadership for a fast growing social enterprise, and the nimbleness to respond to continual innovation and increased demands for performance. You inspire excellence and can work effectively with a global team, building a sense of shared values and goals. You are comfortable operating in the Kenyan context, working with stakeholders as diverse as rural sales agents, customs officials, and business partners.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree; MBA preferred
Relevant field experience: 10+ years of management experience, preferably working in bottom of the pyramid (BoP) markets in Kenyan rural & peri-urban areas
Fluency in English required: fluency in Kiswahili and any other local languages preferred
Strong local networks: experience and relationships working with players in the Kenya BoP markets and renewable energy sector
Results Oriented: tremendous capacity to get stuff done!
Project management and sales: experience creating and successfully executing timelines, budgets, and forecasts; ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities
Leadership experience: excellent track record of building organizational culture, leading teams, and mentoring leaders to achieve targeted outcomes regardless of challenges; proven ability to motivate and inspire.
Team player and self-starter: ability to work collaboratively, but also self-managing and work well independently
Entrepreneurial mindset: strong interpersonal skills and a hands-on approach to getting things done
Flexibility and ability to transition across a variety of roles: can easily transition from a remote village to negotiating shipping logistics, to delivering a presentation at an industry conference; open to evolving responsibilities.
Strong analytical and communication skills: experience to effectively synthesize and report data
Strong work ethic: willingness to work a non-traditional work schedule
Balance: combining patience, empathy, and honesty with the assertiveness, clout and drive to see any job through to the end
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Salary and benefits are competitive, commensurate with experience.
