Intern Vacancy in Nairobi, Kenya - Web Content

M-KOPA is seeking:
 
Position Title: Web Content Intern
 
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
 
Position Start: As soon As Possible
 
Reporting to:Information Security Officer
 
Duration: Six (6) months
 
Overall Purpose: The Web Content Intern is responsible for creating and/or acquiring content for the intranet websites, e-mail newsletters and other online communications media such as blogs. 

The role may be extended to include some technical or creative responsibilities (such as website re-design, re-structuring, migration/importation of content to the Intranet, training team champions and improving user experiences)

About M-KOPA Solar:
 M-KOPA Solar, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, is the global leader of "pay-as-you-go" energy for off-grid customers.  

Since its commercial launch in October 2012, M-KOPA has connected more than 350,000 homes in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to solar power, and is now adding over 500 new homes each day. 

The success of M-KOPA (M= mobile, KOPA= to borrow) stems from making solar products affordable to low-income households on a pay-per-use installment plan. Customers acquire solar systems for a small deposit and then purchase daily usage "credits" for Kshs 50, or less than the price of traditional kerosene lighting.  

After one year of payments customers own their solar systems outright and can upgrade to more power. 
 
All revenues are collected in real-time via mobile money systems (such as M-PESA in Kenya) and embedded GSM sensors in each solar system allow M-KOPA to monitor real time performance and regulate usage based upon payments.  

This connected design means that M-KOPA is processing vast amounts of data (i.e. over 10,000 mobile payments per day) via the company's proprietary cloud platform, M-KOPAnet.

As of January 2016 M-KOPA employs over 700 full time staff across East Africa and sells through a network of over 1,000 direct sales agents. It has also commenced licensing its technology to partners in other markets.  

M-KOPA has been recognised for its pioneering business mode and scale, notably winning the 2015 Zayed Future Energy Prize, being selected as the top New Energy Pioneer at the 2014 Bloomberg New Energy Finance awards and earning the 2013 FT/IFC Excellence in Sustainable Finance Award.

M-KOPA has also successfully tested a range of new products that leverage its relationship with customers, and M-KOPA’s unique competencies in mobile telecommunications and ICT. 

To ensure that the research and development of new products add value to (and do not distract from) its core business, M-KOPA is establishing the M-KOPA Labs.

The Labs will be a dedicated business unit within M-KOPA that will define and test extensions of the M-KOPA asset-based credit model for off-grid-power to new products and services. 
 
Role Profile

The Nature of Online Content:
 Online content can take many forms, including plain text, links, database content, still images (illustrations, photographs, diagrams), animation, audio, video, interactive devices (forms, forums, chat rooms, polls, questionnaires, etc.). 

The main responsibility of the WC Intern will be for the creation or acquisition of verbal content (primarily textual but also audio/visual), although a close relationship with other teams, such as graphic designers, will almost certainly be required.
 
Key Accountabilities
 
1. Design and development
 
[Note: The WC Intern is unlikely to be primarily responsible for design and development. They will, however, contribute an important user-orientated perspective to the process.]
  • Contribute to audience research as a basis for design of the site.
  • Contribute to the top-level and detailed design of the website (or e-newsletter, etc.), with a particular focus on the ways in which the goals for the site and the needs of users can be met through the provision of appropriate content.
  • Contribute to the process of information design, to ensure that content is appropriately structured to meet the goals for the site and the needs of users.
  • Contribute to documentation of the design.
2. Co-ordination and planning
  • Schedule the creation/acquisition of content in accordance with editorial policy.
  • Allocate tasks to additional content contributors in different teams.
  • Manage the creation/acquisition of content in accordance with the schedule.
  • Manage costs within agreed budgets for promotional activities.
3. Content creation
  • Prepare textual content for Intranet websites (including feature articles, advertising copy, database content, links, FAQs, etc.).
  • Prepare textual content for e-newsletters.
  • Design web forms where necessary.
  • Prepare textual content for distribution as SMS messages.
  • Specify the multimedia content needed to support or work alongside textual content.
  • Locate and select appropriate, existing multimedia content, including still images, animations, music and video.
  • Liaise with multimedia specialists in the creation of any new multimedia content.
  • Edit copy received from additional content contributors.
4. Website promotion
  • Use metadata and other methods to optimize search engine positions.
  • Communicate with other site owners in order to maximize incoming links.
5. Communication with users
  • Respond to user enquiries, comments and suggestions.
  • Moderate forums.
  • Edit and/or approve content contributions made by users.
6. Content maintenance
  • Update and maintain time-sensitive material.
  • Maintain menus, indexes and directories within the intranet site collection.
  • Archive and backup content (where this is not automatic)
7. Evaluation
  • Conduct or commission ongoing audience research.
  • Compile and analyze website usage statistics.
  • Obtain and analyze user feedback.
  • Recommend changes in editorial policy and site design.
Qualifications
  • Currently enrolled in an Undergraduate Program (Preferably Marketing, Communication, Corporate Communication, Communications Business Management or an IT related field) or relevant work experience in online marketing, communications or web content management will be an advantage.
  • Relevant professional certifications are a plus.
  • Experience working with SharePoint Online or other content management systems is a plus.
  • Technology savvy and a quick learner with strong attention to detail.
  • Collaborative and positive attitude are a must.
  • Team player, able to work with various personalities.
  • Ability to work independently and participate in multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, demonstrated ability to use initiative and be a self-starter.
  • Must be fluent in English both spoken and written. Swahili is a plus.
Remuneration: Competitive package covering a monthly stipend reflective of the candidate’s experience and skills.

To Apply
 
To apply, send an updated detailed copy of your CV and a cover letter expressing why you feel you would be an excellent candidate for the role to careers@m-kopa.com with the subject EV-WCI-2086
 
Deadline for application is 5pm on Sunday 31st July, 2016.

Please Note:
 M-KOPA, as a policy, does not collect/charge any money as a pre-employment or post-employment requirement. This means that we never ask for ‘recruitment fees’, ‘processing fees’, ‘interview fees’ or any other kind of money in exchange for offer letters or interviews  at any time during the hiring process.

Due to the large number of applications received by us, we regret that you will not be contacted unless you are short listed for the post and invited for an interview. Therefore, if you have not heard from M-KOPA within 4 weeks of the date of the deadline your application, you should assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

This measure has been taken in the interests of efficiency and cost effectiveness and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.