Head of Customer Research Job in Nairobi, Kenya

M-KOPA is seeking:
 
Position Title: Head of Customer Research
 
Location: Nairobi
 
Reporting to: Chief Customer Care Officer

Who We Are: 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 400,000 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 instalment plan. 

Customers acquire solar systems for a small deposit and then purchase daily usage "credits" for Ksh 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 November, 2016 M-KOPA employs over 1000 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

Overall Purpose:
 M-KOPA is looking for a Head of Customer Research to lead the Customer Research team in developing a quality insight strategy to help drive retention and acquisition of customers in our customer driven organization. 


This person will provide strategic support in order to promote the profitable growth of the company by providing information that will aid in decision making to drive business strategy in the various business units (sales, customer care, development and so forth). 

The Head of Customer Research will foster and advocate for the proper usage of research methods (qualitative, quantitative, and secondary research methods) that help the company understand the marketplace and its customers, and ultimately lead to more profitable business for the company.
 
Primary Duties:
  • Provide thorough understanding consumer behaviour and choice by helping M-KOPA understand how consumer behaviour and choice drives value. This involves review customer data for trends, patterns and casual analysis to assist in understanding customer’s activity.
  • Generating consumer insights which inform the innovation and product development process, allow for alteration of various campaigns (sales, customer care) and build greater engagement and loyalty with our customer base.
  • Contribute to brand, sales, marketing and product strategy formulation as well as supporting the development of key strategic initiatives for M-KOPA.
  • Selecting the most appropriate research methodology and techniques as well as designing qualitative and quantitative research plans. Have the ability to develop techniques to provide analysis.
  • Work with research team to scope and undertake research (ethnographic and focus group) which helps develop consumer insights and allows us to understand customer behaviour.
  • Work effectively as part of the broader customer care, sales, marketing and strategy team.
  • Provide insight and understanding which will improve the timeliness and quality of commercial decision making.
  • Distil complex research or analysis into simple and compelling recommendations for management.
  • Building a capable team that can undertake research and do analaysis.
Education, Skills and Experience Requirements:
  • A minimum of five years within customer/market research
  • Experience with a wide array of product, brand, advertising and customer satisfaction research methodologies
  • Exceptional written and oral communication abilities
  • Strong analytic skills with experience in statistical modelling and analysis
  • Proficient with Excel, PowerPoint, and SPSS/SAS
  • Bachelors or advanced degree in business, statistics, mathematics or the sciences
  • Extensive project management experience with proven ability to organize and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
  • Ability to work in a fast paced environment, adapt easily to changing situations and demonstrates flexibility in juggling priorities
  • Ability to think differently and challenge convention if it creates greater customer value.
Personal Attributes:
  • Experience at working as a leader and collaborator in a team-oriented environment is essential.
  • Can conform to shifting priorities, demands and timelines through analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Reacts to project adjustments and alterations promptly and efficiently. Flexible during times of change.
  • Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including management, customers, and other departments.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills.
  • Strong Customer service skills and focus required.
  • Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment is crucial.
  • Tenacious, driven, energetic and a high degree of professional integrity.
How to Apply
 
To apply, please logon HERE

Click on the “click to apply” button adjacent to this job and follow the application instructions. It is advised to complete all the required fields as requested as well as any assessments stipulated as a requirement.
 
Please Note: M-KOPA Solar is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff.  

Women, minorities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.  In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, M-KOPA does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment. 
 
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.