KickStart
International is an award-winning, non-profit social enterprise whose mission
is to provide smallholder farmers with access to income-generating products and
services that will empower them to lift themselves out of poverty.
KickStart has sold
over 200,000 pumps across sub-Saharan Africa, through retailers, distributors,
and NGOs.
However, KickStart
recognizes that in order to create successful, sustainable farming businesses,
smallholder farmers also need access to other important resources, such as
other types of irrigation technologies/accessories, farmer-friendly financing,
agronomy information/training, and market linkages.
Offering a more
holistic value proposition to farmers is an integral component of KickStart’s
strategic plan to scale impact through innovative products and services,
innovative sales & marketing tactics, and strategic partnerships.
The Job
Opportunity
KickStart is seeking
an experienced and enthusiastic Product Manager to lead and manage the enhancement of KickStart’s Value
Proposition through expansion of its product and services portfolio.
The Product Manager -
Innovations will work with members of cross-functional teams (Marketing, Sales,
Supply Chain, Product Intelligence and Development (PID), Finance, Impact
Monitoring, Business Improvement and Information Services) to bring these new projects
to fruition.
The position will
report to the Head of Marketing & Innovation and will be based in Nairobi
with travel within Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Specifically, the job
responsibilities will include:
- Product
Development Roadmap/Product Portfolio Management
- Facilitate
the decision-making process for expanding KickStart’s product/services
portfolio and developing KickStart’s product roadmap
- Analyze
product mix and each product’s contribution to overall gross margin
- Develop
and pilot strategy for “bundling” related products and services into a
holistic solution to be packaged and offered to customers
- Product
Management of Irrigation Technologies that enable smallholder farmers to
increase income by cultivating dry season crops.
- Work
with the Product Intelligence and Development and Marketing &
Innovation teams to determine product features, pricing, positioning, and
promotion
- Manage
project timelines & deliverables o Conduct training of Sales Team o
Evaluate sales performance post-launch
- Product
Management of Financial Services that are designed to enhance and
accelerate the impact created by our Irrigation Technologies
- Tailor
design of KickStart’s existing Mobile Layaway service (micro-savings via
M-PESA mobile money transfer) to target farmer groups in Kenya and
Tanzania
- Design
and pilot Rent-to-Own (micro-credit version of Mobile Layaway)
service
- Design
financial model, design systems and processes for administering service,
and define marketing strategy
- Conduct
training of Sales Team
- Oversee
the field implementation of pilot
- Evaluate
performance post-launch
Qualifications:
- Experience
in Product Design, Product Management, and/or Product Marketing and in
sales and marketing of physical products, ICT services, and/or financial
services
- Experience
in Project Management and Implementation
- Experience
in Team Leadership and Management with a high level of
responsibility
- Strong
analytical skills including Microsoft Excel financial modeling
skills
- Results/Performance
Orientation – proven “self-starter”
- Ability
to work in a dynamic and unstructured environment
- Undergraduate
degree required. MBA or relevant Masters degree preferred.
- Fluency
in English. Kiswahili preferred.
- Experience
working or living in developing countries - preferably in Africa
How to apply:
To be considered for this position, kindly email your one page Application Letter, together with your CV (maximum of 2 pages), with the position in the subject line of your email to hr@kickstart.org by December 31, 2012.
To be considered for this position, kindly email your one page Application Letter, together with your CV (maximum of 2 pages), with the position in the subject line of your email to hr@kickstart.org by December 31, 2012.
Website: www.kickstart.org
