Assistant Manager, Market Surveillance at Kenya Bureau of Standards

Job Purpose

Coordinates monitoring and evaluation of the quality and compliance of locally manufactured and imported products in the assigned sectors including but not limited to: Mechanical, Civil, Building & Construction, Textile & Leather, Electrotechnical engineering; chemical, petrochemical, food and agriculture in the Kenyan market to ensure that the products comply with approved Kenya, Regional and International Standards; and taking appropriate enforcement actions as mandated under the Standards Act Cap 496, Laws of Kenya.

This is to facilitate local, regional and international trade and ease of doing business while safeguarding consumer health and safety, protection of environment in line with Articles 42, 43(a, b, c & d), 46 (a, b & c) of the Constitution of Kenya and the Standards Act (Cap 496 Laws of Kenya); and entrenchment of a culture of quality for the realization of Kenya’s vision 2030, African Union Agenda 2063 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Key Responsibilities/ Duties / Tasks

Managerial/SupervisoryResponsibilities

• Supervises implementation of strategies and policies for market surveillance in the assigned sectors in order to safeguard the health and safety of over 50 Million consumers in Kenya; protection of the environment; and entrenchment of a culture of quality in the country for delivery of KEBS mandate, realization of sustainable development goals, Kenya Vision 2030 and African Union Agenda 2063;
• Executes the National Action Plan to Combat Illicit Trade in liaison of multiagency team in order to protect businesses in the assigned sectors from unfair competition;
• Organizes market surveillance consultative forums in the assigned sectors to create awareness and enlist support for market surveillance enforcement strategies;
• Monitors compliance of locally manufactured and imported products in the assigned sectors to safeguard the health and safety of consumers and protection of local industries in support of the Kenya Industrialization Strategy;
• Organizes gathering, analyzing and sharing of intelligence in liaison with Interpol, International Maritime Organization (IMO), Coast Guard, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Defence forces, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to detect and prevent entry of substandard and illicit products and dumping of hazardous waste in the country;
• Formulates and implements strategies for investigation and resolution of consumer complaints in the assigned sectors for purpose of protection of consumer rights;
• Establishes, implements, monitors, evaluates and improves Management Systems adopted by KEBS in the department for the purpose of ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and sustained customer satisfaction;
• Establishes and implements of corporate risk management framework to minimize risk for achievement of organizational objectives in the sections;
• Advises the Manager, Market Surveillance on emerging issues on market surveillance and regulatory framework in the assigned sectors;

OperationalResponsibilities/Tasks

• Develops and implements sectional workplans, annual budgets procurement plans.
• Develops and implements sensitization programmes in Conformity Assessment for economic operators;
• Supervises development, maintenance and improvement of the database for consumer complaints, samples of tested products, seized products and their disposal status in the assigned sectors;
• Compiles case files on non-conforming products for prosecution of offenders in liaison with Directorate of Criminal Investigation
• Develops and supervises implementation of operating procedures for monitoring compliance of locally manufactured and imported products in the section;
• Develops and supervises implementation strategies for risk profiling and analysis of product compliance in the assigned sectors and advises on implementation of appropriate strategies;
• Sets sectional targets, reviews and approves performance targets, monitors implementation and submits performance reports to the Manager, Market Surveillance;
• Collaborates with Standards Development, Metrology, Testing, Quality Assurance and Inspection
• departments to enhance operational efficiencies and effectiveness of service delivery;
• Identifies and development of staff competencies in the division through formal training programs, mentorship, coaching and on-the-job training to deliver departmental objectives.
• Allocates duties and approves leave for direct reports.

Job Competencies (Knowledge, Experience and Attributes / Skills).

Academic qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and mathematics (STEM

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

• Gazetted Inspector
• Registration with any of the following Professional bodies e.g.:
  • Engineers Board of Kenya,
  • Kenya Chemical society
  • Physical Society of Kenya,
  • Food Nutrition and Dietetics Board
  • Computer Society of Kenya
  • Kenya Institute of Management
  • National Quality Institute or any other relevant
• Any other relevant professional body

Previous relevant work experience required.

• At least 7 years’ relevant experience out of which 3 years must have been in a supervisory level.

Functional Skills, Behavioral Competencies/Attributes:

Functional Skills

• Investigation skills
• Prosecution Skills
• Quality Inspection and Auditing Skills
• Negotiation skills
• Project management skills
• Financial management skills
• Supervisory skills
• Information, communication, and technology skills
• Presentation skills
• Report writing
• Analytical skills

Behavioural

• Counselling skills.
• Problem solving skills
• Time management skills
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills