Manager, AI Capability at Safaricom Kenya

Responsibilities

Health and Safety

• Uphold the company code of conduct, policies and procedures, ensuring integrity and accountability in every aspect of your work.
•  All employees have a responsibility to adhere to safety, health, and wellbeing policies, guidelines and procedures in all actions and decisions.

AI Capability Strategy & Workforce Readiness

• Develop and implement the enterprise AI capability and skills development strategy.
• Define AI competency frameworks for technical and non-technical employee segments.
• Assess AI capability maturity across business functions and identify development priorities.
• Build workforce readiness programs supporting AI adoption at scale.
• Establish capability roadmaps aligned to business and technology strategies.
• Identify future AI skill requirements and emerging capability needs.
• Support workforce planning initiatives for AI and data talent.
• Develop capability measurement frameworks and maturity assessments.
• Ensure AI capability initiatives support enterprise transformation priorities.

AI Learning & Development

• Design enterprise-wide AI learning pathways for leaders, managers and employees.
• Develop AI onboarding, certification and accreditation programs.
• Curate learning content covering AI, analytics, automation and emerging technologies.
• Partner with HR and Learning teams to embed AI learning into talent development frameworks.
• Deliver workshops, masterclasses and capability-building interventions.
• Support development of technical upskilling programs for AI practitioners.
• Establish mechanisms for continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Measure effectiveness and impact of learning interventions.
• Promote adoption of self-service AI learning platforms and resources.

AI Evangelist Network

• Design and implement the Group AI Evangelist Program.
• Recruit, develop and support AI champions across business units.
• Create communities of practice focused on AI adoption and innovation.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing forums and capability events.
• Equip AI evangelists with tools, resources and learning content.
• Track adoption and effectiveness of AI ambassador initiatives.
• Foster collaboration between technical and business communities.
• Promote successful AI use cases and innovation stories.
• Build a sustainable internal network of AI advocates and change agents.

Academic & Ecosystem Partnerships

• Establish partnerships with universities and higher learning institutions.
• Collaborate on AI research, innovation and talent development initiatives.
• Build internship, graduate and AI fellowship programs.
• Engage with technology vendors and innovation partners.
• Participate in industry forums and AI ecosystem initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for joint research and capability-building activities.
• Support development of local AI talent pipelines.
• Drive collaboration with regional and global AI communities.
• Strengthen Safaricom’s role in shaping national AI capability agendas.

AI Change Adoption & Culture

• Develop AI awareness and adoption campaigns across the Group.
• Promote responsible AI usage and AI literacy among employees.
• Drive behavioral change initiatives supporting AI transformation.
• Support business teams in embedding AI into day-to-day operations.
• Measure AI adoption and capability outcomes across functions.
• Develop communication strategies that promote AI success stories.
• Foster a culture of experimentation and innovation.
• Address barriers to AI adoption and capability development.
• Support organizational readiness for emerging AI technologies.

AI Thought Leadership & External Engagement

• Represent Safaricom in AI conferences, forums and industry engagements.
• Develop thought leadership content on AI innovation and capability development.
• Promote Safaricom’s AI achievements through external channels.
• Support publication of research, case studies and innovation insights.
• Engage with regulators, academia and industry stakeholders on AI matters.
• Position Safaricom as a leading AI capability-building organization.
• Contribute to national and regional AI development conversations.
• Support executive engagement on AI thought leadership initiatives.
• Build Safaricom’s reputation as a destination for AI talent and innovation.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Customer Obsession

• Deepen team connection to our customers and communities.
• Foster authentic relationships with customers and partners that build trust.
• Explicitly take customer-centric decisions and take personal ownership to achieve results.
• Simplify processes through digitalization and promote a digital mindset and digital first customer experience.
• Stay focused on the big priorities, know when to make meaningful trade-offs and demonstrate brilliant execution.

Purpose

• Create an inspiring vision for your team to drive strategy and performance.
• Show ambition and courage, empowering others to go beyond the plan.
• Bold and challenge teams to reimagine how things are done.
• Prompt new thinking and ideas by asking “what if” questions.
• Use knowledge of the external environment (customers, partners, competition, external bodies) to identify and act on opportunities for growth at pace.

Innovation

• Create psychological safety so everyone can have an impact.
• Fuel innovative ideas from others and test them to enable growth.
• Explore successes and failures with curiosity and resilience; fearlessly recognizing lessons learned.
• Share your ongoing learning and personal purpose with others.
• Learn fast from digital adoption, using learnings to drive simplicity, scale and efficiency.

Collaboration

• Articulate your team’s role in making our strategy happen, prioritizing and aligning resources with current and future needs.
• Actively collaborate to break silos and hold your team accountable to do the same.
• Develop others to make the most of their talents and coach them to take ownership to get things done.
• Create an inclusive environment ensuring the safety and wellbeing of others.
• Live our Purpose and demonstrate the highest Standard of integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Education, Organizational Development, Business, Technology or related field.
• Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence, Learning & Development, Organizational Development, Business Administration or related discipline is an added advantage.
• Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in capability development, learning, technology transformation, AI adoption or digital transformation roles.
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise capability-building programs.
• Strong understanding of Artificial Intelligence, Analytics, Machine Learning and emerging technologies.
• Experience driving large-scale change management and adoption initiatives.
• Knowledge of adult learning methodologies and capability frameworks.
• Experience managing stakeholder engagement across diverse business functions.
• Experience working with academic institutions and external partners.
• Strong facilitation, coaching and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication and influencing capabilities.
• Knowledge of organizational capability assessment and workforce readiness frameworks.
• Experience working within agile and transformation environments.
• Professional certifications in Change Management, Learning & Development, AI or Digital Transformation are an added advantage.