Research Manager– Futurist at Safaricom Kenya

Job Description

What we’re looking for;

• In keeping with our current business needs, we are looking for a person who meets the criteria indicated below
• Reporting to the Head of Department, Strategic Foresights and Market Intelligence, the role purpose is as highlighted below;
• The Research Manager anticipates future market, customer, technological, competitive and societal shifts and translates them into strategic business opportunities, growth pathways, risk mitigation actions, and innovation priorities. The role combines strategic foresight, futures forecasting, predictive analytics, market intelligence and customer insights to help the organization prepare for and shape future markets rather than simply respond to them.

Responsibilities

Strategic Foresight & Futures Intelligence (30%)

• Lead horizon scanning across social, technological, economic, environmental, political and regulatory domains. 
• Identify emerging trends, weak signals and potential disruptions. 
• Develop predictive future scenarios and strategic response pathways 
• Assess future implications for customers, industries, markets and business models. 
• Build foresight frameworks to support long-term strategic planning. 
• Facilitate future-thinking workshops with leadership teams.

Predictive Intelligence & Forecasting (30%)

• Develop predictive models to forecast customer behaviors, category evolution and market dynamics. 
• Generate forward-looking market forecasts and growth projections. 
• Identify leading indicators that signal future opportunities and risks. 
• Apply AI, analytics and data science techniques to anticipate future trends. 
• Measure forecast accuracy and continually refine predictive models. 
• Support business planning through evidence-based future projections.

Market & Competitive Intelligence (20%)

• Monitor competitors, adjacent industries and disruptive entrants 
• Track emerging business models, technologies and innovation ecosystems. 
• Assess implications of market shifts for revenue, brand and customer experience. 
• Develop strategic alerts on emerging threats and opportunities. 
• Identify whitespace opportunities for future growth.

Strategic Advisory & Influence (20%)

• Advise executives on future risks and opportunities. 
• Influence Innovation pipeline 
• Influence strategy development through foresight-led recommendations 

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Strategic Foresight, Market Intelligence, Research or Analytics 
• Demonstrated experience in forecasting, futures thinking or predictive modeling 
• Strategic Foresight including Horizon Scanning, Scenario Planning, Futures Thinking, Strategic Forecasting
• Predictive Intelligence including Predictive Analytics, Potential Demand Forecasting, Trend Modelling, AI-Assisted Intelligence
• Research & Intelligence - Market Research and Insights Synthesis, Competitive Intelligence