Job Openings at SunCulture

Department: Operations

Reporting to: Head of Supply Chain

Tenure: Internship

About the role

Under the management of the Supply Chain Head, the Customer Care Dispatch Intern will be responsible for ensuring that all SunCulture products move within the process with the focus on ensuring customer satisfaction and pristine customer experience as a brand frontline for SunCulture

Roles And Responsibilities

• Proper Coordination with reps from PAYG, Sales & After sales team for clear alignment of orders as they are captured to our system
• Handle/Receive and answer Questions regarding Dispatch and pending orders from other departments
• Record all error logs on dispatches and troubleshooting them
• Proactively follow up with IT on Appsheet/Power BI and ensure the sales Funnel is in line with orders released
• Receive and dispatch orders whenever required
• Oversee the Re-routes of units and track the delivery status of products with service providers & update customers accordingly
• Coordinate & update Dispatch tracker with the IT team on a daily basis
• Inform field units about orders and traffic flow
• Call customers after dispatch are done and ensure all dispatched orders are collected within 3 days from Wells Fargo collection centers
• Any other duty as may be assigned by the line manager

Does this sound like you?

• Experience in customer relations or any other related field.
• Degree/ Diploma in marketing, communications, or related field
• Experience in collaborating cross-department with a clear vision on ensuring SLAs are met in good time.
• Proficient in GSuite, MS Office and CRMs
• Multitasking skills, including the ability to handle various inquiries
• Keen on operational excellence and process improvements to achieve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Able to work in a dynamic environment with immense pressure
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to plan, be organized, and meet deadlines
• Proactive, collaborative, organized, curious, problem solver with a “can-do” attitude

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Reporting to: VP of Engineering

About the role

SunCulture has reached an exciting phase in its development and is poised for significant growth. The organization needs an experienced Product Manager to take the lead with respect to existing product improvements and internal product support. The role is key to the growth of the organization due to its influence on customer satisfaction and hence SunCulture’s net promoter score.

Key Responsibilities

Existing Product Improvements            

• Manage lab and field tests of SunCulture products to generate quantitative performance data (e.g. pump efficiency, yield impact drip vs. sprinkler vs. mist, etc.). The data will be used to determine improvements to existing products
• Own technical product aftersales; work closely with aftersales engineers to resolve product bugs identified through analyzing maintenance reports and evaluating product designs
• Engage customers and staff to not only measure satisfaction with existing products  but also to solicit ideas for product improvements
• Work closely with the CTO & Head of Product to identify design enhancements to continuously improve the user experience of all existing products
• Define and implement standard testing procedures for design changes and bug fixes
• Manage the integration of approved design changes and bug fixes into the supply chain
• Maintain a close relationship with the Head of Product to ensure knowledge transfer and a smooth transition of products from  New Product Innovation (NPI) to Existing Product Innovation (EPI)

Leadership

• Build, inform and act as an ambassador for a culture of human-centered product design
• Scale-up, mentor, and coach a highly efficient and hands-on product design team
• Train the team on all changes to products to ensure the quality control, sales, installation, and maintenance teams are knowledgeable on all existing products
• Manage the performance of the team in line with agreed quarterly KPIs
• Collaborate with individuals from different departments to meet the requirements and timelines in line with existing product enhancements

Does This Sound Like You?

• 3-5 years of experience in Human-centered design (HCD), a design and management framework that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
• Bachelors degree in engineering, product design, business, or another relevant field, with a Masters degree, preferred
• Experience conducting quantitative and qualitative customer research, both in the form of surveys and in-person interviews.
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa preferred
• Able to fluently communicate in English; Swahili a plus
• Comfortable with ambiguity in a fast-evolving environment, and able to plan, be organized, and meet deadlines
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, and with strong execution skills
• Good communication skills and should ensure Information communicated is clear and timely
• Independent thinker able to thrive and make decisions in a fast-paced dynamic environment
• Skill in prioritizing and triaging obligations
• Organized and an expert in time management 
• Thrive in resources constrained environments
• High integrity values with discretion in using budgetary allocation for the department
• A proven record of ability to work with minimal supervision
• Proactive, collaborative, organized, curious, problem solver with a “can-do” attitude

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Reporting to: VP of Engineering

About the role

SunCulture has reached an exciting phase in its development and is poised for significant growth. The organization needs an experienced Product Manager to take the lead with respect to new product innovations and lead the development & execution of the product roadmap with the VP of Engineering. As the Product Manager – New Product Innovation, you will be responsible for coordinating cross-functional teams across SunCulture to bring new products to market, including hardware, finance, sourcing, and customer support.

To thrive in this role, you should have a deep passion for understanding customer needs and translating them into actionable insights. This requires a versatile skill set, including market/customer research, project management, and technical knowledge in both hardware and software. Strong written and verbal communication skills are a must – you should be equally comfortable discussing new product initiatives with SunCulture executives and interviewing customers in the field.

This role requires significant time (~70%) in the field of developing products alongside SunCulture’s core smallholder farmer customer base in Kenya.                     

Key Responsibilities

New Product Innovation              

• Develop an NPI strategy in line with overall company strategy and oversee the implementation of the strategy/documentation of processes
• Act as the new product integration expert ensuring all applicable codes, standards, and design principles are considered during the product innovation cycle
• Build a team capable of testing products and generating quantitative performance data (e.g. pump head/flow); 
• Perform lab tests to generate quantitative performance data and interview customers for qualitative data; 
• Schedule and ensure field trials of all new products in all core regions where SunCulture is present; 
• Manage all new product prototype testing with early adopters/product pilot farmers in collaboration with the VP of Engineering
• Analyze competitor products to identify product design and engineering opportunities that will enable performance improvements; 
• Carry out post-launch support activities such as testing, monitoring, reporting, and assisting in escalation and resolution of customer issues.
• Iterate on product improvements throughout new product pilots to reduce cost and increase system performance/usability ahead of commercial launch;

Leadership

• Build, inform and act as an ambassador for a culture of human-centered product design
• Scale-up, mentor, and coach a highly efficient and hands-on product design team
• Train cross-functional teams on all new products to ensure the quality control, sales, installation, and maintenance teams are knowledgeable on all new products
• Manage the performance of the team in line with agreed upon quarterly KPIs

Does This Sound Like You?

• 3-5 years of experience in Human-centered design (HCD), a design and management framework that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
• You have a proven track record of shipping high-impact products, preferably in a combined hardware and software business
• Bachelors degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, product design, business, or other relevant fields; Masters degree preferred
• Experience conducting quantitative and qualitative customer research, both in the form of surveys and in-person interviews
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa preferred
• Able to fluently communicate in English; Swahili is a plus
• Comfortable with ambiguity in a fast-evolving environment, and able to plan, be organized, and meet deadlines
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, and with strong execution skills
• Good communication skills and should ensure information communicated is clear and timely
• Independent thinker able to thrive and make decisions in a fast-paced dynamic environment with little direction
• Organized and an expert in time management 
• High integrity values with discretion in using budgetary allocation for the department
• A proven ability to work with minimal supervision
• Proactive, collaborative, organized, and curious problem solver with a “can-do” attitude

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About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Credit, this role will entail verification of the customer details obtained from the initial survey done by the sales agents to ensure data being relied on for onboarding purposes is accurate. This role will also be responsible for other administrative functions within the PAYG department which, among other things, will involve dispatch and filing of various documentation. 

 Key Responsibilities

• Be accountable for verification of customer information and documents as generated from the initial customer survey, CDS1.
• Ensure details on the customer and next of kin IDs are valid and captured correctly
• Ensure customer location and address are properly verified and confirmed
• Liaise with customers where additional information is required or further clarifications sought
• Engage with other team members with regards to handling queries around customer information
• Generate reports from the Credit Reference Bureau with a view to understanding the details and using the same to ensure the veracity of customer information and for onward use by Relationship Managers to perform risk assessments under CDS2.
• Generate customer statements within the system and dispatch the same to customers on a regular basis or upon request.
• Meet tight SLA timelines with regards to the provision of the requisite data to the Relationship Managers to perform the next steps.
• Follow-up on current and historical PAYG contracts with the engineering team and ensuring all installations done have a corresponding contract filed.
• Ensuring all customer documentation required for repossession purposes are availed to the collection officers in a timely manner. 

Skills and Competencies

• Degree in Actuarial Science or finance or economic or any other relevant field
• At least 2-5 years’ work experience in a similar role in a busy organization, preferably dealing with small scale farmers.
• Experience with preparation and analysis of large data sets
• Sound customer service skills and exceptional attention to detail abilities
• Evidence of well-developed organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines.
• Integrity and ability to work in consumer finance with small scale farmers across Kenya
• Sound verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate.
• Target driven, self-starter, and problem solver
• Demonstrated ability to follow policy and procedures.
• Sound judgment, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Accuracy and precision.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems and processes.    
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
• Computer literacy

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About the role

SunCulture has reached an exciting phase in its development and is poised for significant growth. The organization needs an experienced International Project Technical Manager who is responsible for ensuring SunCulture’s international project teams are provided with technical support to ensure flawless execution on the business development side of SunCulture.

This role requires significant time (~30%) in the field alongside SunCulture’s core smallholder farmer customer base in International markets outside of Kenya with distribution partners.

Key Responsibilities

Drive excellent technical support for International Partners    

• Ask customers targeted questions to quickly understand the root of the problem
• Troubleshoot software and hardware problems for partners and talk clients through a series of actions, either via phone, email, or chat, until they’ve solved a technical issue within the stipulated time frame
• Accumulate qualitative and quantitative data from international partners through field visits, check-in calls, and accurate reporting of after-sales issues
• Collaborate with all engineering managers and VP Engineering to ensure issues and feedback from international distributors are taken into account during product development
• Prioritize after-sales issues with the EPI Product Manager and Head of Aftersales and escalate to VP Engineering to determine
• Work closely with the Head of BD, the International Expansion team, and CTO to ensure requirements from international distribution partners are included in new software innovations
• Liaise between international/project teams and R&D to ensure product requirements for international BD initiatives are considered in new product & existing product improvement programs
• Document technical knowledge in the form of notes and manuals for international partners

Does This Sound Like You?

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to connect with diverse and international team members
• A natural problem solver and strong communication skills
• Strong organizational leadership and time management skills
• Must be knowledgeable about engineering and can explain technology in layman’s terms to partners
• Bachelors degree in mechanical or electrical engineering, product design, business, or another relevant field
• Proven work experience as a Technical Support Engineer, International Project Coordinator, or similar role
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa preferred
• Able to fluently communicate in English; Swahili and/or French is a plus
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to plan, organize, and execute to meeting deadlines in a fast-evolving environment
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, and with strong execution skills
• Excellent communication skills and should ensure information communicated is clear and timely
• Independent thinker able to thrive and make decisions in a fast-paced dynamic environment
• High integrity values with discretion in using budgetary allocation for the department
• A proven record of ability to work with minimal supervision
• Proactive, collaborative, organized, curious, problem solver with a “can-do” attitude