Latest Jobs at Duma Works - 4 Positions

Duma Works is looking to recruit an ambitious and analytical Chief Technology Officer for one of its clients to fuel the growth of their edtech platform and content design services across Africa and globally.

This is a full-time position with equity participation based in Nairobi.

About​ Us:

We are a Nairobi-based social enterprise making it possible for anyone to access the information and opportunities they need from the organizations they trust over any mobile phone. With us, people seeking to learn can freely access our chatbot using interactive SMS or smartphone chat apps to master new skills, discover a world of free educational content, and earn rewards from our partners whether or not they have internet or airtime.

The chatbot delivers personalized content designed in-house in close collaboration with our partners such as financial service providers, mobile operators, agribusinesses and NGOs.

Our partners use our platform to engage, train, and capture data on under served people across their value chains, especially hard-to-reach customers, retailers, and suppliers. Currently serving 600,000 learners in East Africa, We have demonstrated results increasing people’s income and access to impactful products and services while creating shared value for partners.

You will manage and work closely with software engineers, product managers, data scientists, and learning designers to drive our pioneering technical innovation agenda by applying machine learning, predictive analytics, behavioral science, and conversational agents to deliver personalized information and opportunity at scale.

Responsibilities

• Develop a clear vision, objectives, and implementation strategy for the technology of the product
• Attract, structure, lead, and inspire a high performing and ever-growing team of engineers, product managers, data scientists, algorithm developers, statisticians, system admins, dreamers, and designers;
• Identify competitive advantages and technological trends for the benefit of the company;
• Oversee the design, development, and deployment of a highly profitable and impactful learning platform in key expansion markets initially across Africa and then to Asia and Latin America;
• Guide near term builds including the Android/iOS app, IVR app, advertising and licensing exchange, adaptive learning engine, predictive analytics, and partner API;
• Provide perspective and guidance on long-term scalable architecture, strategy, investments and innovation drawing upon your depth and breadth of knowledge;
• Publish technical white papers on the impact of our innovations and generate patent applications as appropriate;
• Contribute thought leadership with industry executives at the organizations that we work with across financial services, agriculture, consumer goods, energy, health, telecommunications and other sectors;
• Facilitate workshops, hackathons and seminars to position us as an edtech industry leader and attract top level talent;
• Lead an ambitious research agenda to put us at the forefront of the application of artificial intelligence, mobile technology, remote sensing, and behavioral science;
• Participate in community events, trade meetups, and industry workshops in Nairobi and globally.

​Qualifications

• Master-level degree in Computer Science;
• Practical experience applying AI/ML into product development;
• 10+ years of relevant professional experience with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity;
• Track record of end-to-end mobile product development and deployment resulting in strong engagement KPIs;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically about how technology can advance business objectives;
• Proven ability to design, coach, and lead a high performing and dynamic tech team;
• Working technical knowledge in all areas relevant to the product: MVC, PHP, Java, MySQL, Android, Python,R, AWS, Bitbucket, CSS, SMS, HTML5, and Laravel;
• Experience with DevOps, Continuous integration and deployment and micro-services architecture.
• Experience with server and database frameworks and tools such as Ubuntu, Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL and MongoDB;
• Ability to communicate with non-technical audiences;
• Ability to live and work at least 50% in Nairobi, Kenya.

Extra points for the following:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science;
• Master’s degree in Business Administration;
• Experience developing and applying for patents;
• Strong understanding of and history working in East Africa.

Compensation​ ​and​ ​Benefits:

We aspire to be competitive on compensation although, as an early-stage social enterprise, many on the team work just below market rate. To make up for that, staff are able to participate in the employee share program. We also offer a comprehensive health insurance package and will cover the cost of a work permit for foreign staff. Other benefits include monthly airtime allowance, extra leave, a stocked kitchen, and unlimited ping-pong and foosball.

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Ref Number 3080

Duma Works is recruiting a Field Sales Executive in Nairobi for Acacia Innovations Ltd.

Company Overview:

Acacia Innovations Ltd. is a start-up which provides environmentally friendly and cost-saving cooking and fuel solutions.

They are seeking a full-time, high-level, field-based sales executive to bring in orders from schools, hotels and restaurants for Kuni Safi briquettes, a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to firewood made from sugarcane waste, as well as institutional energy saving cookstoves.

Kuni Safi is nearly smokeless and lasts for up to 4 hours. It is twice as efficient as firewood, thereby helping customers save an average of 35% on their cost of cooking fuel. Kuni Safi cookstoves are an affordable solution to allow restaurants, hotels and small schools to adopt Kuni Safi briquettes or save energy while cooking with other forms of biomass. Acacia Innovations has supplied over 150 schools, hotels, and restaurants with Kuni Safi to date.

Location: Field-based sales in Machakos/Kitengela/Athi River.

Job Overview

We are seeking a mature, sophisticated, and experienced sales executive to grow their sales of Kuni Safi briquettes. This position is well suited to someone with extensive institutional sales experience and a professional network. Sales executives will work mostly in the field, with office work limited to customer phone calls and reporting.

The ideal candidate should have a strong track record of meeting sales targets and be highly motivated, target-driven, and a persuasive negotiator and confident in speaking with high-level decision makers such as school principals and hotel owners.

Responsibilities

• Generate leads and cold-call leads provided by company; educate potential customers about Kuni Safi.
• Identify schools, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals with large consumption of firewood or charcoal.
• Contact potential institutional customers by phone, email, or visit.
• Perform simple demonstrations of Kuni Safi briquettes (with assistance from Kuni Safi staff).
• Actively solicit orders with a starting target of 15+ tonnes (5-15 institutional customers) and 10+ institutional cook stoves per month.
• Negotiate purchase orders according to pricing requirements.
• Ensure that all institutional customers understand the terms of the agreement and payment expectations.
• Secure orders and communicate all orders received to the company.
• Assist in the collection of payment as necessary.
• Maintain thorough communication with Acacia Innovations staff and potential customers.
• Track all potential customers and closed deals on the templates provided by Acacia Innovations.
• Respond in a timely manner to all phone calls within 12 hours and emails within 24 hours.
• Contribute to sales strategy and develop new sales channels.
• Recommend improvements to the sales strategy and process to the CEO.
• Recommend and develop potential partnerships with NGOs, government agencies, and complimentary businesses to grow sales.
• Exercise creativity in the sales process to improve your conversion rate.

Qualifications

• Strong track record in field-based sales- demonstrable results of meeting 80-100% of sales goals per month, as confirmed by your references
• 2-5+ years of experience selling to large institutions, ideally schools and/or hotels
• Existing professional network of school/restaurant/hotel owners and administrators
• Excellent at sales mathematics and comfortable discussing pricing and cost savings
• Highly confident and presentable in dealing with school administrators and business owners
• Strong and persuasive negotiator
• Able to work independently; very motivated
• Target-driven; able to realistically set and meet goals
• Excited to work for a start-up and contribute to building a new sales strategy
• Excellent and professional verbal and written communication abilities
• Competent at basic computer and internet programs including Google Drive, Microsoft Word and Excel
• Interest in improving people’s lives and our environment
• Fluent in English and Kiswahili
• Valid driver’s license

What We Offer:

• Excellent prospects for career growth with a high-potential start-up
• Flexible working hours and locations
• An opportunity to create professional contacts and interact with high-level decision makers
• A chance to make a positive impact while generating significant income.

Other Details

Hours: 40 hours per week
Compensation: Salary + commissions negotiable based on previous experience.

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Duma Works is recruiting a Sales and Relationship Manager for a leading micro-finance company in Nairobi.

Responsibilities

• Playing an integral role in new business pitches and hold responsibility for the effective on-boarding of new clients.
• Responsible for the development and achievement of sales through the direct sales channel.
• Focusing on growing and developing existing clients, together with generating new business.
• Write business plans for all current and opportunity tender business.
• You will act as the key interface between the customer and all relevant divisions.
• Building and maintaining relationships with clients and key personnel within customer companies.
• Conducting business reviews to ensure clients are satisfied with services.
• Letting customers know about other services the company offers.
• Attending meetings with clients to build relationships with existing accounts.
• Achieving client relationship targets and KPI’s as set by the Managing Director.
• Escalating and resolving areas of concern as raised by clients.
• Carrying out client satisfaction surveys and reviews.
  Monitoring company performance against service level agreements and flagging potential issues.

Qualifications

• Strong account management and relationship building skills.
• Previous experience in Account Management or Territory Sales and display an attitude that is key to success.
• Experience of managing major national accounts at head office level.
• Highly self-motivated.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build rapport with customers.
• Previous sales experience and an organised approach to work.
• Hardworking with a strong work ethic.
• A track record of managing client relationships.

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Duma Works is recruiting a Human Resource Manager. The hiring company is an Interior Design & Construction services company that has developed a distinct reputation for design expertise and proficiency to become one of the leading design firms in the field.

Responsibilities

• Formulating and implementing HR Manual, policies and ensuring that they are implemented and adhered to
• Reviewing the policies from time to time.
• Plans, organizes and controls all activities of the department. Participates in developing department goals, objectives and systems.
• Advisory role to management on remuneration matters guided by salary surveys in the industry and government wage orders.
• In charge of recruitment at all levels, induction of new staff, drawing and issuance of contracts and ensuring that the staff understand their contracts
• Handling employee separation ensuring it is done as per the terms of their contracts and timely,
• Performance management and performance appraisal
• Coordination of training and development programs which entails drawing of training calendar.
• Coordinating all activities on Occupational Health and Safety
• Ensuring that the established disciplinary and grievance handling procedures are followed in resolving disciplinary matters in an amicable manner.

Qualifications

• Degree in a Human Resource Management.
• A minimum of 3 – 4 years of experience in a busy Office
• Demonstrated leadership and vision in managing staff groups.
• Service oriented with the ability to motivate staff and achieve results.