Devices and Innovation Lead at Safaricom in Nairobi, Kenya

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    Devices and Innovation Lead

    SafaricomNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    3 days ago

    Apply by

    3 Sept

    Full Time
    On Site
    Senior
    ICT & Telecommunications
    IT & Software

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    Job Description

    This role is responsible for developing and executing the overall devices strategy, driving lifecycle management, and leading the innovation agenda. The position involves identifying market trends, piloting new solutions, and commercializing new products and services. The role also includes managing partnerships with device manufacturers and technology providers, and leading cross-functional agile squads to deliver business outcomes.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Develop and execute the overall devices strategy aligned with business objectives.
    • Identify market trends and customer needs to recommend device propositions that drive growth.
    • Monitor device performance, sales, profitability, and customer adoption metrics.
    • Drive lifecycle management of devices from launch to retirement.
    • Lead the innovation agenda by identifying emerging technologies, industry trends, and new business opportunities.
    • Evaluate and pilot innovative solutions, products, and services to enhance customer value.
    • Lead the ideation, development, and commercialization of new products and services.
    • Establish innovation frameworks and processes to accelerate experimentation and commercialization.
    • Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop and test new concepts.
    • Build and maintain an innovation pipeline aligned with strategic priorities.
    • Develop compelling device propositions and bundled offerings.
    • Define business requirements and customer journeys for new products and services.
    • Ensure products meet customer expectations and deliver measurable business outcomes.
    • Own and deliver device, innovation, and partnership-related revenue, profitability, and market share targets.
    • Develop business cases, investment proposals, and financial models for new products, services, and innovation initiatives.
    • Monitor key commercial KPIs and implement corrective actions to improve performance.
    • Track product portfolio performance and recommend actions to maximize return on investment.
    • Conduct market analysis, competitive benchmarking, and customer research.
    • Identify emerging consumer behaviors and technology trends to identify unmet customers' need and provide recommendations based on market intelligence and insights.
    • Utilize customer insights, analytics, and market research to improve product and service experiences.
    • Develop and execute partnership strategies with device manufacturers, technology providers, digital platforms, fintechs, startups, and ecosystem players.
    • Identify, evaluate, and onboard strategic partners that enhance customer value propositions and support business growth objectives.
    • Negotiate commercial agreements, joint business plans, and co-marketing initiatives.
    • Drive ecosystem-based solutions by integrating devices, connectivity, digital services, and emerging technologies.
    • Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships to accelerate innovation and market leadership.
    • Continuously assess partnership performance and identify opportunities for optimization and expansion.
    • Lead and inspire cross-functional agile squads comprising commercial, technology, digital, marketing, finance, and operations teams.
    • Define squad objectives, priorities, and delivery r

    Required Qualifications

    • 5 years of relevant experience in telecommunications, technology, consumer electronics, digital products, innovation management, or product development.
    • Proven experience in managing device portfolios, digital products, or customer propositions.
    • Demonstrated success in developing and launching commercially viable products and services.
    • Familiarity with Agile, Scrum, Design Thinking, and innovation frameworks.
    • Strong understanding of mobile devices, IoT, connected technologies, and digital ecosystems.
    • Knowledge of emerging technologies such as AI, 5G, fintech, cloud services, and smart devices.
    • Experience in strategic partnership management and vendor negotiations.
    • Experience leading cross-functional and agile teams to deliver business outcomes.
    • Strong track record in driving revenue growth, customer acquisition, and customer retention initiatives.
    • Experience using data analytics and market insights to drive decision-making.
    • Experience in business case development, financial analysis, and commercial performance management.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    IT & Software

    Minimum Experience

    5 years

    Languages

    English

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Interested and qualified? Go to Safaricom Kenya on egjd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com to apply.

    Show You Can Turn Device Trends into Revenue

    This role sits at the intersection of devices, innovation, and commercial growth. Hiring managers will probe how you've taken a product from idea to market, managed partnerships, and used data to hit revenue targets.

    1. Quantify your device portfolio wins: On your CV, list specific devices or product lines you managed, with numbers: units sold, revenue growth, market share gains. For example, "Grew smartphone portfolio revenue by 20% year-on-year." This proves you can own P&L.

    2. Prepare a case study on a product launch: Pick one product you launched end-to-end. Walk through how you identified the opportunity, built the business case, worked with partners, and measured success. Be ready to discuss what you'd do differently.

    3. Show fluency in innovation frameworks: Be ready to explain how you've used Agile, Scrum, or Design Thinking in real projects. Mention specific ceremonies or tools like sprint planning or user journey mapping. This shows you can lead squads effectively.

    4. Demonstrate ecosystem thinking: Talk about how you've integrated devices with connectivity, digital services, or fintech. For example, a bundled offer with a payment plan. This aligns with Safaricom's ecosystem strategy.

    5. Highlight partnership negotiation wins: Describe a time you negotiated a commercial agreement with a vendor or partner. Focus on the terms you secured and the business impact. This shows you can handle complex deals.

    6. Use data to back your decisions: Give examples of how you used market analytics or customer insights to shape a product. Mention specific tools like SQL, Excel, or dashboards. This proves you're not guessing.

    7. Show leadership of cross-functional teams: Talk about how you've led squads with members from different departments. Highlight how you set priorities and kept everyone aligned. This reassures them you can manage the agile setup.

    8. Know Safaricom's market: Research Safaricom's current device offerings, M-Pesa integrations, and recent innovations. Mention how you'd build on their strengths. This shows you're genuinely interested and prepared.

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    Tags

    devices
    innovation
    product development
    agile
    partnerships