Senior Manager, Quality & Operational Excellence at M-KOPA Solar
In this role, you would be responsible for:
Strategic Leadership & Direction
Defining and executing the strategic direction for Quality & Operational Excellence aligned with M-KOPA Kenya’s business objectives
Translating company strategic priorities into clear operational excellence roadmaps, quality frameworks, and capability development strategies
Providing strategic recommendations to senior leadership on operational risk landscape, quality maturity, and investment priorities
Championing operational excellence culture, positioning quality and continuous improvement as business enablers
Team Leadership & Development
Leading and developing a three-pillar leadership team (Managers of QA & Compliance, Training & Development, Process Excellence)
Making strategic organizational design decisions including structure optimization, talent acquisition, and resource allocation
Creating a high-performance culture centered on independence, objectivity, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement
Cross-Functional Influence & Partnerships
Building strategic partnerships with operational department heads (Telesales, Customer Care, Retail) ensuring Q&OE is positioned as a valued business partner
Collaborating with Risk & Compliance team, maintaining clear boundaries between operational integrity (Q&OE scope) and strategic enterprise risk (R&C scope)
Partnering with Global QA/Training leadership to leverage global frameworks while owning local execution and results
Navigating organizational complexity and managing resistance when quality standards conflict with short-term operational pressures
Governance & Standards
Maintaining robust governance frameworks including quality councils, calibration sessions, audit protocols, and escalation mechanisms
Ensuring quality standards, audit methodologies, and compliance frameworks remain current and consistently applied across all channels
Driving accountability for quality outcomes with operational leaders through transparent scorecards and data-driven performance conversations
Balancing independence and objectivity with collaborative partnership, maintaining appropriate distance while building trust
Strategic Oversight & Performance Management
Providing strategic direction and oversight to Quality Assurance & Compliance, Training & Capability Development, and Process Excellence operations
Monitoring department performance against established KPIs and demonstrating business impact through clear metrics: fraud prevention savings, efficiency improvements, quality score gains, and training effectiveness
Developing and delivering executive reporting that enables senior leadership to make informed decisions about operational investments and priorities
Maintaining transparency on operational gaps and quality concerns, ensuring leadership has full visibility
Risk Management & Preventive Controls
Maintaining comprehensive view of operational risk landscape through analysis of audit findings, quality trends, and process inefficiencies
Ensuring preventive control mechanisms identify system vulnerabilities, fraud patterns, and compliance risks before they materialize
Balancing risk mitigation with operational efficiency, ensuring controls are effective without creating unnecessary bureaucracy
Change Management & Continuous Improvement
Leading organizational change initiatives related to quality standards, process improvements, and operational excellence practices
Driving cultural transformation toward operational excellence mindset where preventive thinking and continuous improvement are embedded in daily operations
Sponsoring strategic improvement initiatives requiring cross-functional collaboration and executive support
Resource Management & Strategic Planning
Developing annual strategic plans for Q&OE function aligned with business priorities
Managing departmental budget across all three pillars, optimizing resource allocation to maximize business impact and ROI
Making strategic investment decisions on quality infrastructure with clear business case justification
Additional Responsibilities
Performing any additional tasks as assigned by Head of Operations
This is a senior management role (Job Band C1) based in Nairobi, Kenya. If successful, you would be reporting to the Head of Operations. Your direct reports would include Manager – Quality Assurance & Compliance, Manager – Training & Capability Development, and Manager – Process Excellence. You will also have dotted line collaboration with Global QA/Training Leadership for methodology alignment and resource sharing.
Your application should demonstrate:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field (Advanced degree – MBA, Master’s in Quality Management – preferred)
8+ years of progressive leadership experience in quality assurance, operational excellence, or operations management within contact center, retail, telecommunications, financial services, or BPO environments
5+ years of senior people leadership experience managing managers and leading multi-functional teams
Strategic thinking and business acumen with proven ability to operate independently at a senior level, translating company strategy into operational excellence roadmaps with minimal guidance
Deep expertise in quality management frameworks, audit methodologies, compliance monitoring, training effectiveness measurement, and process improvement disciplines
Outstanding cross-functional stakeholder management and strategic influencing skills with demonstrated ability to drive consensus without direct operational authority
Exceptional executive communication skills with proven ability to present to C-suite, translating complex quality data into compelling business narratives
Change management capability with track record of driving organizational transformation and building buy-in for operational excellence initiatives
Strong understanding of operational risk management, internal controls, fraud prevention, and compliance requirements
Data-driven decision-making expertise with experience building executive dashboards and demonstrating ROI of quality investments
Budget management and financial acumen with experience managing departmental P&L and making strategic resource allocation decisions
Experience partnering with global or regional centers of excellence while maintaining local execution ownership and accountability
Industry benchmarking knowledge with awareness of best practices from leading operations organizations in quality and operational excellence
Process improvement proficiency with working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies (Formal certification – Green Belt or higher – is an advantage)
Critical Success Factors
Ability to operate strategically at senior level with minimal guidance
Strategic influencing skills to drive accountability without direct operational authority
Balance between independence/objectivity and collaborative partnership
Executive presence to represent Q&OE function credibly in senior forums
Resilience to uphold standards while maintaining productive working relationships
Strategic patience and emotional intelligence to influence operational culture over time
Business acumen to position quality as an enabler of growth rather than a constraint
