Position: Product Manager - Existing Product Improvement (Hardware)
Location: Kenya
Type: Full-time
Start Date: Immediately
Reporting to: VP of Engineering
About SunCulture
Founded in 2012, SunCulture’s Vision is to build a world where people take control of their environment in rewarding and sustainable ways. SunCulture does this by developing and commercializing life-changing technology that solves the biggest daily challenges for the world's 570 million smallholder farming households. Over the last 5 years, the company has grown significantly and now employs 170+ people around the world.
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. 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 (~30%) in the field developing improvements to SunCulture’s existing products alongside SunCulture’s core smallholder farmer customer base in Kenya.
Key Responsibilities
Existing Product Improvement
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 after-sales 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 (NPS) but also to solicit ideas for product improvements
Work closely with the VP of Engineering 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 VP of Engineering to ensure knowledge transfer and a smooth transition of products from New Product Innovation to Existing Product Improvement
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 upon quarterly KPIs
Collaborate with individuals from various departments to meet the requirements and development timelines for existing product improvements
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
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, and curious problem solver with a “can-do” attitude
Do you feel you are a fit?
Please apply online via this job page by Friday, 26th February 2021. We respond to all candidates however only shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.