Position Overview:
Heshima Kenya is a non-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya and dedicated to identifying, protecting and empowering unaccompanied refugee children and youth; especially adolescent girls, through our specialized shelter, education and advocacy programs. The Maisha Collective, an income generating initiative of our alternative education program, the Girls’ Empowerment Program; serves as an economic springboard by helping program graduates become skilled artisans who design, produce, and market a line of unique hand dyed scarves and other items. The Maisha Marketing and Production Senior Manager is responsible for the overall design, production, Sales and Marketing of Maisha products, supervision and coordination of Maisha Collective team, and entrepreneurial & life skills training for the participants. The Manger will be responsible delivery of the Maisha collective. The position holder will report directly to the Country Director.
Core Responsibilities:
Marketing and Sales Responsibilities:
• Oversee Marketing and Sales of Maisha Collective Products;
• Enforce production, marketing, and sales policies and procedures;
• Achieve marketing and sales operational objectives by developing marketing and sales information and preparing and completing action plans;
• Implement production and productivity plans;
• Develop customer-service standards including setting customer order delivery deadlines, resolving problems, identifying market trends, and managing sales;
• Meet marketing and sales financial objectives by forecasting the annual production requirements;
• Establish pricing strategies; recommend selling prices; monitor costs, competition, supply, and demand;
• Gather and analyze customer insight and maintain customer accounts;
• Ensure all the revenue is collected in time.
Design and production responsibilities
• Oversee production of the Maisha existing and new products;
• Lead the production team in product and design development to meet demands and to create a competitive advantage in the global market;
• Ensure quality products by developing consistent quality control measures;
• Determine annual and gross-profit plans by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas for regions, projecting expected sales and production volume for existing and new products and markets;
• Determine and analyze fashion trends and predict expected future results;
• Adhere to ethical and fair trade production practices;
• Take production-calculated risks based on data-driven analytics.
Monitoring & Evaluation and inventory
• Establish, maintain, and manage Maisha Collective Inventory Management System;
• Establish a production evaluation system to minimize waste and optimize productivity;
• Communicate job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions;
• Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly progress reports of Maisha Collective.
Training and capacity building
• Supervise, coordinate and lead the Maisha Collective team to set program strategic objectives and targets by training, coaching, mentoring, counseling, assigning, scheduling, and disciplining staff under her/his responsibility;
• Mentor and coach Maisha collective team to ensure optimal productivity in the program
• Provide guidance, motivate, coach and mentor Maisha Collective artisans to ensure their maximum productivity;
• Nurture talents, knowledge and identify new skill sets required to enhance the capacity and skill development of Maisha Collective artisans.
Project planning
• Develop Maisha Collective project description in line with approved Heshima Kenya format;
• Prepare Maisha collective annual budget; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; and initiating corrective actions;
• Implement a viable production plan to ensure sufficient products for customer and minimize production cost at all times;
• Ensure all health and safety guidelines are followed.
Leadership and people management
• Conduct performance appraisals for the Maisha Collective team;
• Collaborate with sales and sourcing to develop strategic partnership activities and implement the execution framework and strategic plan on identified opportunities;
• Work with Heshima Kenya managers to implement the organisation policies and goals;
• Overall coordination of the project and leadership.
Qualifications:
• First degree or Higher Diploma in Fashion Design or Marketing with 3 years of strong experience in marketing and sales / retail
• Staff management skills highly required
• Skilled in inventory establishment, maintenance, and management
• Good communication and customer relation skills
• Skills in product sales promotions and marketing, pricing
• Strong background and work experience in business management.
• At least a Diploma in business administration or other business-related field.
• Entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial mindset is a must.
• Should have financial management skills in order to assist Heshima Kenya Finance department with financial management, planning, systems, and controls of Maisha Collective.
• Minimum of 3 years working in fashion production, including leading or assisting with designing and implementing projects.
• Proficient tailoring and tie & dye skills a must.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent reporting and organizational skills
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel; knowledge of design software and Photoshop a plus
• Must have strong organizational and creative skills and is sensitive to the needs and potential of adolescent refugee girls.
• Ability to meet short deadlines and flexible to extent working hours to meet customer orders
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and client needs.
• Previous experience or knowledge of working with international clients and global market.
HOW TO APPLY:
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Qualified and serious applicants should send their application to the address below indicating the position applied in the email subject by close of business Friday 10th March 2017. It should include a cover letter & a detailed CV (as one document in PDF format) with your contact details, details of current and expected remuneration, names and contacts of three referees.
Please note that we do not charge fees for receiving or processing job applications. Heshima Kenya is an equal opportunity employer.
NB. All applications should only be send through the email.
Heshima Kenya
P.O Box 63192 – 00619 Nairobi Kenya
Email: hr2017maisha@heshimakenya.org
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.