Maisha Production Manager (Nairobi)

Full-time, one-year renewable

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 education program, the Girls’ Empowerment Project, serves as an economic springboard to help program graduates become skilled artisans who design, produce, and market a line of unique hand-dyed scarves and other textiles. The Maisha Production Manager is responsible for the overall design, production, and financial operations and controls of the Collective, as well as leadership, supervision, and coordination of the Maisha Collective team. The Manger will be responsible for production and oversight of Maisha products. The position will report directly to the Country Director and is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Core Responsibilities:

  • Oversee production and systems of the Maisha Collective and its accountabilities;
  • Ensure production, quality operations, and sales policies and procedures;
  • Oversee production and development of the Maisha existing and new products;
  • Develop and implement sales and marketing strategies for optimal sales of the Maisha products
  • Establish and adhere to production schedule, taking into account ethical and fair trade standards, as well as health and safety guidelines;
  • Develop customer-service standards, pricing strategies, and quality control measures;
  • Ensure all the sales revenue are collected on time;
  • 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;
  • Establish, maintain, and manage Maisha Collective Inventory Management System;
  • Establish a production evaluation system to minimize waste and optimize productivity;
  • Ensure timely re-stocking and stocking of Maisha products in the existing and new outlets
  • Establish performance targets and conduct appraisals for Maisha Collective staff;
  • Provide guidance, motivate, coach and mentor Maisha Collective artisans to ensure their maximum productivity;
  • Collaborate with the Maisha Production Officer and Sales & Strategic Partnerships Coordinator to implement production, sales, and marketing activities;
  • Work closely with finance department on establishing financial and inventory monitoring and controls
  • Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly progress reports of Maisha Collective;
  • Prepare Maisha Collective annual budget;
  • Overall coordination of the project and leadership.

Qualifications:

  • Must have a Bachelor of Arts & Design with a major in Fashion design and Textile Technology or a Higher National Diploma in Fashion Design and Textile Technology and
  • Degree /Higher Diploma or Diploma in Sales & Marketing or other business-related field, with 3+ years of strong experience in business operations and management.
  • Skills in tie and dye with hands-on experience
  • Skilled in inventory establishment and maintenance, customer service, time management, product sales and marketing
  • Ability to work cross-functionally with team and manage concepts from beginning to end
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, reporting, and organizational skills.
  • Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and client needs
  • Previous experience working with international clients and global market preferred
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, and Skype; knowledge of In Design and Photoshop preferred
  • Passion for and understanding of the needs and potential of the unique population Heshima Kenya serves
  • Must be a Kenyan citizen and have a Certificate of Good Conduct

To apply: Submit 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 to [email protected] with subject line "Maisha Production Manager" by close of business 25th April 2017.

Please note that we do not charge fees for receiving or processing job applications. Heshima Kenya is an equal opportunity employer.