Copia gives all consumers access to high-quality goods and services, regardless of their income level, access to technology, or location.  By harnessing mobile technologies, a network of last-mile Agents, and proprietary logistics technology, Copia serves a high-growth market that formal retail and e-commerce cannot penetrate. 

Customers place orders online or offline – using our website  or USSD, or our network of digitally connected last-mile Agents located across 16 counties.   Our internally managed, technology-enabled warehousing and logistics operation delivers the order to the Agent in 2-4 days.   

Reporting to the Director of Procurement and Partner Relationships, you will be responsible
for strategically handling ALL of the Copia categories' commercial and marketing plans.
Additionally, your key responsibilities will include;

• Strategic Alignment: Champion the development of the category purchasing and pricing strategies in the organization and ensure alignment with the overall business strategy.
• Financial budget management: projecting, managing, and analyzing the category and sub-category budget, to achieve maximum business category penetration revenue and profitability.
• Category Performance Management: Create efficiencies in the company's day-to-day category purchasing activities and ensure that each category is meeting the performance standards. The successful candidate will analyze existing data, map this with historical data and future expected outcomes to develop a roadmap and ensure that the category mangers are always working on the most impactful projects. (Reference use of customer lifestyle data)
• Operational Excellence: Spearhead improvements to the current purchasing system that will improve vendor relationships, lower the cost of doing business and improve the turnaround time of orders. Planning, creating, communicating, and overseeing the execution of all commercial category campaigns in liaison.
• Risk Management & Compliance: Identity and evaluating operational risks such as control gaps, supply, quality, safety, environment, security, and regulatory compliance.
• Customer Satisfaction: Understand the problems that customers and agents face through research and regular interaction with customers (internal and external), agents, suppliers, and colleagues; define and frame those problems for the team and develop mitigation plans.
• Portfolio Gap analysis: You will constantly evaluate if your solutions have solved the problem through quantitative and qualitative measures, both in MVPs and after full release
• Product Range management, i.e., Key vendor management, joint business strategy, planning and execution with strategic vendors, supplier segmentation based on supply criticality, annual spend, supply risk etc. Create a new brand/vendor acquisition and retention strategy.
• Develop a new category development and launch strategy. This will include the rebranding of the existing Copia categories.
• Marketing: Negotiating for promotions to drive sales and increase category penetration and stickiness.
• People Management and Development: Help to recruit and manage a motivated and aggressive team to deliver the purchasing mandate.
• DMAIC Green Belt-Use DMAIC methodology in root cause analysis and problem solving with the aim of improving customer experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, or related field.
• A minimum of 6 - 8 years’ experience with a minimum of 3 years in a similar role as a Purchasing/Category Manager within FMCG, e-commerce or retail.
• Experience in supply and demand planning is an added advantage.
• In-depth knowledge of the consumer goods industry with an interest in market dynamics along with an intuitive business sense.
• Strong local knowledge, a deep understanding of consumers and a strong
• commercial acumen.
• A good understanding of vendor management software.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Strong experience in managing teams of people across projects &/or business units.
• Strong analytical skills with a demonstrable ability to capture and communicate projections as well as to model out various scenarios using Excel.
• A hands-on, empathetic, and results-oriented approach to leadership and people management; and a ‘no-excuses’, ‘just do it’ approach to getting things done.
• A member of the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management; Professional certification in Purchasing & Supply will be an added advantage.
• Strong financial analysis and forecasting skills. Ability to create and maintain basic financial and operation reports.
• Analytical thinker who can work independently with minimal oversight, ability to make educated decisions focused on business strategy.
• Focused and cost-based mindset – always double-checking to ensure the best deal on products and will not hesitate to make a return if needed.

Working with Copia will give you an opportunity to: 

• Have IMPACT by bringing accessibility to affordable goods and services to traditionally underserved customers and locations 

• Quickly GROW your professional skillset by being part of a fast-paced, high growth and innovative organization.      

• THRIVE in a fun and entrepreneurial culture that values input and action from all.