Head of Product - Gadget Financing

Job Purpose

To own the strategy, design, launch and drive performance of the gadget financing portfolio (smart phones, tablets & laptops), taking customers from their first inquiry to their final installment and device ownership.

The role exists to make smartphones affordable to low-income, thin-file and unbanked Kenyans through responsible, pay-as-you-go credit.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy and P&L Ownership

Define the vision, route-to-market and annual business plan for device financing, aligned with the institution’s strategy.

Own the product P&L, including disbursement volumes, yield, device margin, cost to serve, credit losses and contribution.

Size and segment the market (salaried individuals, informal traders, boda boda and transport operators, farmers, women and youth groups) and prioritise segments based on profitability and impact.

Monitor competitors and adjacent offers, including pay-as-you-go specialists, to adjust pricing and positioning accordingly.

Product Design and Customer Experience

Design the full financing proposition, including device, range and price bands, deposit levels, tenor, instalment frequency, interest & applicable fees and early settlement

Map and continually improve the customer journey: customer identification, application, KYC, credit decision, deposit, device handover, repayment, lock and unlock, support and ownership transfer.

Build solutions for low-literacy users through USSD, SMS and mobile applications, with support for Swahili and English and agent-assisted onboarding.

Define clear, plain-language pricing and loan terms to ensure every customer understands the total cost of credit before signing.

Credit & Risk

Set and track portfolio performance indicators, including first-payment default, write-off rate, recovery rate and vintage performance.

Design the device lock policy and collections strategy, including reminders, restructuring and repossession, ensuring they are firm, fair and consistent with customer protection requirements.

Implement fraud controls, including identity checks, IMEI blacklisting and verification, agent and merchant fraud monitoring, and SIM-swap safeguards.

Partnerships and Device Supply Chain

Select and manage device suppliers, distributors and retailers, negotiating pricing, warranties, returns, repairs and stock-financing terms.

Build the agent and merchant distribution network, including onboarding, training, commissions and performance management.

Manage relationships with device lock and management technology vendors.

Regulation, Compliance and Customer Protection

Ensure all products and processes comply with the applicable Central Bank of Kenya framework for the institution’s licence category, the Data Protection Act 2019, AML/CFT rules, consumer protection requirements, and CBK disclosure and pricing transparency standards.

Obtain the necessary internal and regulatory approvals before launching or materially changing a product.

Embed responsible lending principles, including affordability assessments, prevention of over-indebtedness, fair collection practices, clear complaints procedures, and strict data privacy and consent practices.

Engage constructively with regulators, industry bodies (e.g., Association of Microfinance Institutions)

Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

Report on product performance and risks to the Executive Committee and relevant Board committees.

Direct Reports

All Regional Mangers dealing with regional distribution networks.

Technical Skills and Competencies Required

Commercial and Strategic Thinking: Ability to link customer needs, unit economics and market dynamics into a clear and profitable business plan.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Comfortable with SQL, dashboards and cohort analysis. Ability to use evidence to prioritise initiatives and discontinue underperforming ideas.

Customer Empathy: Understanding of the realities of low-income and informal-sector customers and the ability to design suitable products for them.

Risk and Compliance Mindset: Ability to balance growth with portfolio quality and customer protection.

Stakeholder and Partner Management: Strong negotiation and relationship management skills when engaging suppliers, regulators and technology vendors.

Execution: Ability to deliver in fast-moving, resource-constrained environments, work with ambiguity and build products from the ground up.

Leadership and Communication: Ability to inspire and develop teams and communicate effectively with EXCO.

Integrity: Commitment to ethical lending, transparent pricing and fair customer treatment, including during collections.

Knowledge, Expertise, Experience and Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Information Systems or a related field.

At least 8 years of experience in product management, digital lending or retail credit, including at least 3 years in a senior product leadership role.

Proven track record of launching and scaling a consumer or SME credit product.

Hands-on experience with mobile money integrations (M-PESA Daraja API or similar), mobile or USSD channels, and a loan management system.

Strong understanding of credit risk, portfolio performance metrics and collections.

Working knowledge of the Kenyan regulatory environment for credit providers, data protection and AML/CFT.

Demonstrated ability to manage a P&L and lead cross-functional teams.

Minimum qualifications

BA/BSc/HND

How to apply

Interested and qualified? Go to MyCredit Limited on www.linkedin.com to apply

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