Head of Products
Head of Products (Retail)
Location: Kenya
Key Responsibilities:
1. Product Strategy & Lifecycle Management
- Define and execute the Retail product strategy in alignment with overall business objectives.
- Provide oversight of the end-to-end product lifecycle, from ideation to commercialization and retirement.
- Ensure products remain competitive, compliant, and responsive to evolving customer needs.
2. Research, Analysis & Innovation
- Lead market research, competitor analysis, and customer insights to inform product strategy.
- Identify innovation opportunities to reimagine customer engagement and enhance product relevance.
- Pilot new concepts and technologies to validate market potential and scalability.
3. Product Development & Commercialization
- Oversee the design, testing, and launch of new products and enhancements.
- Ensure effective go-to-market strategies, pricing, and positioning to drive adoption.
- Monitor performance of products post-launch and recommend refinements to maximize value.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Collaborate with internal teams (Digital, Marketing, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal) to deliver product initiatives.
- Build external partnerships with fintechs, industry players, and regulators to support product development.
- Promote cross-functional alignment to ensure timely and effective execution.
5. Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Ensure all products adhere to regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk frameworks.
- Monitor emerging risks across the product portfolio and implement mitigation measures.
- Provide reporting and insights to senior leadership on product performance, risks, and opportunities.
6. Leadership & Capability Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Product Management team to strengthen execution capability.
- Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and customer focus within the product function.
- Build capacity for continuous improvement and best practice adoption in product management.
The Ideal Candidate: Academic, Professional & Experience:
For the above position, the successful applicant should have the following:
- Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university
- Master’s degree (MBA or equivalent) will be an added advantage
- Professional qualification in Product Management, Banking, Marketing, or Management (e.g., CIM, CMI, CPM, ACIB) will be an added advantage
- Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, Agile) will be an added advantage
- 10 years’ minimum experience is required, together with the following essential experience:
- 6 years’ experience in sales
- 4 years’ experience in stakeholder management
- 4 years’ experience in strategic planning
- 4 years’ experience in team management
- 4 years’ experience in product development
- 2 years’ experience in project management