Head of Supply Chain

Role Overview

The Head of Supply Chain is a critical leadership role responsible for overseeing the entire supply chain function for M-KOPA Solar, focusing on consumer electronics in African emerging markets. This role ensures high-quality product availability, manages complex logistics across multiple countries, drives cost efficiency, and scales operations to support M-KOPA's rapid growth.

Company Background

M-KOPA’s mission is to make high quality energy affordable to everyone. M-KOPA has connected more than 400,000 homes in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to solar power with over 550 new homes being added every day.

Key Responsibilities (What You'll Actually Do)

• Leadership and Operations: You'll lead Planning and Sourcing directly, partnering with country General Managers on Warehouse, Logistics, and Repair operations. On any given week, you might be negotiating with smartphone OEMs on volume pricing and rebate structures, optimizing inventory levels to balance product availability against working capital efficiency, driving down landed product costs while maintaining quality standards, establishing performance KPIs across regional supply chain operations, or partnering with Product and Sales teams to support market expansion with scalable infrastructure.
• Cost Management and Strategy: You'll own cost management for everything product-related—from locking software fees and import agency costs to logistics expenses and warranty management. You'll be the key stakeholder in large purchase contracts, the strategic advisor to senior leadership on supply chain risks and opportunities, and the architect of processes that need to work across diverse African markets with different customs regulations, infrastructure realities, and operational challenges.
• Team Building: You'll build and lead a high-performing team across Planning, Sourcing, Warehousing, Logistics, and Repairs—establishing clear structures, driving accountability through KPIs, and fostering a culture of operational excellence that enables our mission.

Required Qualifications and Experience (What You Bring)

• Experience: Extensive progressive supply chain leadership experience in consumer electronics, technology, or high-volume manufacturing industries.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (Master's degree is an added advantage).
• Scaling Operations: You must have built and scaled supply chain operations, led cross-functional teams through operational transformation, and have demonstrable success managing complex, multi-country supply chain operations in Africa or emerging markets where infrastructure challenges require creative solutions and strategic thinking.
• Negotiation and Contracts: Proven track record in supplier negotiation, contract management, and relationship building with OEMs and distributors, with demonstrated success securing competitive terms, pricing, and delivery agreements that impact business profitability.
• Performance Accountability: Experience serving as a key stakeholder in large product purchase contracts, managing supplier performance accountability for quality and delivery targets, and optimizing supplier rebate programs and warranty management processes that directly contribute to bottom-line results.
• Financial Acumen: Strong financial acumen with substantial experience in cost management, budget ownership, and P&L impact, including the ability to drive initiatives that reduce landed product costs while maintaining quality and service standards.
• Reporting and Constraints: Must understand how to manage all product-specific service costs (whether internal or external), monitor and report on supply chain financial performance against targets, and balance working capital constraints with operational needs—skills that directly impact the ability to scale sustainably.