Job description

About ASOBO

ASOBO is a trailblazer – the first of its kind to create a sustainable platform for e-mobility services on the water in emerging markets. At Lake Victoria, tens of thousands of small scale fishers waste time and money on inefficient, inconvenient, unreliable, and highly polluting petrol outboard engines. Harnessing renewable energy through a scalable, full-service model, ASOBO’s electric outboard engines - e-Boarders - dramatically reduce negative environmental impacts and improve the lives of millions, whilst building a profitable business.

Based in Homa Bay County, Kenya ASOBO’s value proposition is cheaper, hassle-free and clean propulsion that always works. In the short run, ASOBO offers its solution to fishers on Lake Victoria, with a larger ambition to scale to other countries in the region as well as other continents. ASOBO’s founders bring decades of combined experience in the off-grid and renewable energy sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa, and are supported by leading funders and the venture builder in Energy Access - Persistent.

ASOBO offers a unique opportunity for an experienced engineering professional with strong project management skills to build and contribute to a transformative mission with huge social impact and business scale. It offers exposure to highly experienced social enterprise professionals on an inspiring, collaborative, and fun team. And it provides a creative work culture, valuing freedom and flexibility to deliver on goals and expectations, while inviting ingenuity, continuous learning, and skills development to evolve with the company. A naturally driven and solutions-oriented Technology Manager will thrive in ASOBO’s dynamic and innovative environment, advancing social progress and business success together with personal and professional growth.

About the role

ASOBO seeks a self-starting, highly organised, and hands-on Technology Manager with proven experience creating technology roadmaps and leading / delivering specific engineering projects, from strategy to implementation and from product to market. The Technology Manager will play a critical role in ensuring that all the (hard- and software) components of ASOBO’s solutions are exactly what the customer needs at the right price. S/he will work with ASOBO’s customers, leadership, team, partners, and key stakeholders to establish, manage, and adapt technologies to ensure the appropriate market offer now and in the future. In principle, ASOBO does not develop technology itself, and therefore this role is very much focused on developing the technology roadmap, defining the right component specifications, identifying the right (potential) suppliers / outsourcing partners and working with them to deliver the technology components ASOBO needs. The Technology Manager has to be an enthusiastic, motivating leader with eye for detail, who has experience delivering on time and quality, and inspires a working culture that propels continuous improvement. Likewise, s/he will be a fantastic communicator, simplifying often complex technology and capable of translating ASOBO’s technology roadmap into clearly defined goals, projects and activities. 

Location: Mbita, Homa Bay

Key responsibilities

• Develop and continuously refine the company’s technology roadmap, prioritising the different technology projects for the coming 2-3 years;
• Research, source, bundle, and integrate technologies, and according to the roadmap, best suited to achieve ASOBO’s environmental, social, and commercial objectives;
• Implement and maintain ASOBO’s technology components including delivering on engineering projects;
• Continuously analyze technological components and systems, and proactively suggest improvements / solutions to ensure company success and growth;
• Ensure operational excellence on a daily basis including efficient and effective technology processes for customer logistics, recharging, battery hand-over, and other key activities, to meet and exceed customer expectations;
• Negotiate with suppliers to procure components at appropriate prices and ensure that specifications meet business needs in the best possible way;
• Effectively communicate technical options, use, and benefits to the ASOBO team, customers, and other stakeholders for optimal adoption;
• Build relationships and trust with key partners and stakeholders; and
• Stay up to date with industry trends, priorities, and markets

Does this sound like you?

• Seasoned technical lead with 5+ years experience in technology management, in a consumer durables or leasing environment 
• (Post)graduate degree (with honors or distinction) in a related engineering or technical field 
• Ability to guide the design of hardware and software systems and has access to networks for sourcing components at appropriate specs, timelines, and price points
• A creative, analytical, and structured thinker with the ability to simplify complex technical details without cutting corners or losing sight of the big picture
• Experience working in rural/peri-urban setting and excited about working with local user groups and customers
• Sector-related knowledge and networks in Kenya (e.g. off-grid energy, technology logistics, or others)
• Past experience managing a team with the skills to build effective working relationships
• Self-starting and resourceful in complex environments and working with geographically dispersed teams

Persons of all gender, race, sex, orientation, age, and identity are encouraged to apply.