Senior Product Manager - Africa GovTech

Are you an experienced Product Manager who wants to transform societies across Africa with AI technology.

Well, this might just be the job for you!

Sand Technologies is a fast-growing enterprise AI product company that solves real-world problems for large blue-chip companies and governments worldwide.

We’re pioneers of meaningful AI: our solutions go far beyond chatbots. We are using data and AI to solve the world’s biggest issues in telecommunications, sustainable water management, energy, healthcare, climate change, smart cities, and other areas that have a real impact on the world. For example, our AI systems help to manage the water supply for the entire city of London. We created the AI algorithms that enabled the 7th largest telecommunications company in the world to plan its network in 300 cities in record time. And we built a digital healthcare system that enables 30m people in a country to get world-class healthcare despite a shortage of doctors.

We’ve grown our revenues by over 500% in the last 12 months while winning prestigious scientific and industry awards for our cutting-edge technology. We’re underpinned by over 300 engineers and scientists working across Africa, Europe, the UK and the US. 

We are seeking an experienced Senior Product Manager to join Sand Tech’s  growing Africa Govtech domain. The Senior Product Manager will be responsible for driving the success of our products, from conception to launch and beyond. This role requires a strong combination of technical knowledge, business acumen, and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and deliver exceptional products that meet market needs and align with our company's goals.

As a Senior Product Manager you will be responsible for the set of products within an industry domain. Central to the role is defining what the team builds and why; shaping the strategy and roadmap.

Product Strategy:

• Develop and communicate a clear product vision and strategy, collaborating with the domain teams
• Define the product roadmap, goals, and priorities based on market research and business objectives
• Lead discovery and prototyping of new products and features

Market Research:

• Conduct market analysis, competitive research, and customer feedback to identify opportunities and threats
• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies

Product Development:

• Collaborate with design, engineering, science and other teams to define product requirements and specifications
• Manage the product development process from ideation through to release
• Ensure timely delivery of high-quality products within budget

Stakeholder Communication:

• Effectively communicate the product vision, progress, and roadmap to cross-functional teams, executives, and stakeholders
• Gather feedback and insights from stakeholders to refine the product strategy

Product Lifecycle Management:

• Monitor product performance and key metrics
• Make data-driven decisions to optimize and enhance the product throughout its lifecycle
• Develop and execute end-of-life and sunset strategies when necessary

Product Marketing:

• Work closely with the product marketing team to create go-to-market plans, product positioning, and marketing collateral
• Support sales and customer support teams with product knowledge and training

Commercial acumen:

• Ability to manage revenue and whole life costs, understanding of pricing strategies and legal/contractual implications of products

Risk Management:

• Identify potential risks and challenges related to product development and take proactive steps to mitigate them

Capability development and people management:

• Be a leader within the Sand Tech product community, coaching more junior colleagues and line managing as appropriate

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with product management expertise, who wants to shape the growth of a major global scale-up.  He or she should have a product mindset - with unwavering customer focus and drive for scale; and deep technical expertise within the African public service sector.

• Proven experience as a Senior Product Manager, with a track record of successfully bringing products to market in a dynamic environment
• Experience building B2C or B2B products
• Experience with African public sector and/or public services
• Ideally consulting experience 
• Strong understanding of product management methodologies and tools
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Analytical mindset and proficiency in data analysis
• Project management skills and the ability to lead cross-functional teams
• Expertise in agile development methodologies
• An inclination towards action and clarity
• Relevant undergraduate degree; MSc or PhD preferred

This Senior Product Manager position offers the opportunity to shape the future of our products, drive innovation, and make a significant impact on our company's success. If you are a strategic thinker, have a passion for product development, and thrive in a collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply.

• Client Centricity & Integrity: We let Our Clients Run the Company, Surf Like Yvon to stay true to our values, and Play the Long Game with integrity.
• Collaboration and Inclusion: We live by Each One, Teach Ten and ensure Everybody is Welcome.
• Operational Excellence and Simplicity: We K.I.S.S. by keeping things simple while always striving to Raise the Bar.
• Action, Ownership, and Execution: We Decide, Get Stuff Done, and Do Hard Things with accountability.
• Growth, Innovation, and Resilience: We Choose Growth, Pioneer boldly, and remember There is No Failure.

Due to the considerable amount of virtual work and interaction with colleagues and customers in different physical locations internationally, it is essential that the successful applicant has the drive and ethic to succeed in working in small teams physically but in larger efforts virtually. Self-drive to communicate constantly using web collaboration and video conferencing is essential.

This role will require frequent travel across the African continent as we work with ministries, donors and end-users.