Easy Solar is a leading solar company in West Africa, distributing and financing high-quality solar products and appliances for those with limited or no access to the grid. Customers can finance their purchase over time by paying in weekly or monthly instalments, with the option to pay via cash or mobile money. To date, Easy Solar has reached more than 720,000 users, distributed through its extensive network of agents and shops throughout Sierra Leone and Liberia.

About the Role:

Easy Solar was launched in 2016 in Freetown. Six years, 350 staff and 400 retail points later, the company has expanded both nationwide and internationally and met real success in its core markets of Sierra Leone and Liberia.. As Easy Solar prepares for its next phase of growth, we are creating a Country Manager position for Sierra Leone, who will be responsible for driving the continued growth of Easy Solar’s operations in the country.

As Country Manager, you will report directly to the Group Chief Executive Officer. Leading a team of country managers, your responsibilities are to oversee sales, operations, customer experience and back-office support functions to achieve the company’s vision, mission, values and long term goals.

You will ensure alignment to the group strategy in all activities, support the People and Culture team in recruiting staff and maintaining culture, and work with Finance to establish and implement a financially sustainable business. You will also develop and submit periodic reports on performance to Group HQ, including on country-level goals, staffing, budgets, and departmental KPIs.

Role Responsibilities:

Operational Planning & Reporting

• Participate in the elaboration of a strategic roadmap for the country with the Group CEO and the Board
• Developing country-level KPIs and goals
• Establish targets for KPIs across departments, working with managers and group directors
• Lead annual country budgeting process together with the finance team
• Ensure that P&C team has realistic staffing plans, in line with the budget
• Report on sales, financial and staffing performance (along with any other KPIs) on a quarterly basis, including the variance against targets
• Hold monthly meetings to discuss performance against targets
• Keep an eye on trends and growth opportunities (whether on new segments, products, sales channels, payment channels, pricing strategies or promotional opportunities)

Team Management

• Ensure every department has clear policies and controls guiding their activities (align where applicable to group level policies)
• Set goals and conduct appraisals of all direct reports
• Work with management to get 100% completion of bi-annual goal setting and appraisals
• Work with finance to manage cash flow-planning and ensure effective cash optimization
• Create a strong culture of cost control, and closely monitor operating and capital expenditures

Stakeholder & Risk Management

• Manage all critical stakeholders including but not limited to finance partners, distributors / dealers, corporate customers, government authorities, and potential subcontractors
• Ensure Easy Solar Sierra Leone is in compliance with all local regulations (including tax, labor, audit, standards bureau etc.)

Brand & Culture

• Serve as a leader by example, constantly exemplifying and re-echoing the mission, vision and values that underpin Easy Solar.
• Serve as brand custodian in country, ensuring the brand promise of quality, affordability, accessibility and customer service is always maintained, and that consistent application of brand identity is maintained
• Support P&C on employee management, while always ensuring that the SOLAR values are known and lived by the team

• Minimum 5 years experience as a Country Manager or Managing Director in a B2C business
• Experience in budgeting, cash flow management and reporting on financial performance
• Outstanding leadership, team building, decision making and coaching skills
• Excellent organization, delegation, performance management, administration, analytical, influencing, negotiation and time management skills
• Experience managing large operations and field sales teams in a fast-moving environment
• Experience working in West Africa
• Ability to work under pressure with strict deadlines and budgets
• Self-starter that’s assertive and constantly looking for new and improved ways to work

• Competitive salary and regional/international medical insurance
• A unique opportunity to expand energy access & financial inclusion at scale in West Africa
• A secure position in a rapidly growing company with a young, dynamic and motivated team
• The opportunity to develop new solutions and concepts to support a growing retail and asset financing business

Easy Solar enhances the lives of people across West Africa by providing access to solar energy solutions and other transformative durable goods. We make these affordable through a range of flexible financing options, empowered by pay-as-you-go technology, and accessible through an extensive network of agents and shops. As a leading solar company in Sierra Leone and Liberia, we have over 700,000 people using our products since operations launched in 2016. Customers can finance their purchases over time by paying in weekly or monthly installments, with the option to pay via cash or mobile money. Enabled by data-driven consumer finance, a trusted brand built on superior customer service, and an expansive network of 400+ agents and shops going the last mile, our growth is powering and empowering families and businesses across West Africa.

Easy Solar's funders include FMO, Acumen, AfDB, Gaia Impact Fund, MasterCard, and AECF (among others), and is a globally recognized brand, having been featured by Forbes, CNN, BBC, and Bloomberg, and an award from the World Economic Forum as Social Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2019, and Young Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2020 from Forbes Africa.