Head of Workplace IT

M-KOPA, the Africa-focused fintech behind flexible pay-as-you-go financing for everyday earners, is hiring a Head of Workplace IT to run the technology that keeps its people working without interruption. The company has unlocked more than $2 billion in credit for over 10 million customers. This leader will look after the systems behind a workforce of more than 2,500 employees spread across six countries.

The role covers five offices, four warehouses, over 100 retail sites and ten call centres. Many of these locations operate where connectivity is inconsistent, so sound judgment on cost, performance, security and resilience is central to the job. You will set the direction for networks, telephony, laptops and phones, identity and access, productivity software and the service desk, then build a team across several countries to deliver it.

You will also hold the operating and capital budget for Workplace IT, steering spend on hardware, connectivity, telephony and software licences. As M-KOPA opens new sites and enters new markets, you will design how those locations get connected and equipped from day one.

This is a full-time, hybrid position within the Technology department. Candidates may be based in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda or the United Kingdom, with regular travel to other operating markets. Travel may reach 25% of working time during the early months.

You will work closely with the Security function, agreeing clear ownership lines for patching, vulnerability fixes, endpoint protection and system hardening. You will also be measured on service levels, so the business can see IT performing.

M-KOPA has been recognised by the Financial Times among Africa’s fastest-growing companies and appears on CNBC’s list of top fintechs. The company offers development programmes, coaching partnerships, family-friendly policies, flexible working and wellbeing support. If you enjoy combining technical depth with a service mindset, and want your work to support financial inclusion across a continent, this is a strong opportunity.

• 3 years

Own the Workplace IT roadmap from start to finish, covering networks, telephony, end-user devices, identity, collaboration tools and service management.
Lead, coach and grow a Workplace IT team spread across several countries, setting clear goals and encouraging a service-first culture.
Manage the operating and capital budget, challenging spend on hardware, connectivity, telephony and software subscriptions.
Oversee wired and wireless networks at offices, warehouses and retail locations, using monitoring data to improve uptime and speed.
Run contact-center telephony across roughly ten call-center sites and keep voice services dependable for customer-facing teams.
Look after on-site infrastructure, including server rooms, power, cooling, physical access controls and CCTV.
Manage the full lifecycle of laptops, desktops and mobile phones, along with endpoint and mobile device management.
Operate the identity platform, including directory services, single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, plus onboarding, role-change and offboarding processes.
Run periodic access reviews for internal and external applications so that controls stay audit-ready without frustrating users.
Select and manage core productivity, collaboration, back-office and AI tools, and encourage adoption habits that make them useful in daily work.
Negotiate and manage contracts with internet providers, telecom operators, hardware suppliers, SaaS vendors and managed service partners.
Handle meeting-room and audio-visual systems across locations.
Partner with the Security function on patching, vulnerability remediation, endpoint protection and hardening, keeping ownership boundaries clear.
Maintain business continuity and disaster recovery plans, and test them regularly.
Define service-level agreements and performance measures, report results openly and act on user feedback.
Set up Workplace IT capability for new sites and market launches as the company expands.
Travel regularly across operating markets to support teams and inspect sites.

A degree in information technology, computer science, engineering or a related field is helpful. Equivalent hands-on experience is equally welcome.
Professional certifications such as ITIL, CISSP, or recognized cloud and networking credentials are desirable but not compulsory.
Demonstrated leadership of an IT function covering many sites, ideally across more than one country.
Experience leading a workplace IT team. Strong individual contributors or managers in a related field who are ready for the next step will also be considered.
A record of negotiating and managing contracts with internet providers, telecom operators, hardware suppliers and software or managed service vendors.
Working knowledge of identity, endpoint and network security.
Enough infrastructure depth, including server-room and physical environments, to engage confidently with specialists.
Comfort working in fast-growing businesses in emerging markets.
Willingness to live in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda or the UK and travel regularly.

Strategic planning for IT operations across many locations
People leadership, coaching and team building across borders
Budget ownership and cost control
Vendor selection, negotiation and contract oversight
Network design, monitoring and performance tuning, including in unreliable-connectivity settings
Identity and access management, including single sign-on and multi-factor authentication
Endpoint and mobile device management
Security hygiene covering patching, vulnerability fixing and hardening
Business continuity and disaster recovery planning
Service desk management and SLA reporting
Understanding of server rooms, power, cooling and physical security
Clear communication with executives, technical specialists and everyday users
Collecting and acting on user feedback
Change management and tool adoption
Adaptability and sound judgment in rapidly changing markets
Collaboration with Security and other business functions