Regional Manager - Coastal Region

Job description

[https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/5ac97b31-49cd-4012-8bb0-5caf15e33c69/B25.png] REGIONAL MANAGER | M-KOPA COASTAL REGION (DURBAN & EASTERN CAPE) [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/c379a0cd-8f33-45b0-a4eb-ac16734198df/image.png] You've led sales teams before. You've owned territories, hit targets, and coached managers through the tough quarters. You know what it feels like to carry a region — and you know what it looks like when a team is firing versus flailing. The question isn't whether you can do this job. It's whether your current role is giving you a canvas that's worthy of what you've built. This one might be. M-KOPA has just crossed 7 million customers across Africa — up from 5 million not long ago — with $2 billion in credit unlocked and 86% of customers reporting a meaningful improvement in their quality of life. Of those 7 million, 55% are accessing financial products for the very first time. We're not optimising a mature market. We're building one. And to reach 10 million customers, we need regional leadership that goes well beyond target-chasing. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/72b933f3-5666-4e04-8eb6-476a2d8b61a4/image.png] Why this timing matters If you've seen M-KOPA advertising across multiple roles recently, that's not coincidence — it's deliberate. We're in the middle of a structural expansion: deepening field sales execution, strengthening retail channel partnerships, and building the regional management infrastructure that will carry us from 7 million to 10 million customers. The leaders we appoint now won't just inherit a territory — they'll help define how the next growth phase runs. That window doesn't stay open indefinitely. What this role actually is The Regional Manager sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. You'll lead a team of Deputy Regional Managers — managers of managers — owning everything from sales performance and stock management to partner store relationships and campaign execution across your region. This isn't a role you oversee from a desk. It's a role where your visibility, your coaching, and your judgment in the field determine whether targets are hit or missed. You'll set direction for your DRMs and hold them accountable to it. You'll own regional forecasting, diagnose performance trends before they become problems, and deliver clear, insight-driven reporting to the Head of Sales. When campaigns drop from national, you translate them into territory-level plans that actually land. When stock levels drift, you're ahead of it. When a partner store relationship needs attention, you're in it. What makes this different from other regional roles Most regional management roles sit inside businesses where the playbook is written and the market is known. This one doesn't. M-KOPA operates across field sales and in-store retail channels in markets that are still being shaped — which means your strategic instincts genuinely matter here. You're not just executing someone else's model; you're refining it in real time, with real consequences for customers who are depending on affordable access to smartphones, solar energy, and financial services. The scale is also real. With 35,000 agents operating across multiple markets, the infrastructure you help build here affects more people than most regional roles ever will. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/c7530778-c9eb-4e85-b7f6-95bfccf387a9/image.png] What you bring - A proven track record leading multi-territory sales teams — including managing managers — across FMCG, financial services, insurance, retail, or electronic device channels. - Demonstrable experience driving channel performance across both field and in-store environments, with hands-on exposure to stock management, campaign execution, and retail partner relationships. - Strong analytical capability: you use data to identify variance, build forecasts, and make decisions — not just to report upward. You're a leader who shows up. You build trust with your DRMs by being present, direct, and consistent — and you create accountability without creating fear. You read performance trends before they become fires, and you know how to intervene in ways that stick. The reality check This is a demanding, high-visibility role in a business that moves fast and expects leaders who move with it. DRM performance sits with you. Regional outcomes sit with you. Partner relationships sit with you. If that sounds like pressure, you're right — it is. But if your honest reaction is "that's exactly the kind of accountability I've been waiting for," then you're probably already the person we're looking for. Your region. Your canvas. Let's talk. If you're reading this and thinking you've been underutilised in a structure that doesn't quite match your ambition — that's probably the signal worth paying attention to. We'd love to explore whether this is the right next move for you. WHY M-KOPA? At M-KOPA, we empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on-the-job training. We support individual journeys with family-friendly policies, prioritize well-being, and embrace flexibility. Join us in shaping the future of M-KOPA as we grow together. Explore more at m-kopa.com http://m-kopa.com. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/369018b8-cf9c-49c7-95f1-1d414482ba57/B13.png] Recognized four times by the Financial Times as one Africa's fastest growing companies (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026) and by TIME100 Most influential companies in the world 2023 and 2024 , we've served over 7 million customers, unlocking $1.5 billion in cumulative credit for the unbanked across Africa. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/481f6724-8375-4f39-b514-fbe00b8fc3b5/B13.png] Important Notice M-KOPA is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. M-KOPA explicitly prohibits the use of Forced or Child Labour and respects the rights of its employees to agree to terms and conditions of employment voluntarily, without coercion, and freely terminate their employment on appropriate notice. M-KOPA shall ensure that its Employees are of legal working age and shall comply with local laws for youth employment or student work, such as internships or apprenticeships. M-KOPA does not collect/charge any money as a pre-employment or post-employment requirement. This means that we never ask for ‘recruitment fees’, ‘processing fees’, ‘interview fees’, or any other kind of money in exchange for offer letters or interviews at any time during the hiring process. Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Shortlisting and interviews will take place at any stage during the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is selected before the advertised closing date. If your application is successful M-KOPA undertakes pre-employment background checks as part of its recruitment process, these include; criminal records, identification verification, academic qualifications, employment dates and employer references.