Retail Operations & Governance Manager

Role summary

This position serves as the central coordination point for retail performance, operating standards, and transformation initiatives across Airtel Africa. The role is focused on strengthening store productivity, sharpening execution discipline, improving operational efficiency, and lifting overall business results. It does this by spotting performance gaps, equipping local markets, setting common standards, and rolling out improvement programs at scale.

Core responsibilities

• Monitor retail performance across all operating companies and maintain clear visibility into results.
• Spot gaps in performance across markets, clusters, and store formats.
• Investigate the root causes behind weak results in revenue, conversion, and productivity.
• Create structured improvement plans and performance frameworks to address underperformance.
• Support markets in turning group priorities into practical execution plans.
• Challenge, guide, and track market-level improvement efforts.
• Promote the transfer of successful practices between operating companies.
• Help build a strong cross-market network focused on performance excellence.
• Lead transformation work aimed at increasing sales productivity.
• Improve store efficiency and lower operating costs.
• Enhance customer experience through better retail execution.
• Test new initiatives and expand successful pilots across markets.
• Encourage the use of innovation and digital tools in retail operations.
• Own the generation of insights and performance diagnostics for the business.
• Convert data findings into clear, actionable recommendations for decision-makers.
• Identify top-performing markets and replicate their proven approaches elsewhere.
• Provide leadership with structured, insight-led performance updates.
• Set group-wide standards for inventory control, stock availability, loss prevention, and cost discipline.
• Track performance across markets on stock-outs, shrinkage, and operating costs.
• Improve operational efficiency and control over retail assets.
• Define execution quality benchmarks for retail operations.
• Build audit processes and validation tools to check compliance and quality.
• Drive consistent execution standards across all markets.
• Follow through on corrective actions based on audit outcomes.

Education and experience

A bachelor’s degree in Business, Analytics, or Operations is required, and an MBA is preferred. The role calls for 8 to 12 years of experience in retail performance management and operations excellence transformation. Candidates should have a track record of identifying performance issues and turning them into scalable operating solutions. Exposure to multiple countries or markets is an added advantage.

Additional information

This role is based in Nairobi County, Kenya and is a full-time, on-site position.