Sanergy is an award-winning social enterprise that employs the circular economy approach to treat and convert all forms of urban waste into organic fertilizer and insect-based animal protein. Sanergy manufactures and distributes Evergrow Organic Fertilizer and Kuzapro Insect Based Animal Protein, under the Farm Star brand. We are an increasingly sophisticated, highly intricate organization with many moving parts. Sanergy seeks accomplished, driven individuals who will make substantive contributions to the organization.
Research and Development is responsible for creating and improving products and technologies to enable the profitable conversion of organic wastes into valuable byproducts. We take ideas from the whiteboard to the factory floor; as a team we are involved in ideation and design, product testing, trialing and transfer of technology into Operations.
In the R&D Improve team, we focus on developing our existing product lines and improving volume, quality and cost with process and product changes.
The Opportunity
Sanergy has just finished construction of a large scale waste treatment facility capable of converting organic wastes into insect protein, organic fertilizer and briquettes. We have been able to successfully produce briquettes that can be used by industrial boilers to replace traditional solid fuel products. We are now looking for ways to optimise to provide the best value product for our customers while hitting target formulation costs and performance.
Role Mission
Sanergy aims to rapidly scale it’s briquetting product line, at a positive margin while maintaining product performance. This role will support that ambition by acting as the owner of all technical product development of briquettes. The role-holder will work closely with Operations and Engineering Support teams to deliver formulation and process changes, as well as with sales teams to ensure product quality meets customer expectations.
Key duties and responsibilities
Project management
Lead R&D projects for the briquettes product line, including formulation and process development
Work with R&D manager to develop project scope, timeline, budget and risk management plan
Develop and maintain a detailed short term plan on a rolling 4-6 week horizon
Develop and maintain, with support from the R&D Manager, a rough-cut medium term plan on a rolling 3 month horizon
Coordinate and deliver high-quality work packages to an agreed timeline
Coordinate cross-functionally for the successful implementation of the project in the factory
Inputs into stakeholder management through stakeholder engagement, interviews, presentations and updates, for all projects
Input to project learnings and evaluation documents
Requests resources or support where project progress is slowing or roadblocked
Product and process development
Responsible for improving profitability and product quality for briquettes
Owns, prioritises and updates pool of hypotheses in briquetting
Conduct regular literature reviews, competition/peer engagements and process data reviews to remain up to date in briquetting and solid fuels technology, and generate further research leads
Conduct bench scale research to determine feasibility of new project ideas
Conduct pilot scale research to determine feasibility of technology at larger scale and capability
Land new specifications in factory, with complete handover documentation and training for Operations team
Execute research that supports the continuous improvement of existing processes
Responsible for owning and developing specifications for products and processes
Perform cost/benefit analyses to determine marginal profitability of improvements
Execution of trials
Leads design, execution and analysis of trials in technical workstreams
Ensures relevant stakeholders are involved in trials, including preparation, execution, wind-down and communication of results
Prepares trial protocols
Plans and coordinates resource allocation for trials
Coordinates Research Assistants, Trial Associates and R&D Operators to execute trials
Coordinate trial execution, data collection, logistics, wind down and analysis
Completes trial reports that are easy to read, thorough, and up-to-date
Present findings in post-mortems that draw sound conclusions and make clear recommendations
Use general analytical and statistical (quantitative and qualitative) approaches to analyze experimental data to arrive at logical conclusions making use of appropriate tools and procedures
Develops new methods, with support from R&D Analysts and R&D Manager, if appropriate
Systems and processes
Proactively identifies and escalates issues in trial and R&D processes that reduce the quality of work and speed of execution
Resolves assigned issues on time, in full
Quality support
R&D representative for RCAs focused on process and product issues in briquetting
Support Quality improvement projects in briquetting
Operations support
Supports resolution of formulation and specification related issues
Proctively reviews Operational performance data relevant to briquettes
Initiates and supports investigations in briquetting for Operations and R&D trials
Actively interact with the Operations team to identify issues in production early for mitigation measures
Professional development
Initiate, attend and contribute to update discussions (with the project and team lead)
Initiate feedback discussions with team lead & stakeholders
Identify own professional development needs and seeks opportunities/executes agreed actions, including training, coaching, mentoring and workplace activities
Initiate development discussions with team lead and skip level management
Initiate and lead prioritization discussions
Maintains personal development plan with support from R&D Manager
Team development
Provides regular feedback to reports, peers and managers
Identifies issues with team and process and proposes solutions
Share subject matter knowledge with R&D team members by taking part in brain-storming sessions as requested
Participates in team culture activities
Who are we looking for?
Skills, Qualifications & Experience
Degree in Science- or Engineering-related field
Highly preferable: experience with briquettes and other solid fuels, ideally from waste sources
Proficiency with Office suite tools or equivalent especially in Excel skills: you have used Excel or an equivalent tool to collect and analyse data, build models
Strong problem-solving skills: you have shown the ability to abstract and solve ambiguous, challenging problems
Effective time management, organizational, and prioritization skills: you have demonstrable ability to manage projects and use basic project management skills
Attention to detail: you have shown that you are thorough, detail-oriented, don’t make assumptions, check and validate yours and others’ work, you catch typos and errors
To apply, please submit a cover letter clearly indicating your available start date (include notice period), your interest in this role, and your resume/CV that includes a list of three referees by 31st March 2021. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Fresh Life is an award-winning social venture that builds healthy, prosperous communities by making hygienic sanitation accessible and affordable in Africa’s urban informal settlements. Our systems-based approach to solving the sanitation crisis involves five key steps: we build a dense network of franchised micro-entrepreneurs, who operate low-cost, high-quality waterless sanitation facilities – called Fresh Life – as small businesses.
We provide critical support services – such as access to finance, business analytics, training, and marketing. We collect the waste regularly and safely remove it from the community. We convert the waste into valuable by-products, such as organic fertilizer and renewable energy. Finally, we sell the by-products to Kenyan farms.
Since November 2011, we have launched nearly 700 Fresh Life Toilets to a network of more than 300 Fresh Life Operators. We have collected and converted over 3,500 tons of waste. At the same time, we have built a team of over 200 people.
For our work, we have been recognized by Fast Company as one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World Doing Social Good and one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in Africa.
The Team
The Future Initiatives team is responsible for designing citywide sanitation business models for scaling operations, with the goal of maximizing the number of people served through financially sustainable solutions. To achieve these goals, the Future Initiatives team supports three key work streams:
● New Products & Services - Identifying and piloting new sanitation products and
services that enable us to reach more people and safely manage more waste.
● Strategic Projects - Optimizing the business model for existing products and
services, as well as develop partnerships for adjacent products and services.
● Market Expansion- Conducting market research to inform the development of
market expansion strategies and plans for cities both within and outside of Kenya.
The Opportunity
Fresh Life’s network has grown rapidly, and we now serve over 150,000 people in Nairobi with
plans to scale to 1M people in Nairobi and .5M people in new geographies by 2025. To achieve
these goals, we will need to rapidly replicate our model across new geographies while
simultaneously identifying opportunities for increasing revenue and reducing costs.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
● Work with managers on the Future Initiatives team to support projects related to new
product and service development, market expansion, and the achievement of
financial sustainability.
● Conduct market research to understand the competitive environment for Fresh Life’s
products and services, evaluate customer satisfaction and identify opportunities to
evolve our products to better meet market needs and grow our impact.
● Support market expansion efforts, including developing frameworks to determine
market expansion priorities and timelines, conducting baseline assessments,
analyzing datasets, and developing implementation plans.
Key Qualifications
● Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (business administration, research, community
development, etc.)
● 3+ years of experience in a demanding private sector or development sector
environment with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership
● Excellent problem solving, analytical, and quantitative skills
● Entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated experience launching new initiatives
● Strong quantitative, presentation, and writing skills, including fluency in MS Excel,
PowerPoint, and Word
● Demonstrated ability to work independently with a diverse set of counterparts, in
unstructured settings and to adapt to new environments and challenges
● Excellent organization and management skills, including time management and
project management
What to Expect
You’ll work in a highly collaborative and entrepreneurial environment and play an intricate role in shaping all aspects of the Future Initiatives team strategy. You’ll have the opportunity to frequently lead work streams and present results to our senior leadership team, interact with our customers, and figure out how to turn insights into operational execution. The expectation is that you will rapidly grow in the role, taking on new challenges and responsibilities as you go.
To Apply
To apply, please submit a cover letter clearly indicating your available start date (include notice period), your interest in this role, and your resume/CV that includes a list of three referees by 31st March 2021. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
About Fresh Life:
Fresh Life is an award-winning social venture that builds healthy, prosperous communities by making hygienic sanitation accessible and affordable in Africa’s urban informal settlements.
Our systems-based approach to solving the sanitation crisis involves five key steps: we build a dense network of franchised micro-entrepreneurs, who operate low-cost, high-quality waterless sanitation facilities – called Fresh Life – as small businesses.
We provide critical support services – such as access to finance, business analytics, training, and marketing. We collect the waste regularly and safely remove it from the community. We convert the waste into valuable by-products, such as organic fertilizer and renewable energy. Finally, we sell the by-products to Kenyan farms.
Since November 2011, we have launched nearly 700 Fresh Life Toilets to a network of more than 300 Fresh Life Operators. We have collected and converted over 3,500 tons of waste. At the same time, we have built a team of over 200 people.
For our work, we have been recognized by Fast Company as one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World Doing Social Good and one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in Africa.
We currently seek a Security Guard
A typical day for you might include the following projects
Patrol plant/ premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, perimeter wall and gates.
Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.
Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences.
Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire or presence of unauthorized persons.
Circulate among visitors, patrons, and employees to preserve order and protect property.
Answer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed.
Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary.
Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.
Escort individuals to specified locations and to provide personal protection.
Inspect and adjust security systems, equipment, and machinery to ensure operational use and to detect evidence of tampering
Skills and qualifications you’ll need
High School Certificate (KCSE),
Minimum one (1) years’ experience of working as a Security Guard.
Police Good Conduct. Personal Skills and qualities
Handling insecure environment
Planning and delivering results
Empowering and building trust
Qualities you’ll need to fit in well among the Sanergy-Stars
A collaborative spirit that compels you to work beyond your team
A desire to understand and serve customers
A willingness to embrace diversity, integrity and empathy
An innovative approach to assessing and testing new ideas
An enthusiasm to achieve set targets and improve yourself professionally
The perks you’ll have
A holistic benefits package
Unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth
A unique chance to tackle critical challenges of sanitation, economic empowerment and food security
Communicating with impact and respect
Trustworthiness and integrity
Problem Solving
Customer Service
Reports writing
To apply, please click here to submit a cover letter and your resume/CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The deadline for submission of application is 15th March 2021
Sanergy is an award-winning social enterprise that employs the circular economy approach to treat and convert all forms of urban waste into Evergrow Organic Fertilizer and Insect-Based Animal Protein. Sanergy manufacturers and distributes Evergrow Organic Fertilizer and KuzaPro Insect Based Animal Protein under the Farm Star brand. We are an increasingly sophisticated, highly intricate organization with many moving parts. Sanergy seeks accomplished, driven individuals who will make substantive contributions to the organization.
We currently seek to recruit a Technical Engineer
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Adhere to daily/weekly/monthly tasks as per your Leader Standardized Work template shared with you by your manager
- Breakdown Lean daily management projects into small SMART goals with clear link to technical sourcing by determining the needs ,choosing suppliers , managing suppliers,negotiating prices and awarding contracts.
-Participate in maintenance activities ,plant and equipment commissioning and be able to measure the adherence of outsourced spare parts to OEM specifications.
.-Lead value engineering and value analysis processes
-Collaborate with the maintenance teams in carrying out root cause analysis
-Identify and eliminate waste within the procurement process
-Blend Total Productive maintenance ,Reliability centered Maintenance ,FMEA ,and RCAs and advise on how they can reduce maintenance costs "
-Assess supplier performance based on quality , costs ,delivery and service
-Conduct extensive research on potential sources of technical spare parts by ensuring that prices are competitive and at all times we have sufficient production capacity.
-Share dashboard reports on inventory consumption ,stock items , economic order quantities , Re-order levels , safety stocks.
-Develop stockout Trigger alerts
-Develop and Maintain Statements of Accounts
-Develop vendor selection criteria"
- Acts as a technical liaison between operational managers , procurement team and suppliers .
-Understand documented FMEA ,and RCAsas they serve as feedback on performance of previously sourced parts and can sway next procurements.
- Built positive relationships with operational and planning managers to foster harmony between the production and excecution plans.
- Have cordial interactions with all staff as you do your work
- Report any complaints or concerns raised by existing customers or any other member of the community
-Research ,meet and onboard vendors with competitive prices and quality products "
- Maintain daily inventory consumption charts that shows stock counts , re-order level ,safety stocks and when to initiate procurement requests .
- Use Maintenance data , PM and AM calenders to plan procurement request
-Analyse data to get insights on resource consumption and advise on Economic order Quantities , waste elimination, Materials that should be stocked .
-Procurement requests should be within approved budgets
Skills, Qualifications & Experience
1 Degree in Science- or Engineering-/Technical field
2 2 years Experience in a factory setting
3 Proficiency in Excel skills.
4 Procurement experience is an added advantage