Senior Manager, Communications

M-KOPA is seeking a Senior Manager, Communications to lead strategic and integrated communications across its markets in South Africa and Kenya. The full-time role sits within the Corporate Communications department and combines corporate communications, reputation management, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement and hands-on operational ownership.

Key Job Information

• Employer: M-KOPA
• Job Title: Senior Manager, Communications
• Department: Corporate Communications
• Employment Type: Full time
• Locations: South Africa and Kenya

About the Role

The Senior Manager, Communications will shape M-KOPA’s narrative, advise senior leaders, manage reputation and navigate complex stakeholder relationships across multiple markets. The position requires a communications professional who can combine strategic counsel with hands-on execution, including media engagement, crisis response, internal communications, integrated campaigns and operational management.

The role will help maintain a coherent Group narrative while ensuring communications remain relevant to local markets, cultures, regulatory environments and stakeholder expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute communications strategies aligned with business objectives and the needs of different audiences.
• Lead corporate and external communications, including media pitches, press statements, executive briefings and leadership speeches.
• Advise Country Managing Directors, senior executives and other leaders on communications and reputation matters.
• Manage corporate reputation and identify, assess and respond to emerging issues across different markets.
• Lead crisis communications by coordinating stakeholders, advising leaders and developing appropriate external responses when circumstances change quickly.
• Build and maintain relationships with media, government stakeholders, regulators, partners and other external audiences.
• Work with marketing and integrated teams to align campaigns, brand communications and corporate reputation.
• Partner with People/HR teams on employee communications, organisational change, leadership messaging and culture-related communications.
• Support consistent Group positioning while adapting communications to local market contexts.
• Prepare media monitoring and reporting that provides useful insights into sentiment and share of voice.
• Manage communications agencies, suppliers and budgets, including procurement, purchase orders, spend tracking and invoice reconciliation.
• Work across functions and markets to influence outcomes, provide strategic counsel and maintain communications quality.

Required Experience and Skills

• Strong professional background in corporate communications, integrated communications or a similarly broad communications environment.
• Experience connecting media relations, reputation, brand, internal communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong strategic communications skills and the ability to translate business objectives into practical communications strategies.
• Deep experience in reputation management and issues management across different markets or geographies.
• Strong crisis communications experience, including advising leaders and coordinating stakeholders under pressure.
• Multi-market communications experience, ideally across Africa, with an understanding of different cultures, regulatory environments and stakeholder landscapes.
• Confident stakeholder management skills, with experience engaging senior executives, government stakeholders, regulators, media and external partners.
• Experience across both external and internal communications, including employee communications, leadership messaging, organisational change and culture.
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to produce clear and effective press statements, executive briefings, leadership speeches, crisis responses and employee communications.
• Experience working in complex, fast-moving environments such as fintech, technology, high-growth companies, agencies or matrixed organisations.
• Ability to influence across functions without always having direct authority and adapt quickly when business circumstances change.
• Comfort working in a lean, high-ownership environment and deciding when to use agencies or specialist support.
• Experience managing agencies, suppliers, budgets, procurement, purchase orders and communications-related financial administration.

What the Work Involves

The Senior Manager, Communications will balance strategic and operational responsibilities across the organisation. The role may involve drafting a press statement, advising a Country Managing Director on Group positioning, preparing a senior leader for a sensitive stakeholder discussion or working with marketing on an integrated campaign.

The position will also respond to regulatory and reputational issues, assess their communications implications, coordinate relevant stakeholders and help determine appropriate responses. It will further support employee communications during organisational changes and provide useful media reporting on sentiment and share of voice.

Why Join M-KOPA?

M-KOPA supports employees in owning their careers through development programmes, coaching partnerships and on-the-job training. The company also supports individual journeys through family-friendly policies, prioritizes employee well-being and embraces flexibility.

M-KOPA states that it serves more than 10 million customers across Sub-Saharan Africa and has unlocked more than $2 billion in credit. The company also states that 86% of its customers report improved quality of life, 70% use its products to generate income and 55% are accessing formal financial services for the first time.

M-KOPA further reports having more than 2,300 employees and 35,000 agents, alongside its e-mobility business and smartphone assembly operations in Kenya.

Important Application Information

• M-KOPA is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
• Women, minorities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
• M-KOPA prohibits forced and child labour and complies with applicable laws on legal working age and employment.
• M-KOPA does not charge recruitment, processing, interview or other fees at any stage of the hiring process.
• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with shortlisting and interviews taking place at any stage during the recruitment process.
• M-KOPA reserves the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is selected before the advertised closing date.
• Successful applicants will undergo pre-employment background checks, including criminal records, identification verification, academic qualifications, employment dates and employer references.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply through the official M-KOPA recruitment application for the Senior Manager, Communications position. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates may be shortlisted and interviewed before the vacancy closes.