General manager

Job description

General Manager – (Lusaka, Zambia)

Company Overview

Women’s Initiative for Delivering Clean Energy (WidEnergy) to Africa, founded in 2016, provides off-grid solar energy solutions to households and small businesses across Zambia. Through Solar Home Systems (SHS) and solar-powered freezers enabled by Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) technology, the company is expanding nationwide access to affordable, clean energy while building a commercially sustainable distribution platform.

Role Overview

The General Manager will lead the nationwide rollout of SHS PAYGO operations and oversee all day-to-day operational activities. The role involves building and managing a high-performing sales, service, and collections organization capable of delivering thousands of SHS sales per month. It requires a hands-on leader comfortable working in dynamic, field-driven environments and traveling regularly across Zambia.

Key Responsibilities;

Operational Leadership

Lead nationwide SHS rollout and execution

Establish and manage regional sales and service structures

Ensure operational readiness of hubs and field teams

Implement KPIs, reporting systems, and operational controls

Sales & Distribution

Recruit, train, and manage regional coordinators and sales agents

Drive achievement of monthly sales and activation targets

Monitor agent productivity and regional performance

Build a strong, performance-driven sales culture

Portfolio & Customer Performance

Ensure effective customer onboarding

Monitor repayment performance and early portfolio health

Coordinate with finance and customer service teams to minimize defaults

Operations & Inventory

Maintain accountability for inventory allocation and movement

Enforce operational discipline across all locations

Coordinate logistics and service delivery processes

Team Leadership & Culture

Set clear performance expectations

Enforce accountability and professionalism

Develop leadership capacity within the organization

Candidate Profile;

Required Experience

5–8 years of operational leadership experience

Experience managing field sales, distribution, or agent-based networks in PAYGO solar, telecommunications, FMCG, microfinance, or similar sectors

Proven ability to manage decentralized teams

Strong track record of delivering commercial targets

Preferred Experience

Off-grid solar or PAYGO business models

Building agent or distributor networks

Working in rural or last-mile markets

Managing rural micro-credit operations

Personal Attributes

Highly execution-oriented and hands-on

Strong leadership, accountability, and integrity

comfortable in fast-changing environments

Pofessional and results-driven

Reporting & Contract

Reports directly to the Board of Directors

Full day-to-day operational authority (no corporate signatory responsibility)

Fixed-term, performance-based contract with competitive salary

Clear pathway to potential future appointment as Managing Director

Diversity Commitment

In line with the company’s gender inclusion commitments, applications are open to female candidates only.

Application Process

Submit the following to hrjobs@widenergyafrica.com

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Cover Letter outlining relevant operational experience

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until March 15, 2026.