Global Head of Service & Certification

African Queen Marketing Management; Dubai; On-site; AED 420,000 - 640,000; Full time

Job summary

African Queen Marketing Management in Dubai seeks a senior leader to build from scratch and lead the global mobile device service function, focusing on post-purchase experience and brand standards. You will design country coverage, sign nationwide repair contracts, set parts logistics, and implement same-day replacements and Upgrade+.

Travel frequently to East and Southern Africa is required. This role demands 5+ years in electronics after-sales, partner-led network setup, and hands-on

Qualifications

• 5+ years in service or after-sales of electronics or home appliances.
• Experience building a service or distribution network through partners.
• Direct field experience in Africa (East and/or Southern).
• Strong understanding of smartphone hardware and software and how it fails in real conditions.
• Experience with factory and country certification processes.
• Experience managing warranty budgets and device logistics.
• Willingness to travel frequently and be based in Dubai.

Responsibilities

• Design country coverage with shop-in-shop points inside stores of master distributor and franchise partners.
• Launch each point with system access, standard operating procedures, tools, and replacement stock.
• Sign and manage service contracts for paid repairs with nationwide coverage.
• Establish commercial conditions and prices for repairs based on local purchasing power.
• Set up customer handover processes and ensure reports from service partners.
• Organize logistics for original spare parts including audits and penalties for counterfeiting.
• Implement same-day replacement for factory defects at brand shop-in-shop points.
• Provide stock for display modules and implement accounting for stock at points.
• Replace and upgrade stock at points; manage reserves and Upgrade+ flows.
• Set up regional hub returns (Nairobi/Johannesburg to Dubai/factory) and environmental disposal.
• Develop and roll out the Diagnostic Standard and Honest Warranty across languages.

Skills

After-sales service experience

Partner-led network building

Field experience in Africa

Smartphone hardware/software knowledge

Warranty budgeting & logistics

Willingness to travel Dubai-based

Job description

Location: Dubai, UAE.

Travel: Frequent and extended – to East and South Africa. It's part of the job, not the exception. Other regions are added as the network grows.

Team: Now there is one person in HQ. The second (quality and technical control) is added as the network grows.

First region: Eastern and Southern Africa. Start: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa.

Why does this role exist?

To build from scratch and lead the entire mobile device brand service function – globally.

This is the role of a builder, not an administrator: there is no service network, no standard, no platform, no contracts. This role creates all of it. The role focuses on Post-Purchase Customer Experience, not phone repair.

Brand Philosophy: "Excellent service is a part of the product."

What the role must deliver

1. Network of service points

• Design coverage by country: brand shop-in-shop points inside the stores of the master distributor + franchise partners in small towns.
• Choose point locations together with the Head of Country Operations under a matrix line (admin to Country Operations, functional to HQ): country recommends, HQ approves by service criteria. No service, no opening.
• Launch each point: system access, standard of operation, tools, replacement stock. Check readiness before approval to open.
• Start with the largest cities (Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Johannesburg), then close the gaps.
• Describe the standards of all processes for scaling.

2. Service contracts for paid repairs - The second pillar of the model

Warranty claims are resolved by device replacement. Everything that is not covered by the warranty (water, physical damage) goes to paid repairs — and this requires a service contract.

• Find and sign a contract with a service partner who has nationwide coverage - so that the customer can pay to have the device repaired in any city.
• Establish commercial conditions and prices for repairs based on real purchasing power in each country.
• Set up customer handover process: "not covered by warranty" → directed to partner → customer is served properly; receipt of a report from service partner.
• Organize the logistics of original spare parts for partners. The requirement that only original spare parts be used, the right to audit the partner, and penalties for counterfeiting must be included in the service contracts.

3. Same-day replacement for factory defect

• All warranty cases are resolved by this tool in the brand shop-in-shop + franchise partners

4. Free screen replacement. 1 time in 12 months.

• Implement the service in all brand shop-in-shop points + franchise partners in small towns.
• Provide each country and every point with a stock of display modules. Implement accounting.

5. Replace and Upgrade+ at the point

• Manage the reserve stock of replacement devices: decide how many and where to keep so that the replacement is never delayed.
• Keep stock of the latest model at points for Upgrade+. The upgrade happens at the same point as the service.
• Set up Upgrade+ flow: the licensed financial partner pre-approves eligible customers → customer comes by invitation → device is ready → leaves in 15 minutes. The old device stays in the family.
• Organize the return of broken devices: point → regional hub (Nairobi / Johannesburg) → Dubai/ factory. Ensure disposal according to local environmental regulations.

6. Diagnostic Standard and Honest Warranty

• Write one standard for all points: how to tell a factory defect from a non-warranty case. Simple, visual, for staff with different skill levels.
• Standardize the full cycle of "Free Screen Replacement — Once Every 12 Months," from the customer's request to the disposal of used displays.
• Translate into the languages of the region (English, Swahili, Portuguese) and embed into the IT platform.
• Control decision quality: field checks, mystery visits, review of disputed cases. Detect warranty fraud and the use of counterfeit parts.

Principle: "Honest warranty" is a brand promise. The standard must protect the customer from unfair rejection and the company from unjustified replacements. Both extremes are equally dangerous.

• Analyze defect statistics, identify recurring defects, and provide the factory with recommendations for quality improvement.

7. Certification – Factory and Country

• Factory Certification: Ensure that devices pass the required factory inspections and quality standards before being released to the market.
• Country Certification: Obtain and maintain approvals from local authorities – KEBS (Kenya), TBS (Tanzania), SABS (South Africa) and similar in other countries. Without this, the device cannot be legally sold.
• Track changing requirements by country and prepare documentation in advance — certification must not delay market launch.

8. IT Service Platform

• Own the service platform: determine what it should do, who has access, and what data it collects.
• Keep special attention to the description of "Free screen replacement. 1 time in 12 months" and "Upgrade+"
• Adapt the platform to low computer literacy: simple screens, on-site staff training.
• Set up reporting for coverage, replacement time, diagnostic accuracy, and fraud detection.

9. Training and Certification of Staff

• Build a training and certification system for technicians (levels, recertification every 6 months). Staff turnover in the region is high; a one-time training is not enough.
• Ensure at least one trained person at every point.
• Run mobile training trips to remote areas, video lessons in local languages.

KPIs are tied to the brand promise

• Walk-in, walk-out replaced — share of warranty replacements completed on the spot, same visit.
• 15 minutes Upgrade+ time at the point.
• Honest warranty – share of fair warranty decisions (no unreasonable replacements and no unfair rejection).
• Coverage: share of the country within reach of a service point.
• Availability of replacement stock and the latest model at points.
• Warranty budget and cost per replacement.
• Certification – All markets have valid country approvals; no launches are blocked by certification.

Goals for the first 6-12 months

1. Launch the service network in the starter countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa) and reach target coverage.

2. Sign contracts with service partners for paid repair with national coverage.

3. Write and roll out a single diagnostic and work standard, translated into regional languages, inside the IT platform.

4. Set up the replacement device pool and reverse logistics through regional hubs; reach the target replacement time.

5. Secure country certification for all starter markets.

6. Participate in the selection of the first 5-10 people.

7. Create a list of required equipment for points

8. Train and certify staff - at least one person at each point.

9. Launch Upgrade+ at the points: latest model stock, flow for 15 minutes.

Who we are looking for

Required

• 5+ years in service / after-sales of electronics or home appliances.
• Experience building a service or distribution network through partners (not through direct hiring at each point).
• Real field experience in Africa (East and/or Southern). Not theory — work on the ground.
• Understanding of how a smartphone works technically (hardware and software) and how it breaks in real conditions: dust, humidity, power surges.
• Experience with certification: factory and/or country (KEBS, TBS, SABS, or equivalent).
• Experience managing warranty budgets and device logistics.
• Willingness to travel frequently and for extended periods, based in Dubai.