BURN Manufacturing is on a mission to save lives and forests through the design, manufacture, and distribution of clean-burning cookstoves and innovative energy products. With operations in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa, BURN has positioned itself as a trailblazer in sustainable manufacturing, constantly evolving and scaling its operations to achieve environmental and economic impact at scale.
As we expand our technology capabilities to support internal process efficiencies and future-proof our operations, BURN is seeking a visionary and technically competent Automation and AI Innovation Lead. This pivotal role will be central to the organisation’s digital transformation journey—leading initiatives to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to enhance productivity, inform strategic decisions, and support sustainable growth.
We invite a strategic thinker and hands-on technologist to step into this position and collaborate with multi-functional teams in streamlining operations, building innovative systems, and shaping a culture of intelligent automation.
Position: Automation and AI Innovation Lead
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Department: Software Engineering, Data Science
Employment Type: Full-time
About the Role
As the Automation and AI Innovation Lead, you will drive the discovery, development, and deployment of advanced automation and AI-powered solutions. Reporting to senior leadership, you will work cross-functionally with departments such as production, logistics, finance, sales, and customer service to reimagine workflows and unlock new efficiencies through digital technologies.
Your role will involve creating a strategic AI roadmap, deploying machine learning and automation tools, and ensuring that ethical governance, compliance, and technical robustness remain a core focus. You’ll be expected to manage innovation pipelines, pilot new technologies, and provide essential training and support to relevant teams across BURN.
This role is suited for someone with both strategic oversight and hands-on development capabilities—someone who is equally comfortable designing scalable architectures and getting deep into the code.
Key Responsibilities
1. AI Strategy and Implementation
- Develop and execute a comprehensive AI adoption roadmap that aligns with BURN’s business objectives and digital transformation goals.
- Collaborate with in-house data scientists, software engineers, and business analysts to implement machine learning models that solve specific organisational challenges.
- Monitor the performance, accuracy, and relevance of AI models, ensuring they meet business requirements and adhere to ethical and governance standards.
- Create a feedback loop that continuously evaluates the impact of AI systems on business outcomes and refines strategies accordingly.
2. Process Analysis and Automation Design
- Conduct in-depth process analyses in collaboration with department leads to identify bottlenecks and high-value opportunities for automation.
- Map current-state and future-state process flows with technical and business input.
- Draft detailed process documentation including automation specifications, business rules, workflow sequences, and decision trees.
- Design and develop scalable automation solutions using platforms such as UiPath, Blue Prism, or Automation Anywhere tailored to BURN’s operational needs.
3. Implementation and Deployment
- Configure, test, and deploy RPA bots and AI-based applications, ensuring they automate repetitive manual processes effectively.
- Collaborate with IT infrastructure teams to ensure solutions are secure, integrated into existing platforms, and maintain data integrity.
- Deploy end-to-end solutions with thorough testing, documentation, and sign-off from business stakeholders.
4. Monitoring and Optimisation
- Regularly monitor deployed solutions to ensure stability, performance, and business continuity.
- Troubleshoot system issues, resolve bugs, and implement patches or updates where required.
- Proactively identify opportunities to enhance and evolve existing AI models and automation solutions in response to changing business conditions.
- Maintain an innovation pipeline of AI and automation initiatives, ranking them by feasibility and potential ROI.
5. Governance and Compliance
- Establish AI and automation governance standards covering ethical AI usage, model interpretability, data privacy, and system reliability.
- Develop internal compliance checklists and ensure all deployed solutions conform to BURN’s data security and compliance policies.
- Ensure adherence to global and local regulatory requirements, particularly around data handling and AI usage.
6. Training and Support
- Act as the organisation-wide subject matter expert on AI and RPA tools.
- Design and deliver structured training sessions and user manuals to educate internal users on new tools and technologies.
- Provide ongoing technical support to business users, addressing questions, resolving issues, and offering solutions that enhance user adoption.
7. Innovation and Research
- Stay current with the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation frameworks.
- Research and evaluate emerging technologies for applicability to BURN’s operations.
- Lead proof-of-concept initiatives that explore the feasibility and benefits of cutting-edge technologies before full-scale implementation.
- Build strategic partnerships with vendors and tech communities to stay ahead of technological trends.
Skills and Experience
Educational Background:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.
- A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
Professional Experience:
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in designing, implementing, and managing automation systems, including RPA and AI-based applications.
- Demonstrated success in deploying intelligent systems that deliver tangible operational or strategic value.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams to identify and deliver high-impact digital initiatives.
Technical Expertise:
- Proficiency in at least one RPA platform (e.g., UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere).
- Experience with AI platforms and libraries such as TensorFlow, OpenAI, AWS AI Services, or similar.
- Strong programming and scripting skills, especially in Python and JavaScript.
- Solid understanding of machine learning techniques, including supervised/unsupervised learning, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision.
- Experience in API integrations, cloud computing platforms, and data pipeline development.
- Ability to create, test, and deploy predictive models and automation scripts efficiently and securely.
Soft Skills:
- Strong strategic thinking and an ability to align technical initiatives with business goals.
- Proven analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to explain complex technologies in a clear and engaging manner.
- Capacity to manage multiple priorities and projects while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
- A proactive mindset, eager to challenge the status quo and drive digital innovation.
Equal Opportunity
BURN Manufacturing is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We believe that diversity in perspectives leads to stronger innovation and more meaningful impact. Our recruitment processes are transparent, fair, and free of any charges or fees at any stage.
Please note: BURN does not charge any fee at any point during the recruitment process—including application, interview, training, or onboarding stages.
How to Apply
If you are passionate about using technology to make a real-world impact and meet the qualifications outlined, we invite you to be part of our journey toward automation excellence. Your skills could help revolutionise clean energy manufacturing while building a smarter, more efficient future for Africa and beyond.
