UX Designer

Safaricom PLC

Nairobifull time~KES 120k – 200k/mo3w ago

Quick Take

The Role

You will design end-to-end user experiences for M-PESA and other Safaricom digital products, from early-stage research and wireframes through to high-fidelity prototypes handed off to engineers.

You Need

At least 3 years of UX design experience with a strong portfolio, plus hands-on proficiency in Figma and experience running user research.

You Get

A rare chance to shape the digital experience of millions of Kenyans at East Africa's most iconic tech company, with an above-market salary of up to KES 200,000 per month.

Job Description

•Role Overview

Safaricom PLC is on the lookout for a skilled and passionate UX Designer to become part of the M-PESA product design team based in Nairobi. This is a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to one of Africa's most widely used mobile money platforms, directly influencing the digital experiences of millions of Kenyans every day.

In this role, you will sit at the intersection of user needs and technology, working closely with cross-functional teams to translate insights into elegant, functional designs. You will play a hands-on part in shaping how customers interact with M-PESA and other Safaricom digital products across various touchpoints.

•Key Responsibilities

Craft intuitive and user-centred experiences for M-PESA and a range of Safaricom's digital product offerings
Plan and carry out user research activities, usability testing sessions, and competitive landscape analyses to inform design decisions
Produce wireframes, interactive prototypes, and polished high-fidelity design assets using Figma
Work in close collaboration with product managers and software engineers throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure designs are both feasible and impactful

•Required Skills & Experience

A minimum of three years of hands-on UX design experience, backed by a compelling and demonstrable portfolio of work
Strong command of Figma and Protopie as core design and prototyping tools
Proven experience planning and executing user research to gather actionable insights

•Who Should Apply

This position is best suited for a creative and detail-oriented UX professional who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and has a genuine passion for designing products that serve diverse user populations. You should be comfortable juggling research and visual design responsibilities, and you must be able to clearly articulate design rationale to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. If you have a strong portfolio demonstrating real-world impact and experience working on digital financial or consumer technology products, you are encouraged to apply. The role is based in Nairobi, making it ideal for candidates who are already located in or are able to work from the city.

•How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the qualifications outlined above should apply through Safaricom PLC's official recruitment channels. Ensure your application includes an up-to-date CV and a link to or attachment of your UX design portfolio, as this will form a key part of the evaluation process.

Requirements Breakdown

Must Have

3+ years of professional UX design experience
A strong, demonstrable UX portfolio
Proficiency in Figma for wireframing and high-fidelity design
Hands-on experience conducting user research and usability testing
Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with product managers and engineers

Nice to Have

Experience with ProtoPie for advanced interactive prototyping
Prior work on fintech, mobile money, or USSD/mobile-first products
Familiarity with designing for low-bandwidth or feature-phone users in emerging markets
Experience with competitive analysis and translating findings into design decisions

Don't meet every requirement? Tailor your CV to close the gap →

Salary Context

Above market rate for a mid-level UX Designer in Nairobi

Mid-level UX Designers in Nairobi typically earn between KES 80,000 and KES 150,000 per month, making the upper end of this range (KES 200,000) notably competitive and more aligned with senior-level compensation. Pay in this field is heavily influenced by portfolio strength, experience with digital product teams, and whether the employer is a large corporate, startup, or multinational.

About Safaricom PLC

Safaricom PLC is Kenya's largest telecommunications company and the creator of M-PESA, the mobile money platform that revolutionised financial inclusion across Africa and serves over 30 million active users in Kenya alone. Listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and majority-owned by Vodacom and Vodafone, Safaricom sits at the intersection of telecoms, fintech, and digital innovation. Working here means building products at genuine scale for a company widely regarded as one of the most impactful tech employers on the continent.

Likely Interview Questions

1
Walk us through a case study from your portfolio where you improved a digital product based on user research — what was your process and what was the outcome?
2
M-PESA is used by people across a very wide demographic spectrum, including users with low digital literacy. How do you approach designing inclusive experiences for such a diverse user base?
3
Describe a time you had to push back on a product manager or engineer's decision based on UX findings. How did you handle it and what was the result?
4
How do you decide when a wireframe is ready to become a high-fidelity prototype? Walk us through your typical design workflow in Figma.
5
What methods do you use when conducting usability testing on a mobile money or payments feature, and how do you translate those findings into design iterations?

Application Tips

Lead with your portfolio — curate 2 to 3 detailed case studies that show your full process (research, ideation, wireframes, testing, and final designs), not just polished visuals, as Safaricom will want to see how you think.
Highlight any experience designing for mobile-first or financial services products, even adjacent domains like e-commerce or banking apps, since the M-PESA context makes fintech familiarity a strong differentiator.
Demonstrate user research depth by calling out specific methods you have used (e.g. contextual inquiry, moderated usability tests, affinity mapping) and the measurable impact those insights had on the final product.

Career Path

Roles that lead here

Junior UX Designer / UI Designer

Product Designer at a startup or agency

YOU

Where this leads

Senior UX Designer or Lead Product Designer

UX Manager / Head of Design

Skills & Keywords

uxfigmadesignuser-researchmpesasafaricom

Honest Assessment

Green Flags

Safaricom is one of Kenya's most reputable and financially stable employers, offering strong job security and a well-known brand on your CV.
The salary range (KES 120,000–200,000) is transparent and sits above the Nairobi market average for this level, signalling the company values the role.
Working on M-PESA gives you direct, measurable impact at scale — designing for 30+ million users is a portfolio-defining opportunity that is very hard to find elsewhere in East Africa.
The role spans the full UX process (research, wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design), making it a rich, skill-broadening position rather than a narrow execution role.

Watch Out

The job description does not mention remote or hybrid work options, which may be a concern for candidates who value flexibility — worth clarifying before accepting.
Responsibilities and requirements are fairly brief for a role at this scale; candidates should probe in the interview for team size, design maturity, and how design decisions are actually made within the M-PESA product org.

A Day in the Life

☀️

On a typical Monday you might kick off the week in a sprint planning session with product managers and engineers, aligning on which M-PESA feature flows need design attention. Mid-week could involve running a remote usability testing session with five M-PESA users recruited from different Kenyan counties, then synthesising findings into an affinity map and presenting insights to the product team. By Friday you are iterating on high-fidelity screens in Figma, sharing a ProtoPie prototype for stakeholder review, and preparing a handoff annotation document so engineers can build accurately over the following sprint.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do I need to apply for the UX Designer role at Safaricom PLC?

You need at least 3 years of UX design experience, a strong portfolio of work, and proficiency in Figma. Hands-on experience conducting user research is also a core requirement.

Is the UX Designer position at Safaricom PLC remote or office-based?

The role is listed as based in Nairobi, but the posting does not specify remote or hybrid arrangements — candidates should ask directly during the application or interview process.

How much does a UX Designer earn at Safaricom PLC?

The advertised salary range is KES 120,000 to KES 200,000 per month, which is above the typical Nairobi market rate for mid-level UX Designers and reflects the seniority and impact expected in the role.

What are the career growth opportunities for a UX Designer at Safaricom PLC?

Strong performers on the M-PESA design team can progress to Senior UX Designer or Lead Product Designer, and Safaricom's scale means there are also pathways into UX management, design systems, or specialised research roles within a large product organisation.

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