DAVIES NANYAMAL SOKOTO
Administration
Nairobi, Nairobi Province
Summary
Product Manager shaping the DAS product lifecycle across policy, process, and digital workflow improvements. Drives loan application efficiency through workflow digitization, policy updates, and collection monitoring that brought PAR down from 55% to 35%. Aligns market demand, technology trends, and operating controls to improve turnaround time and product performance.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Manager Deduction at Source (DAS)
Letshego Kenya Limited
07.2024 - Current
- Develop product life cycle management by tracking market demand, technology trends, and competitive positioning for DAS.
- Lead the overhaul of DAS policy and procedure manuals to improve performance and turnaround time.
- Digitize DAS workflow management to streamline loan application processing and improve operational efficiency.
- Monitor DAS collections and manage deduction mechanisms, maintaining PAR at 35% down from 55%.
- Apply complex problem solving, planning, and organization to coordinate sales plans across traditional and digital channels.
- Led product roadmap alignment across engineering, design, and marketing stakeholders.
- Defined product requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria for cross-functional delivery.
- Prioritized backlog items based on customer feedback, business goals, and technical dependencies.
- Partnered with leadership to shape product strategy and long-term release planning.
- Facilitated agile ceremonies to remove blockers and maintain development momentum.
- Analyzed market trends and user insights to guide feature decisions and product positioning.
- Coordinated launch readiness, including documentation, training, and stakeholder communication.
- Mentored product teams on discovery practices, prioritization methods, and delivery consistency.
- Communicated effectively with team members to deliver updates on project milestones and deadlines.
- Developed product documentation to communicate upcoming features and products to internal teams.
- Collaborated with sales teams to develop effective training materials that drove increased product knowledge among staff members, resulting in higher close rates.
- Analyzed metrics to measure product performance.
- Coordinated design meetings and decisions with internal departments and teams.
- Collaborated with sales, marketing, and support teams to launch products on time and within budget.
- Maintained positive vendor relations to build strong partnerships.
- Documented user stories, specifications, and product features into detailed work order to communicate across teams and build mandatory requirements.
- Improved product functionality with innovative design solutions, resulting in increased sales conversions.
- Managed full product lifecycle, from ideation through post-launch support, ensuring consistent quality control measures were in place.
- Implemented Agile methodologies for more efficient project management and team collaboration.
- Managed stakeholder expectations effectively throughout the entire product development process.
- Prioritized roadmap in order to achieve product goals and metrics.
- Launched successful products by conducting thorough market research and identifying customer needs.
- Thrived in fast-paced, highly-adept team to develop and prioritize product features and build product roadmap.
- Established criteria for each milestone within product roadmap as means to measure developmental progress.
- Liaised with clients to better understand business needs and current market landscape.
- Coordinated project planning and execution with team members and team leads.
Relationship Manager Auto Loan (Nairobi)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
11.2023 - 06.2024
- Managed [number] customer accounts while supporting portfolio growth across assigned auto loan relationships.
- Recruited yard partnerships and independent sales executives to expand Auto loan uptake across multiple towns.
- Negotiated settlement proposals and recovery strategies with customers and stakeholders using complex problem solving and negotiation skills.
- Implemented recoveries and managed-exit strategies with the collections team for the auto loan portfolio.
- Maintained customer relationships through professional communication, active listening, and careful handling of sensitive accounts.
- Coordinated with special asset and credit teams on specific cases while setting service agreements and tracking performance against them.
- Built client relationships to support loan renewals and long-term account retention.
- Managed customer portfolios, tracking repayment behavior and identifying risk early.
Policy and Quality Checks Supervisor (Nairobi)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
04.2020 - 10.2023
- Led the policy and checks team, coordinating administrative support for head office and branches.
- Streamlined loan verification and activation, cutting turnaround to within a day from the 2-day processing period.
- Conducted pre-audits on submitted files and flagged gaps before processing, strengthening compliance with internal policy and credit policy.
- Trained credit staff regularly on policy updates, procedures, and required checks to support consistent application handling.
- Reviewed loan applications before activation and escalated non-compliance issues to management and branches for follow-up action.
- Investigated reported fraud cases and prepared comprehensive written reports for direct managers and senior management.
- Maintained safe custody of company property and supported loan book growth to KES 2 billion through disciplined checks.
Head of Operations (Nairobi)
Pioneer Credit Kenya Ltd
07.2018 - 05.2019
- Developed and applied operational policies and procedures to keep branch activity consistent and compliant.
- Led day-to-day staff administration, reinforcing mission-aligned behavior, accountability, and team coordination.
- Managed customer relations, using active listening and negotiation to resolve issues and support product design.
- Built a loan tracking system with IT support and followed implementation through to adoption across branches.
- Reviewed debt collection, loan appraisal, and financial data to improve profitability while managing fraud and budget risks.
Branch Administrator (Eldoret)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
06.2015 - 07.2018
- Supervised data and collection officers, branch sales coordinators, and front-line service staff across the North Rift region.
- Coordinated customer experience activities, loan application intake, and data verification across front-office and back-office operations.
- Conducted credit analysis, loan checks, and banking system data entry review to support accurate regional processing.
- Maintained office equipment, fixtures, procurement records, and accounting files for the regional office.
- Verified loan applications, organized sales and marketing drives, and planned travel logistics for field teams.
Case Processing Assistant and Senior Caseworker
Church World Service/ Resettlement Support Center (CWS/RSC Africa)
03.2012 - 05.2015
- Reviewed medical forms from IOM, ran quality checks, and tracked cases due for medicals, expired medicals, and TB holds.
- Ran weekly and monthly reports on medical status, then routed updates to the Travel Processing Unit and the right case files.
- Served as point of contact for the CWS/RSC CIS Updates inbox and coordinated case updates with Operations teams.
- Prepared cases for USCIS administrative review, presented files on review days, and updated WRAPS after each action.
- Verified case composition, collected demographic and biographic data, and recorded applicant photos, height, and weight respectfully.
Senior Credit Officer (Refinance Loans)
Platinum Credit Limited - Nairobi
04.2009 - 01.2012
- Provided credit guidance, policy direction, and loan procedures to branch credit officers.
- Enforced refinance requirements with direct sales agents and maintained adherence to lending standards.
- Coordinated appraisal and processing with branch credit officers for timely head office approval.
- Trained junior credit officers and direct sales agents on sales, marketing, and customer relations.
- Strengthened quality control standards and improved monitoring through regular portfolio reviews.
Sales Team leader (Coast region)
Platinum Credit Limited – Mombasa
07.2009 - 03.2010
- Improved client query and complaint response while supporting faster loan disbursement across the region.
- Maintained productive relationships with regional and district government officials through meetings, presentations, and inquiry handling.
- Directed coast-region marketing visits, sales presentations, and government-office outreach to expand client access.
- Coordinated company assets, office premises, and branch operations across Mombasa, Malindi, and Voi.
- Prepared regional purchase and office fixture reports for the budget committee, then recommended satellite offices to management.
Credit Officer
Platinum Credit Limited - Nairobi
07.2006 - 06.2009
- Approved or declined refinance applications against lending policies before committee review.
- Coordinated with Sales Managers and direct sales agents to maintain refinance requirements and improve negotiation outcomes.
- Trained junior credit officers and direct sales agents on sales, marketing, and customer relations practices.
- Worked with branch credit officers to speed appraisal and processing of centrally vetted loan applications.
- Evaluated branch service delivery and client relations, then organized in-house training to address gaps.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economic - Major
Kenyatta University
Nairobi09-2003
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined
Moi Forces Academy
11-1998
Skills
Complex problem solving
People management
Negotiation
Active listening
Planning and organization
Product lifecycle management
Workflow management
Process improvement
Policy development
Operational audits
Accomplishments
- In the period 2015- 2017, I successfully helped establish Izwe Loans Kenya Ltd operations in the North Rift region that saw its Branch network grow to four in under two years and sales volumes steadily increase.
- In 2023 I was able to support the development and Introduction of a digital lending system that has seen a reduction of Turnaround time of end-to-end lending to within a day.
Timeline
Product Manager Deduction at Source (DAS)
Letshego Kenya Limited
07.2024 - Current
Relationship Manager Auto Loan (Nairobi)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
11.2023 - 06.2024
Policy and Quality Checks Supervisor (Nairobi)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
04.2020 - 10.2023
Head of Operations (Nairobi)
Pioneer Credit Kenya Ltd
07.2018 - 05.2019
Branch Administrator (Eldoret)
Izwe loans Kenya Ltd
06.2015 - 07.2018
Case Processing Assistant and Senior Caseworker
Church World Service/ Resettlement Support Center (CWS/RSC Africa)
03.2012 - 05.2015
Sales Team leader (Coast region)
Platinum Credit Limited – Mombasa
07.2009 - 03.2010
Senior Credit Officer (Refinance Loans)
Platinum Credit Limited - Nairobi
04.2009 - 01.2012
Credit Officer
Platinum Credit Limited - Nairobi
07.2006 - 06.2009
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined
Moi Forces Academy
Bachelor of Arts - Economic - Major
Kenyatta University