A Quick Intro

The Bottom Line

This is a mid-level position at a small digital marketing agency that works on a wide range of projects in web and app development and digital marketing. In this role, you are expected to manage the scope, budget and timelines of several projects at a time. Websites that we deliver range from simple page-based websites to large-scale web applications that integrate with our clients' business systems.

We’re looking for a highly organized and detail-oriented individual to manage web development projects. Your responsibility is to make sure we deliver websites and assigned tasks on time, according to agreed upon specifications and budgeted hours. You will be the central contact point for clients, to clearly communicate status and manage their expectations.  We have long-term engagements with our clients, based on mutual trust, so it's important that you continuously nurture the client relationship.

We don't have developers or designers in-house, so you will also work with agency partners and vendors to make sure the project runs smoothly and that we can deliver on the promises we make to our clients. 

To be successful in this role, you'll have to fully understand the requirements of the project and be the "go to" for any questions about requirements, approach to development, branding, etc. You don't have to be a graphic or UX designer, and you don't have to be a web or software developer, but you must have a good enough understanding of all relevant areas to be able to manage the specialists and communicate effectively with the client. 

You will manage the full scope of the project including the financial budget. This includes documenting of any change requests and communicating clearly to all parties involved. We have project management tools in place and you'll be responsible for keeping requirements documentation and project management tasks up to date. We expect you to follow procedures and to help us improve on them where relevant. 

You report to the management team on a regular basis on the status of projects. You proactively resolve any issues that come up, and get support as and when you need it. Ultimately you need to free up the management team from project management responsibilities as much as possible, but also make sure you involve them in time, before any issue gets out of hand.

This is an ideal position for a tech-savvy project manager who wants to work on challenging projects and expand their knowledge in technology, user experience and project management. You have a strong desire to gain valuable, real-world experience applying internet technology to help businesses grow. Our agency runs at a fast pace, without any compromise to quality and service. This requires important skills such as note-taking, task and time management, and clear communication.

Even before the pandemic, we chose to close down our office and work remotely. We have been operating a Virtual Team and Home Office ever since, and we're not looking back! All team members work remotely and manage their own time. 

This means that you'll be working independently, and will need to have a dedicated office space available to you at home which has the required equipment, such as a computer, desk, chair, phone line, and internet connection. 

Our culture is very entrepreneurial and we plan to keep it that way. We believe that we have found a great balance between standardized procedures and an agile approach to our work, which gives our clients the best results. This balance is constantly adjusted as our team grows but the entrepreneurial spirit remains.

We have a very engaged team, who have fun collaborating together, whether internal or together with our design/development partners.

We use online tools such as Google Drive and ClickUp for collaboration and communication, so you need to be comfortable with this approach, including updating team members in writing.

We have regular online team meetings, and each project will also have it's own scheduled online meetings. You will do your work largely independently, but of course, support and training are available as and when you need it. 

Once a week, we have a full team meeting which includes the management team, marketing team members and development team members. In-person meetings happen once every quarter if your location allows it.

Regular business hours of operation for our customers are Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. There are no “set” office hours, and scheduling will depend on both the projects you are working on, and your deliverables / performance goals.

Other than that, we do not and will not monitor your detailed activity, when you work, or where you work! We will simply expect that your pre-defined goals are met, or that they are renegotiated beforehand.

We trust our team to manage their time so that we don't have to, and in such a way that our projects are successful and our clients are happy.

Interactions are mainly virtual, with your team members, tech partners and of course clients. If you like having a high level of physical interaction at your job, then this isn’t the job for you. If you prefer to work in your own environment, focusing on getting things done, then you’ll be happy here.

We pay a quarterly bonus of up to 10% of your salary, based on the impact you make on overall business results. That's right, no more once-a-year formal performance review, but a scheduled session every three months to review the past quarter, give you practical feedback and plan your 'flight path'. Together, we determine your accomplishment of key objectives and use this to determine your achievement of the target bonus.

We pay a referral fee of 15% of any new business from new clients you bring into Mawazo. You just need to make the introduction, and if the sale is made, you will earn the commission!

We value work-life balance, so we recognize the importance of time off work. Our official vacation policy is that after your probation period, vacation days are flexible. In practice, this means that we rarely deny requested vacation days. We expect that you are meeting your planned goals and objectives within the team and the business.

Normally we would tell you this during the interview, but really we’re all about saving your time, and our time!

Our founders Thomas Hess and Liza Rodrigues have worked in and/or have run web development and online marketing companies for the past 25 years. This includes owning internet companies in The Netherlands and Ghana

In Canada, we have worked on recognizable brands such as Roots Canada, Joe Boxer, Serta, Mother Parkers, KitchenAid and Whirlpool. We wanted to move away from large corporate clients and decided to focus on small- to medium-sized B2B service companies.

That's why we stared Mawazo in 2015. We want to get our clients Further - Faster.

And since you're asking  :-) 

"Mawazo" means "ideas" or "concepts" in Swahili, which is the language Liza spoke when she grew up in Uganda. 

Here is an overview of our history (note that this was recorded a few years ago...)

Our projects balance creativity and science: data feeds curiosity and the results of creativity get measured.

Some example projects:

• Inventory Management - We developed an ecommerce website, and updated the refined the branding for the client. Behind the scenes, we developed a system to add and manage product inventory, and integrated with their existing bookkeeping software.
• Wholesale eCommerce - We developed a B2B ecommerce website that fully integrates with the clients ERP system. This means that all product information displayed for products on the website is pulled in realtime from the ERP, and all order information is sent to the ERP.
• Shift Management System and GeoTracking App - We developed an App where shift workers in 500 locations are geo-tracked. They use the App to check in and check out. The management platform is in the central office where managers can check on the status of shifts and shift workers, including mapping their exact locations, to ensure all shifts are filled, and on time.
• Health Care App and Management Platform - We are developing an App for subscribers to a health care service to add daily information required for their program. Health Care Providers can manage their patients, monitor their data from the App, and have online appointments with their patients via the platform.

The following principles and values define us in how we do business, how we treat our employees, and what we stand for:

• Client success: Our business focuses on generating success for our clients. We help them get what they need, not just what they ask. 
• Integrity: We’re transparent and honest to clients both with successes and with mistakes. We credit team members for their contributions.
• Lifestyle: We create a good match between the working environment and private life. Our team members are able to manage their own time, so we don’t have to.
• Personal Growth: Working at Mawazo means developing as a person and as a professional. We provide continuous support and training.
• Trust and Respect: We make an effort to understand the perspective of others, and treat others as we wish to be treated. We value what each person brings to the team.
• Mistakes are Opportunities: Breakthroughs live on the other side of breakdowns. We learn and improve processes to prevent them from occurring again.
  

We strongly believe in giving back. We use our financial success to support vulnerable women and youth in abusive situations. We support charitable organizations financially and we are always ready to support them with our services, where possible.

Each team member, in their own way, makes an active contribution to making the world a better place.

We are also selective with the clients we take on, to ensure that they do not conflict with our values.

We are focused on attracting, developing and retaining the best talent for our business; we believe in surrounding ourselves with those who demonstrate a “can-do” attitude and thrive in a collaborative, team-based environment. 

• Our success depends on your skills. We focus on continuously upgrading these skills through formal and informal training. You have to be willing to learn.
• Our employees are professional. We give you responsibilities with clear deliverables, the authority to deliver on them, and the freedom to plan and execute your work independently.
• We promote open and honest communication, and a trusting work environment.
• There is an opportunity for self-improvement and progression within the company. 
• If working with us inspires you to become an entrepreneur, then we will support you.
• Respect and equality are guiding the way we work with each other. Concerns will be dealt with openly and everybody will be respected for the work they perform. 

About You

This is where you should be real honest with yourself, do some reflection, or ask a trusted friend or family member if you are a right fit for this job.

To succeed in this job, you should not be interested in “only getting a paycheque”, but in developing your skills and your career, in making a positive contribution to the business, and in constantly improving results.

You'll also understand the challenges of working in a small business, and welcome them as valuable opportunities to grow.

You love to see a job through from a concept to a high-quality product and in the process deliver great results for our clients. You are self-motivated and work independently based on clearly defined responsibilities and processes and prioritize your time and workload with minimal supervision. You are task-driven and don't give up easily when faced with challenges. You can handle the pressures of a fast-paced, deadline-driven work environment.

You are a conceptional thinker with an ability to work with practical tasks, and at the same time keeping track of the big picture.

You are extremely organized and detail-oriented, and you like to use a structured approach using tools and systems. You can create project plans to meet client expectations, and which the team is able to deliver. You do not get frustrated with project changes but rather driven to manage the scope updates appropriately.

You are a clear communicator, who ensures all relevant parties are regularly and proactively kept informed and made aware of what is expected of them, and of what they can expect.

You probably have a good memory and/or use techniques to track information in detail so that it's available when you need it. You are an exceptional note-taker and can capture discussion points in meetings that impact the project and/or client relationship, and action them where relevant.

You are resourceful in finding what you need to get the job done after being trained on where to look. Consider yourself well-qualified for this job if you’ve been described as a perfectionist or get on people’s nerves for pointing out the tiniest details.

You are positive, with an optimistic, can-do attitude and a sense of humor. You are a problem-solver, not just a problem reporter, and you present options for solutions when challenges come up. That way you are able to turn challenges into opportunities, and keep project teams motivated.

You are authentic with an ability to be yourself with the team, vendors and clients, while maintaining professionalism. You show kindness, patience, and respect to all human beings. You are ethical and honest, and you do the right thing even when no one is watching.

You can take constructive criticism and correction without getting defensive.

Oh, and did we mention you should be detail-oriented?

As a small agency, every additional team member needs to take on the agreed upon responsibilities, which requires specific skills. You are not joining a choir where there are so many singers that others can cover up missed notes, but you are rather joining an acapella group where each voice is heard clearly and they all work seamlessly together.

We are looking for a candidate with the following skills:

• at least 3 years of experience in web development and/or application project management;
• an understanding of the principles of web user experience (UX), branding and design;
• a good understanding of data, can interpret data models, and flow charts;
• a good understanding of interface design and how features translate into database requirements;
• fluency with online tools such project management and online content editing (CMS);
• comfort in learning and using new software and new tools;
• ability to create and update functional documentation;
• articulate with good writing, interpersonal and communication skills;
• excellent time management and organizational skills that enable you to work efficiently within a team.

(Remember, this is a busy, deadline-driven environment).

If you've read this far, then maybe you're the person we're looking for.  

We have been in this industry for almost 30 years, and we have a lot to share! We’re a growing team of highly experienced professionals and work hard on delivering real and measurable results for our clients. We offer a flexible and decentralized work environment and pride ourselves on being friendly, professional, honest and respectful. We will treat you like family, because this is a family-owned business. We care about your experience with us.

This position offers a variety of challenging work and an opportunity to grow and take on more responsibility. We believe you will learn and excel when you're given the opportunity, especially if love what you do, where you work, and the people you work with. We will offer that opportunity to the right person. 

If you're interested, then click the link below. It will lead to an assessment with questions relevant to the position. You'll have the opportunity to share some information about yourself and to upload your resume.

We look forward to hearing from you!