Job Description

TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATION LEAD AI AND SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS OPERATIONS FOCUSED ROLE

Company

Maitri International

Location Navi Mumbai

Frequent coordination with Africa operations including Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, and Senegal

ABOUT THE ROLE

Maitri International is building a strong, reliable, and scalable digital backbone for its trading and logistics operations across India and Africa.

We are looking for a Technology and Automation Lead who can translate real operational challenges into simple, robust technology solutions.

This role is not about building fancy applications or experimenting with AI for novelty.

It is about making daily operations smoother, faster, safer, and more predictable through automation, disciplined system design, and pragmatic use of AI.

Maitri does not come from a strong technical background. This role therefore requires someone who can own the entire problem solving chain, from understanding messy real world workflows to designing and implementing systems that actually work for ground staff.

You will work closely with the Founder and operations teams and will play a foundational role in Maitri's long term digitisation and growth.

FIRST PROJECT DELIVERY TIMELINE MANDATORYWithin 30 days of joining, the candidate must deliver a system that is fully operational and implemented.

1. A WhatsApp based operational workflow for container photo and document tracking

2. Significant reduction in manual follow ups, folder confusion, and operational ambiguity

3. Container level visibility for management showing what is completed, missing, or delayed

4. Proven usability by low tech and non English speaking staff in Africa This project sets the execution benchmark for the role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. Operations Automation and Monitoring

Design and implement solutions for daily operational tasks including the following. Automated checking of IGM filings versus Bills of Lading. Tracking container status, BL readiness, and document delays. Alerts for missed deadlines, rollovers, and missing documents. Daily or weekly exception reports for management.
The focus must be on controls, checkpoints, and failure modes rather than surface level workflows.

2. WhatsApp Based Workflows and Reminders

Build simple and reliable systems using bots or integrations to achieve the following. Send automated WhatsApp reminders for buyer payments, pending documents, and container return deadlines. Collect structured updates from low tech staff using WhatsApp. Reduce dependency on manual follow ups by operations staff.
Systems must be designed for tap based interaction, minimal typing, and tolerance for real world misuse.

3. Document, Photo, and Proof Management

Create practical solutions for container wise photo storage where photos may arrive unordered and at different times. Link photos clearly to container number, shipment or month, and stuffing stage. Ensure traceability for quality, stuffing, dispute resolution, and compliance. This is especially critical for Africa operations such as Tanzania.
The objective is clean and defensible evidence, not perfect automation.

4. Systems Integration and Process Design

Work with existing tools and continuously improve them, including Google Sheets and Google Drive, Glide apps for logistics and data entry, Zoho Books and Zoho Inventory for future integration, and Excel based legacy systems.

The responsibility is to connect these systems, reduce duplication, and ensure a single source of truth across operations.

5. AI and Decision Support Tools

Use AI models to flag anomalies in data such as missing, inconsistent, or risky patterns. Assist in management report generation.

Build early warning systems for delays, operational risk, and cash flow stress.

AI must be used only where it clearly reduces operational risk or manual workload and not for experimentation or novelty.

6. Founder Support and Technology Ownership

Act as the single point of contact for all technology and automation initiatives. Translate business pain points into practical technical solutions.

Proactively propose improvements rather than only executing instructions. Own system documentation so solutions are not dependent on individuals.

This role owns systems end to end, including what happens when they fail.

MINIMUM SKILLS AND TOOLING MANDATORYCore Technical Skills

Strong understanding of software development fundamentals. Ability to design backend first systems. Comfortable working with APIs, webhooks, databases, file storage, access control, error handling, retries, and logging.
Required Software and Platform Familiarity

Candidates must already be comfortable with most of the following.

Messaging and Automation WhatsApp Business Platform or WhatsApp Cloud API or equivalent bot experience. At least one automation platform such as Zapier, Make, or n8n. Backend and Scripting Node.js or Python with FastAPI or Flask level experience. REST APIs and JSON. Scheduled workflows or cron jobs. Data and Storage Advanced usage of Google Sheets. Understanding of Google Drive structure and permissions. Basic understanding of cloud storage concepts such as GCS or S3. AI and Automation Using AI models through APIs such as Gemini or OpenAI. Prompting for structured outputs. Clear judgment on when not to use AI.
o

Low Code and Internal Tools Experience with at least one platform such as Glide, Retool, Appsmith, or similar.
Minimum Experience Profile

Has built at least two to three real automation systems used by non technical users. Has worked with messy data, partial inputs, and human error.

Has shipped systems where failures had real operational consequences.

VERY IMPORTANT

NON NEGOTIABLE MINDSET

Thinks in processes, controls, and risk. Understands that operations failures cost real money. Designs systems that continue to function despite user mistakes, poor connectivity, and incomplete data. Can simplify complex workflows for ground staff. Questions bad processes and redesigns them. Maintains strong sensitivity to software, API, and automation costs.
NICE TO HAVE

Experience in logistics, supply chain, or trading businesses. Exposure to WhatsApp bots or messaging automation. Familiarity with export import documentation. Prior startup or founder facing experience.
WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT

This role is not a pure coding role. This role is not a passive execution role. This role is not an AI research or experimentation role. This is a hands on, business critical execution role.
GROWTH AND IMPACT

This role will build Maitri International's entire digital backbone. It offers direct exposure to founder level decision making. It provides the opportunity to design systems across multiple countries. It has a clear growth path toward Head of Systems or Digital Operations.
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: ?25,000.00 - ?30,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person