Fintech Frontiers Lead

Safaricom PLC is a telecommunications company founded in 1997 and based in Nairobi, Kenya.

This role is pivotal in identifying, developing, and scaling innovative solutions to foster long-term growth and competitive advantage within the fintech ecosystem. The successful candidate will explore and leverage emerging technologies, new business models, and untapped market opportunities, focusing on areas like artificial intelligence, blockchain, embedded finance, digital identity, open banking, and decentralized finance.

1. Identify global fintech trends and disruptions.
2. Monitor advancements in AI, blockchain, and open banking.
3. Analyze competitive and startup ecosystems.
4. Engage with innovation hubs and research bodies.
5. Evaluate the relevance of new technologies to the business.
6. Track regulatory developments impacting innovation.
7. Provide insights to shape innovation strategy.
8. Define fintech frontier strategy aligned with business goals.
9. Prioritize innovation themes and focus areas.
10. Develop long-term innovation roadmaps.
11. Align initiatives with customer and market needs.
12. Balance experimentation with commercial viability.
13. Secure leadership alignment on the innovation agenda.
14. Continuously refine strategy based on outcomes.
15. Design and run proofs of concept (POCs).
16. Lead pilot programs for new technologies.
17. Apply agile and rapid prototyping approaches.
18. Test use cases in controlled environments.
19. Measure pilot success against defined KPIs.
20. Iterate solutions based on learnings.
21. Scale successful pilots into full products.
22. Build relationships with startups and fintechs.
23. Collaborate with technology providers and platforms.
24. Explore partnerships for co-innovation opportunities.
25. Engage venture capital and innovation networks.
26. Identify investment or acquisition opportunities.
27. Facilitate joint product development initiatives.
28. Strengthen ecosystem positioning and reach.
29. Integrate new technologies into existing platforms.
30. Collaborate with product and tech teams.
31. Ensure interoperability within ecosystem solutions.
32. Support API and platform-based development.
33. Align innovation with customer experience goals.
34. Ensure scalability and performance of solutions.
35. Drive adoption of frontier capabilities.
36. Translate innovation into revenue-generating solutions.
37. Develop business cases for new initiatives.
38. Define monetization and pricing strategies.
39. Support go-to-market for new innovations.
40. Track ROI and commercial impact.
41. Align innovation with growth objectives.
42. Scale solutions across markets and segments.
43. Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks.
44. Assess risks associated with new technologies.
45. Collaborate with legal, risk, and compliance teams.
46. Establish governance for innovation initiatives.
47. Ensure data privacy and security standards.
48. Monitor ethical implications of emerging tech.
49. Balance innovation speed with risk management.

1. Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Technology, Business, Innovation, or a related field (MBA preferred).
2. Possess 8–12 years of experience in fintech, banking, innovation, or digital transformation roles.
3. Demonstrate strong knowledge of emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, APIs, open banking, and embedded finance.
4. Have proven experience in innovation strategy, product incubation, or new venture development.
5. Experience working with fintech startups, ecosystems, and partnership models.
6. Possess a solid understanding of financial services regulations, risk, and compliance frameworks.
7. Exhibit strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate trends into business opportunities.
8. Experience in leading cross-functional teams and driving complex innovation programs.
9. Be proficient in data analysis, business case development, and ROI evaluation.
10. Possess excellent stakeholder management, communication, and executive influencing skills.