Business Development Manager, Somalia and Djibouti

Network International empowers businesses and economies by simplifying commerce and payments.

The Business Development Manager for Somalia and Djibouti will be based in Network International's Nairobi office. This position is crucial for expanding the company's market presence and driving revenue growth in these regions. The manager will focus on identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities with a diverse range of clients including banks, financial institutions, fintechs, mobile money operators, governments, and other key ecosystem partners. Additionally, the role involves supporting existing client relationships, collaborating with customers, regulators, and industry stakeholders to strengthen Network International's market position. A key objective is to generate new revenue streams, increase market penetration, and identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities across the company's comprehensive portfolio of payment and digital financial services solutions.

1. Develop and implement a country growth strategy for Somalia and Djibouti, aligning with Network International's objectives in Africa.
2. Identify, qualify, and secure new business opportunities across various payment solutions, including issuing, acquiring, processing, digital payments, and value-added services.
3. Build and maintain a strong sales pipeline to achieve agreed revenue and business growth targets.
4. Manage end-to-end sales activities, from prospecting and opportunity qualification to proposal development, commercial negotiations, and contract closure.
5. Achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
6. Identify strategic partnerships to support market expansion and accelerate customer acquisition.
7. Actively pursue opportunities within banks, fintechs, telecom operators, government entities, and large corporations in Somalia and Djibouti.
8. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with senior decision-makers in client and prospect organizations.
9. Support the management and expansion of existing client relationships.
10. Collaborate with Account Management teams to identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities within the customer base.
11. Serve as a trusted advisor to customers, understanding their strategic priorities and aligning Network International's solutions accordingly.
12. Represent Network International at industry events, conferences, regulatory forums, and customer engagements.
13. Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the payments, banking, fintech, and regulatory landscapes in Somalia and Djibouti.
14. Build productive relationships with regulators, central banks, and key industry stakeholders.
15. Monitor market developments, competitive activity, customer trends, and emerging opportunities, providing regular market intelligence to leadership.
16. Support market-entry initiatives, product launches, and strategic growth projects in the assigned territories.
17. Prepare compelling business cases, proposals, RFP responses, and commercial models in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
18. Ensure accurate management and reporting of all opportunities within Network International's CRM systems.
19. Collaborate closely with various internal teams (Product, Solution Consulting, Finance, Legal, Risk, Operations, and Implementation) to ensure successful customer outcomes.
20. Ensure commercial agreements, pricing, and contract terms align with approved business policies and profitability objectives.
21. Maintain accurate forecasting and provide regular sales performance updates to management.
22. Ensure a smooth transition of newly acquired customers to implementation and account management teams.

1. Hold a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Marketing, Information Technology, or a related field.
2. An MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
3. Possess a minimum of 5-8 years of experience in business development, sales, partnerships, or commercial roles within the payments, banking, fintech, telecommunications, or digital financial services sectors.
4. Demonstrated experience in selling complex B2B technology or financial services solutions.
5. Proven track record of consistently meeting or exceeding revenue and sales targets.
6. Experience engaging with senior executives within banks, fintechs, and financial institutions.
7. Experience working across East Africa or the Horn of Africa region is highly desirable.
8. Existing networks and relationships within Somalia and/or Djibouti's banking and payments ecosystem would be advantageous.