Business Development Manager, Somalia and Djibouti at Network International

About The Role:

• The Business Development Manager, Somalia & Djibouti will be based in our Kenya, Nairobi office and will be responsible for driving business growth and expanding Network International's presence across Somalia and Djibouti. The role will focus on identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities with banks, financial institutions, fintechs, mobile money operators, governments, and key ecosystem partners. 
• In addition, the Business Development Manager will support the management and growth of client relationships, working closely with customers, regulators, partners, and industry stakeholders to strengthen Network's position in the market. You will play a key role in generating new revenue streams, increasing market penetration, and identifying cross-selling and upselling opportunities across Network International's full portfolio of payment and digital financial services solutions.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Business Development & Revenue Growth:

• Develop and execute a country growth strategy for Somalia and Djibouti aligned to Network International's Africa business objectives.
• Identify, qualify, and secure new business opportunities across issuing, acquiring, processing, digital payments, value-added services, and emerging payment solutions.
• Build and maintain a robust sales pipeline capable of delivering agreed revenue and business growth targets.
• Lead end-to-end sales activities including prospecting, opportunity qualification, solution positioning, proposal development, commercial negotiations, contract closure, and deal handover.
• Drive achievement of monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
  Identify strategic partnerships that support market expansion and accelerate customer acquisition.
• Actively pursue opportunities within banks, fintechs, telecom operators, government entities, and large corporates operating in Somalia and Djibouti.

Client & Stakeholder Management:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior decision-makers within client and prospect organizations.
• Support the ongoing management and expansion of existing client relationships.
• Collaborate with Account Management teams to identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities within Network's customer base.
• Act as a trusted advisor to customers by understanding their strategic priorities and aligning Network solutions accordingly.
• Represent Network International at industry events, conferences, regulatory forums, and customer engagements.

Market Development & Regulatory Engagement:

• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of the payments, banking, fintech, and regulatory landscape across Somalia and Djibouti.
• Build productive relationships with regulators, central banks, and key industry stakeholders.
• Monitor market developments, competitive activity, customer trends, and emerging opportunities and provide regular market intelligence to leadership.
• Support market-entry initiatives, product launches, and strategic growth projects within the assigned territories.

Commercial & Operational Excellence:

• Prepare compelling business cases, proposals, RFP responses, and commercial models in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Ensure all opportunities are accurately managed and reported within Network's CRM systems.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Solution Consulting, Finance, Legal, Risk, Operations, and Implementation teams to deliver successful customer outcomes.
• Ensure commercial agreements, pricing, and contract terms align with approved business policies and profitability objectives.
• Maintain accurate forecasting and provide regular sales performance updates to management.
• Ensure smooth transition of newly acquired customers into implementation and account management teams.

Qualifications

Key Requirements:

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