Chief Executive Officer at Switchlink Africa Ltd

Role Overview:

• Switchlink is seeking a dynamic and visionary CEO for Kenya to spearhead the growth and expansion of the company’s sales and operations. Reporting to the board, this role demands a strategic leader with an entrepreneurial mindset who can drive the conceptualization and implementation of Switchlink’s offerings in the local market, ensuring alignment with best practices and regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities:

In-Country Management 

• Oversee and support functions including Retail Sales, Enterprise Sales, Operations and Partnerships (Expansion), Compliance and Risk, and Regulatory Affairs.
• Initially cover these roles and collaborate with central function leads until in-country leads are established.

Manage Product, Tech and Engineering 

• Manage the overall product roadmap and feature set evolution in the product development lifecycle 
• Work with product & engineering team on market-specific requirements to develop a customer-centric product roadmap
• Apply agile methodologies to keep the product roadmap and it’s execution focussed on new discoveries of customers evolving needs 
• Optimize the engineering function by making decisions on the optimal mix of external and internal resources which balances execution speed and quality
• Leverage knowledge of fintech, AI, Web3, and other emerging technologies to drive innovation in Switchlink’s product offerings.

Team Building and Leadership while Instilling an Entrepreneurial Culture 

• Build a high-performing, innovative team capable of driving Switchlink’s mission and goals.
• Attract, develop, and retain top talent to ensure a strong, cohesive team.
• Foster a collaborative and empowering work environment that encourages creativity and high performance.
• Develop and communicate a clear vision for Switchlink’s role within Kenya’s payments ecosystem.
• Align the local team’s role within the broader Switchlink ecosystem.
• Maximize team performance and provide support to achieve team and individual goals.
• Foster a high-performance culture through effective management and support.
• Articulate and communicate the vision and goals to direct and dotted line reports.
• Secure buy-in from global teams on the local country’s role in the overall Switchlink roadmap.
• Foster a culture of innovation and agility within the local team to quickly adapt to market changes and emerging trends.
• Encourage and implement creative solutions to overcome challenges and drive growth.

P&L Management:

• Develop and manage budgets, forecasts, and financial plans to ensure financial targets are met.
• Execute the growth strategy with a clear path to profitability .
• Drive the overall profitability and financial performance of Switchlink in Kenya.
• Monitor and analyze financial performance, implementing corrective actions as needed to meet or exceed financial goals.

Relationship-Building and Collaboration:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal departments and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure a cohesive approach to market challenges and opportunities.

Growth strategy - Market insights , Strategic Sales and Market Positioning:

• Drive product awareness, retail traffic, enterprise sales, user adoption, and revenue growth.
• Qualify and forecast monthly business performance across enterprise and retail segments.
• Implement metrics-driven strategies to align activities with revenue goals.
• Develop a competitive analysis to identify and leverage positioning opportunities.
• Enhance Switchlink’s brand presence through offline events, sponsorships, and affiliate partnerships.
• Drive brand awareness in the local market through strategic initiatives.
• Gain deep insights into the local market dynamics, regulations, and economic indicators.
• Identify and capitalize on growth opportunities using first-party and third-party data

Desired Skills and Expertise:

• Technical and Product Expertise: In-depth knowledge of fintech with a focus on payments systems and product development. Experience managing engineering teams and developing products from zero to one. Proficiency in leveraging AI and Web3 for product innovation.
• Entrepreneurial Skills: Proven track record of entrepreneurial success and innovative thinking. Ability to identify new business opportunities and drive them to fruition. Strong problem-solving skills and a willingness to take calculated risks.
• Demonstrate a proactive, self-starter approach to identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities.
• Team Building: Experience in building and leading high-performing, innovative teams in a technology environment. Ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent. Strong leadership skills with a focus on team empowerment and collaboration.
• P&L Management: Extensive experience in managing P&L responsibilities. Strong financial acumen with the ability to develop and manage budgets, forecasts, and financial plans. Proven track record of driving profitability and financial performance.
• Industry and Market Knowledge: Strong understanding of local and global industry dynamics, including regulations and the operating environment. Ability to think strategically about macro and microeconomic factors impacting the business.
• Communication and Networking: Exceptional networking and negotiation skills. Excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical skills and strategic thinking. Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects effectively.
• Project Management: Excellent project management skills to oversee complex initiatives. Ability to work autonomously and drive projects to completion.
• Customer Acquisition at Scale 
• Brand Development: Experience developing a b2c or b2b brand within fintech , e-commerce or general tech space is a big plus.

Qualifications:

• At least 8 years in the tech industry, including fintech, banking, e-commerce, or telcos, with a minimum of 5 years in product development in fintech.
• Degree in Business, Computer Science, Economics, or Engineering with a quantitative focus; a postgraduate degree is a plus.
• Experience in managing highly sensitive information and security protocols.
• Experience in managing highly complex and fast-changing projects.
• Ability to analyze large volumes of data to make sense of it; experience with data science tools is a big plus (e.g., SQL, R, Advanced Excel).
• Experience in blockchain and Web3 tools in developing new solutions is a plus.