EBKL: Business Development Manager/ Specialist – Creative Economy at Equity Bank Kenya

The Role Purpose

• To lead the growth and commercial development of the Creative Economy by translating the Bank’s strategy into scalable business opportunities, differentiated financial solutions and strategic partnerships that position the Bank as the preferred financial partner for creators, artists, athletes, gig workers and digital entrepreneurs.

• The role drives customer acquisition, ecosystem development, portfolio growth and revenue generation through strategic alliances, innovative distribution and digital onboarding models, sector-specific propositions and inclusive financing solutions. It provides strategic leadership in mobilising creative communities, expanding market participation, influencing product and credit innovation, and building sustainable commercial ecosystems that strengthen the Bank’s competitive position and unlock the economic potential of Africa’s creative and gig economy.

The Key Responsibilities

• Creative Economy Proposition Development: Translate the Creative Economy Strategy into differentiated youth banking propositions, product bundles and customer journeys for creators, artists, athletes and digital entrepreneurs, delivering measurable customer acquisition, activation and revenue growth.
• Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Development: Identify, secure and manage strategic partnerships with creator and gig platforms, studios, sports bodies, creative hubs, aggregators and sector associations, delivering measurable partnership value, customer referrals and commercial returns.
• Creative Community & Centre Activation: Drive the activation of Equity Creative Centres and youth clubs through structured programmes, showcases and events, measured by community participation, customer acquisition, conversion and business generated.
• Digital Customer Acquisition & Onboarding: Scale creator and gig-worker acquisition through aggregators, Wallet-as-a-Service and embedded payout solutions, in collaboration with Digital Banking and Data & Innovation, measured by onboarding volumes, activation rates and transaction growth.
• Creative Economy Financing Innovation: Partner with Credit, Risk and Data & Innovation to develop creator and gig-income financing propositions and alternative credit scoring capabilities, measured by product development milestones, qualified lending pipeline and financing uptake.
• Customer Conversion & Relationship Growth: Establish effective customer qualification, referral and handover mechanisms to the Senior Relationship Manager, measured by qualified leads, conversion rates, customer retention and portfolio growth.
• Creative Economy Campaigns & Market Positioning: Lead sector-focused marketing campaigns and strategic speaking engagements in collaboration with Marketing and Group Communications, measured by market reach, customer acquisition, engagement and campaign return on investment.
• Ecosystem Revenue & Commercial Performance: Drive revenue generation and commercial sustainability across creative economy initiatives, measured by income growth, customer value, transaction volumes and return on ecosystem investments.
• Partnership Performance & Governance: Establish commercial agreements, performance targets and attribution frameworks for strategic partnerships, measured by partnership productivity, customer contribution, revenue generated and delivery against agreed commitments.
• Strategic Performance Monitoring & Reporting: Monitor and report on the performance of the Creative Economy portfolio, providing insights on customer acquisition, ecosystem growth, partnership returns, digital adoption, financing opportunities and commercial impact to guide strategic decisions.

Qualifications

Key Technical Skills & Leadership Competencies

• Creative economy and creator ecosystem knowledge across music, film, fashion, sport and digital content
• Proposition and product bundle development for creators and gig workers
• Digital creator onboarding, aggregator integration and embedded payouts
• Understanding of creator income patterns and alternative credit assessment
• Community building, storytelling and market positioning
• Innovative, entrepreneurial and collaborative leadership

Experience Requirements  

• 5 to 8 years in business development, partnerships or ecosystem building in creative industries, media, sport, fintech or banking. Banking exposure is an added advantage.
• Creative economy and creator ecosystems in music, film, fashion, sport and digital content
• Partnership development, negotiation and commercial acumen
• Digital onboarding, embedded finance and API-led models
• Programme, community and campaign delivery
• Understanding of creator and gig income patterns and funding needs

Academic qualifications and certifications 

• 5 to 8 years in business development, partnerships or ecosystem building in creative industries, media, sport, fintech or banking. Banking exposure is an added advantage.
• Creative economy and creator ecosystems in music, film, fashion, sport and digital content
• Partnership development, negotiation and commercial acumen
• Digital onboarding, embedded finance and API-led models
• Programme, community and campaign delivery
• Understanding of creator and gig income patterns and funding needs