Market Engagement Manager – Mobile Money at GSM Association

Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing creative, bold, and targeted engagement strategies to advance GSMA positions in Africa
• Building and managing relationships with operators and other key stakeholders across the region in order to identify strategic opportunities to provide support and develop initiatives that align with the programme’s core objectives.
• Coordinating closely with a large range of actors such as regulatory specialists, regional experts, and data analysts, both inside and outside of the GSMA
• Identifying gaps in the capacity of MNOs to address regulatory barriers for the development of mobile money services and make recommendations for support that will assist policymakers to advocate for enabling reforms
• Designing and implementing projects with mobile operators on topics such as international remittances or e-commerce to inform and support the spread of best practice
• Writing, reviewing and editing mobile money publications and blogs on a wide variety of subjects
• Participating in and presenting at relevant GSMA events and those of external regional partners to disseminate resources and insights, as well as to continue to position the programme as a thought-leader within the industry.
• Shaping the programme’s regional advocacy efforts with relevant internal and external partners, e.g., GSMA. African Development Bank, UNCDF, CGAP and ITU, working in close consultation with policy and advocacy colleagues

The Market Engagement Manager Africa will report to the Market Engagement Director, Africa.

Qualifications

The right candidate will be able to draw on a solid foundation of industry knowledge, project management expertise, as well as the ability to engage stakeholders, communicate effectively, and rapidly adapt to different cultures.

• Masters level Education or above, with demonstrable work experience
• A strong grasp of the English language, able to express complex technical, commercial or regulatory issues in plain language
• Excellent relationship management skills at an executive level. Business development skills and key account management experience are highly desirable.
• Strong strategic skillset – able to work on the cutting edge of mobile money, to help determine how to successfully scale mobile money services
• Regulatory knowledge relevant to mobile money and/or financial services in Africa
• Charismatic & energetic, with strong public speaking skills, able to inspire others and build constructive working relationships with diverse stakeholders
• Experience analysing the business impact of regulation in any sector and in designing advocacy campaigns to affect that impact
• Proven analytical skills, especially the ability to predict and/or assess commercial and economic implications of regulatory decisions
• Ability to work in a matrixed structure, to positively influence peers and support cross functional collaboration across the GSMA
• Ability to handle pressing deadlines and ambiguity; innovates and devises frameworks to resolve and prioritise
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time
• Strong analytical capabilities – able to assess different business models, understand what is working / not working in different contexts around new products, and also identify potential solutions
• A good understanding of mobile money and of the existing financial services landscape for the underserved in the region and familiarity with the relevant policy and regulatory context in key markets.
• Experience of working in emerging markets
• Excellent cultural awareness and the capability to work with globally dispersed teams
• A self-starter, highly motivated to develop the programme

Desirable but not required

• Experience working for a financial services regulator, a company in the mobile communications sector, or an international development organisation
• Genuinely interested in both the commercial and social benefits presented by mobile money
• Knowledge of taxation policies in Africa
• Educational background in business, law, economics, or political science
• French language fluency