Job Objective
The Business Development Leader (BDL), Iraq is responsible for leading client’s in-market team and sustaining the optimal operating environment by working collaboratively with key stakeholders such as Clients, government, regulators, and other players impacting the business in market This role is a strategic position that should be able to expertly translate strategy to execution, build high quality relationships with all key stakeholders including clients, staff, regulators, and other key partners. The BDL is skilled at collaborating and building support of cross-functional teams, in market and beyond, to deliver the best of business to the market. The BDL has overall management responsibility for all aspects of the business operations in Iraq which includes managing relationships with financial institution clients, acquirers, merchants, regulators, fintechs, and developing and implementing business strategies, leading business operations and leading a growing team. The BDL is expected to effectively develop local initiatives and deploy relevant global solutions in Iraq to strengthen company’s position with clients and identify strategic partnerships to drive local and regional business growth. This role, therefore, requires a high-quality leader with the skills to both drive superior current state performance and lead transformation to enable sustainable outperformance in the future. In addition to strong strategic and execution skills, the leader will have what it takes to motivate, inspire, and shape a high performing team through leading with vision and role modelling the behaviours key to delivering our sustainable best.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain relationship between the business and the clients through deep client engagements across client organization and all relevant stakeholders
- Contribute to development, production and implementation of initiatives outlined in Country and Account Plans
- Gather ongoing intelligence, monitor, and analyse competitor strategies as well as lead strategic responses in ensuring client’s competitiveness
- Attend to all client queries and issues and provide timely and efficient solutions
- Develop an understanding of client strengths and opportunities and partner them to maximize their business potential.
- Expand the penetration of existing as well as emerging products within current and new accounts
- Contribute to the development of functional strategy
- Focus on advocacy to lay the foundation for the next phase of growth
- Establish alliance partners (non-banks, technology service providers, merchants) and create new business opportunities for growth
- Support the execution of the country’s Business Plans and ensure initiatives, budget and KPIs are consistently met.
- Develop and execute market strategies that ensure growth in issuing and acceptance solutions and revenues through all clients across Iraq
- In cooperation with the internal functions, i.e. Products and Solutions, the Client Services functions, Marketing, Pricing etc., identify solutions and develop a go-to-market approach covering pricing, marketing, sales, and operations
- Drive acceptance of company’s payment solutions, with a focus across various business segments, key among them SMB merchants
- Conduct quarterly business reviews with key clients with the aim of ensuring the client’s relationship adds value to clients
- Play a hands-on role in the deployment and go to market of a new digital solutions
- Establish and foster relationships with Clients and internal stakeholders at all levels of staff and senior management
- Understand client needs, solution deployment requirements in different environments and develop models of engagement that are easily replicable across organizations with similar characteristics for faster onboarding
- Maintain and build rapport with Digital and Cross- functional teams across the business. to exchange, learn and leverage best practices
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
Basic Qualifications
- 10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 8 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters/ MBA/JD/MD)
Preferred Qualifications
- 12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8-10 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 6+ years of work experience with a PhD
Professional Skills
- Local market and functional experience in issuing, acceptance, merchant acquiring, consulting, client sales, preferably supporting highly complex clients and/ or services within a highly matrixed environment
- Established networks at decision-making levels with a strong business-to-business sales track record
- Years of Experience: A minimum of 10 years of success in progressive leadership positions in the Payments industry
Technical Skills
- Working knowledge of payments network, Landscape and processing services
- Working knowledge of mobile Money & Mobile technology
- Demonstrated, detailed knowledge of the full breadth of acceptance and other products and services offered by the company
- Microsoft office tools e.g. PowerPoint, Excel, Word
Business Skills
- Strong Sales and relationship management skills
- Broad and multiple industry exposure
- General finance and accounting knowledge and understanding
- Strong influencing and negotiation skills
- Project management experience
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Experience shaping and delivering defined strategies
*Only applicants meeting the strict criteria outlined above will be contacted as part of the shortlisting process.