Director of International Expansion at FairMoney

Position Summary

The Director of International expansion at FairMoney will drive the company’s strategic growth across the African market. This pivotal role involves overseeing market selection, license acquisition, regulatory compliance, partnership development, and team establishment to ensure successful international expansion. As a key leader, you would help us to acquire multiple MFB licenses across Africa in the upcoming months. You are the right person for this role if you have several years of MFB or Banking experience in Africa, worked on multi-country expansion, acquired or applied for licensing in many countries across the continent, and are hungry to make a meaningful impact in the way Africans access and use financial services. 

The Director of International expansion is solely responsible for the high-level success of the international expansion. High-level responsibilities include hiring, PnL ownership, budgeting, structuration of all processes on the ground, and regular travel to the target markets. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic and Operational Leadership: Take full ownership of the end-to-end strategic and operational facets of FairMoney's international expansion. Lead the charge in identifying new markets and executing entry strategies.

Conduct on-ground due diligence on the countries we are targeting and conduct further research on the feasibility of the expansion in the market. 

Market Entry Playbooks: Develop comprehensive market entry playbooks that encompass a strategic roadmap for successful penetration into new markets, ensuring adaptability to diverse business landscapes.

License Acquisition: Acquire the right licenses required to launch FairMoney products in new markets, and maintain strong relationships with regulators

Business Development:

• Lead negotiations and business development activities to establish a strong presence in new markets.
• Identify and evaluate potential business opportunities, mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships to drive growth.

Team Leadership:

• Play a pivotal role in setting up and leading local teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Ensure that the teams are equipped to execute the expansion plans effectively.

Regulatory Compliance Oversight: Develop and implement strategies to ensure full compliance with local regulations and laws in each target market.

Performance Measurement:

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the success of expansion initiatives.
• Regularly report on progress, challenges, and opportunities to executive leadership.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product development, marketing, and operations, to ensure seamless execution of expansion plans.
• Provide insights and recommendations to improve products and services based on regional market needs.

Requirements

• Experience in banking and credit/lending domain (Credit led neo bank preferred)
• 10+ years of proven experience in a leadership role overseeing international expansion efforts.
• You have studied business administration, economics, or engineering at a top-tier university. 
• Entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to get hands dirty at all times.
• Experience in applying/acquiring MFB licenses and navigating complex regulatory landscapes across multiple African countries
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing market entry strategies
• Exceptional relationship-building abilities, with a track record of forming successful partnerships
• Experience in building strong relationships with financial services regulators across multiple countries
• Effective team management and leadership skills
• Additional working experience in an expansion manager/head role in a startup is a very strong plus 
• In love with FairMoney's mission to enhance access to finance for the underbanked 
• Willing to relocate for a longer period to Western Africa or similar markets if necessary to uplift operations on the ground.