Account Manager - West Africa at MasterCard

Responsibilities
The job holder will carry out responsibilities detailed below in the assigned location within West Africa markets:

• Develop sales pipeline leveraging all available resources in coordination with the product development and account management teams
• Work with Customer Account Managers and Country Managers to identify opportunities to sell new products to existing customers
• Participate in high-level, interactive conversations with key decision makers around new or emerging product opportunities
• Analyze customers’ existing business through profitability modeling, financial forecasting and competitive analysis and recommend opportunities for additional revenue
• Develop long-term growth strategies to optimize mutual profitability across debit and credit business lines
• Work with virtual team of MC subject matter experts to strategically articulate value propositions to close new business opportunities
• Develop financial modeling and business cases for identified opportunities
• Execute and manage the customer contract agreement process, ensuring global linkage of resources and information sharing
• Be the responsible “face of MasterCard” to the prospect/customer through high level interactions with key stakeholders such as senior bank executives, country regulatory contacts, representatives of marketing and card vendors as well as third party processing companies.

Major Accountabilities

• This individual is the 'Go To' person for Business Development across the assigned location within West Africa ensuring alignment between the location’s 'go-to-market' approaches and the overall MEA Business Development strategy, taking into account the region's longer term strategic initiatives
• Establish new partner / vendor/ enabler / joint venture integration with capabilities to sustain MasterCard's competitive advantage and tracking performance against key objectives
• This individual will have responsibility for establishing and maintaining strong business relationships with Issuers, vendors, the banking industry and the regulators across the assigned location
• Fundamental to accelerating the development of the business in the allocated location, is a backbone of strong issuance strategy in partnership with key Banks
• The individual will be responsible for developing a dedicated Issuance plan and strategy across the assigned location
• In addition, the successful candidate must have a sound knowledge of the payments industry P&L and how to maximize revenue through an effective issuance strategy.
• The individual will support in the development of the allocated location’s Interchange strategies, in collaboration with all regional cross functional teams
• The successful candidate will be required to support in the assigned location's Regulatory dialogue and support Country Management, on all matters relating to national and regional interests.

Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree required, MBA preferred.
• 10+ years experience in the financial services and payments business
• Deep business development and marketing experience
• Strong project management, problem solving, analytical and organizational experience
• Experience in merchant acquiring, retailing and / or corporate transactional banking will be advantageous
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple stakeholders in a multicultural environment across multiple geographic locations
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, extensive experience in communicating in international environment at senior management level
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Organization and time management skills; ability to multi-task
• Exceptional business judgment and strategic planning skills
• Business Case development, including financial analytics
• Budget preparation and management
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Solid solution development skills and effective working both independently and in a team environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills
• Strong client management skills
• Strong teamwork skills

Key Competencies Sought:

• Business Acumen
• Knowledge leadership
• Finance and planning
• Solution drive
• Results orientation
• Strong Analytical ability

Professional Qualities:

• Leadership
• Influence; assertiveness; initiative
• Autonomy; independence; accountable and responsibly
• Quantitative, qualitative and analytical insight
• Commitment; passion and energy