MD / CEO - Africa at Protege Professionals

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Division: Executive
Report To: GCEO

Job Purpose

• This role requires a skilled and strategic communicator with strong business acumen and analytical skills, as well as a proven ability to manage projects cross-functionally. In this highly visible role, the director will gain exposure and strong working knowledge of our business as well as a keen understanding of our business priorities at the executive team level.
• The MD is responsible for providing strategic, financial, and operational leadership for the company and will closely coordinate and work with the Group CEO, Board of Directors, and Executive Team.
• The right candidate must be ready to enhance the great company culture, provide inspired leadership to the Executive team, establish a great working relationship with the Board of Directors and Network International Leadership, and set a course for company strategy.

Accountabilities
The main responsibilities are:

• Plan, develop, implement and direct the company’s operational and fiscal function and performance
• Act as a strategic partner by developing and implementing the Group’s plans and programs
• Analyze and make recommendations on the impact of long-range growth initiatives, planning, and introduction of new strategies and regulatory actions
• Improve, implement, and enforce policies and procedures of the Group that will improve operational and financial effectiveness of the company
• Communicate effectively and establish credibility throughout the organization and with the Board of Directors and the Network International Leadership as an effective developer of solutions to business challenges
• Provide strategic input/advisory and leadership on decision-making issues affecting the Group
• Develop new merchant relationships, maintain existing strong merchant relationships and encourage the expansion of engagements, and ensure the quality of these engagements
• Optimize the handling of banking relationships and work closely with the Group CFO to foster and grow strategic financial partnerships

Experience / Skills Required

• A Master’s Degree (MBA, MSc, MA. ML) is compulsory.
• Bachelor's Degree in Commerce, Business Management, Finance, or any other relevant field.
• You will have at least 10 years of relevant experience in the payments/fintech industry OR a large operational corporate company with a track record of success, of which at least five should have been either as MD/CEO or reporting directly to the CEO in a very senior role.
• International experience (including developing countries and multicultural environments).
• Demonstrate competency in the creation and execution of strategic plans in your former career.
• Familiarity with corporate law and ‘best practices’ management.
• Proven track record of leading large, complex projects with multiple stakeholders and driving organizational change.
• Effective communicator, especially with executives and in ambiguous situations. Ability to explain complex concepts to a broad audience in an approachable way
• Sound understanding of payments systems and business as well as innate curiosity in the payments worlds
• Global perspective and awareness of market differences and commonalities
• Demonstrated aptitude to learn quickly in scenarios that are not well defined or structured
• Strategic and analytical thinker, able to move seamlessly from high-level concepts to details and solutions without much guidance
• Results-oriented individual who challenges the status quo in order to drive a culture of constant improvement with customers and markets at the centre.
• Process and solutions-oriented, with high attention to detail, quality, and opportunity for optimization.
• Excellent influencing/negotiation skills and ability to work multi-dimensionally in a complex business environment - the ability to influence upward, peer-wide, and downward.
• You have had working experience in Africa and deeply understand the culture.
• The startup experience will be a great added advantage.

Required Competencies:

• A keen balance between creativity, commercial aptitude, intellectual curiosity, and project management.
• Natural communicator and storyteller with a passion for promoting ideas effectively - show openness to new ideas, modifying viewpoints and direction in light of new information.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate human insights into commercial outcomes.
• Inspirational and motivational skills; actively promote an environment of inclusion and diversity of thought.
• Adaptable, energetic, positive and motivated when tackling challenging problems.