Director-Growth

Job Summary

The Business Development Lead will lead APLYD’s business development activities across East Africa, managing the full institutional growth cycle from the first engagement with a ministry, regional body, multilateral country office, or development finance institution through to a signed contract and successful handover to the delivery team.

This is a growth-focused role with direct revenue accountability rather than a country-level profit-and-loss responsibility. Delivery will be supported by APLYD’s global functional disciplines, with regional personnel deployed when required. As the first APLYD hire in the region, the successful candidate will establish and grow the regional team, initially starting with an Associate, Growth (East Africa).

The position carries a revenue target, with compensation linked to originated revenue. Origination credit begins with the first closed contract, increases after the target is exceeded, and is uncapped. During the first year, qualified opportunities originated by the candidate that have reached the contracting stage will also receive credit, recognizing the longer institutional contracting cycles common across East Africa.

Core Duties & Responsibilities

• Represent APLYD across East Africa and serve as the firm's primary representative and point of contact for institutional stakeholders in the region.
• Own institutional opportunities from the initial conversation through problem definition, scoping, proposal development, negotiation, contracting, and final handover to the delivery team.
• Evaluate potential opportunities and determine which opportunities APLYD should pursue or decline based on strategic fit, feasibility, and potential value.
• Establish clear technical expectations before commitments are made, working with senior stakeholders to define precise problem statements and credible solutions.
• Maintain a strong understanding of solution architecture, data and AI feasibility, integration constraints, and ownership and operational requirements for deployed systems.
• Lead the development of proposals, including scope, technical approach, timelines, risks, commercial models, and budgets.
• Personally write and develop key proposals during the initial stage of the regional operation, with responsibility expected to evolve as the team expands.
• Develop a strong understanding of the East African market, including how ministries, government agencies, regional institutions, multilaterals, bilateral agencies, and philanthropic organizations make decisions and allocate budgets.
• Develop the regional business development strategy based on market intelligence, institutional priorities, funding environments, and opportunities across different East African markets.
• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date business development pipeline, clearly identifying active opportunities, stalled prospects, and opportunities unlikely to progress.
• Provide regular pipeline and business development updates directly to the CEO.
• Ensure new engagements begin effectively by aligning the institution and delivery team on scope, success measures, responsibilities, and operating models before implementation begins.
• Ensure institutions understand and take ownership of the systems and solutions developed through APLYD engagements.
• Recruit, manage, and develop the Associate, Growth (East Africa).
• Build and expand the regional business development team as revenue and business growth allow.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 20 years of experience in business development, partnerships, institutional growth, or related fields.
• Extensive experience working with government systems, development organizations, major funders, or institutional clients, with most professional experience gained in East Africa.
• Demonstrated track record of developing new institutional relationships that have resulted in signed and funded contracts on multiple occasions.
• Established professional networks across East African governments, regional institutions, multilateral organizations, bilateral agencies, and philanthropic organizations.
• Deep understanding of how public institutions and major development organizations operate in East Africa, including decision-making processes, procurement, budgeting, and institutional adoption of new solutions.
• Sufficient technical knowledge to engage credibly in discussions concerning AI, data systems, digital public infrastructure, technology feasibility, and solution architecture.
• Experience engaging effectively with both technical teams and senior non-technical institutional decision-makers.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a senior representative in institutional discussions and decisions concerning whether to engage a consulting, technology, or development partner.
• Based in East Africa.

Requirements

• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40–50% of the time across the East African region.
• Strong understanding of government, development, and institutional funding environments across multiple East African countries.
• Ability to manage the complete business development lifecycle, from opportunity identification through contract negotiation and handover.
• Strong proposal writing, commercial negotiation, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to assess technical feasibility and communicate effectively with engineers, technical specialists, and institutional leaders.
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to make sound decisions regarding opportunity selection and prioritization.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of regional growth activities.
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Ability to manage revenue targets and operate in a performance-driven environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional / Preferred Experience

• Experience in AI, digital transformation, technology-for-development, or digital public infrastructure in Africa.
• Established relationships with county or sub-national governments.
• Strong relationships with funders managing significant East African development portfolios.
• Experience working for an organization operating at the intersection of evidence, technology, and public service delivery in Africa.

Additional Requirements

• Successful completion of a reference check and employment verification is required.
• The successful candidate must not be subject to employment restrictions from a former employer, including a non-compete agreement, that would prevent them from performing the responsibilities of the position.
• Candidates must disclose any current or recent engagement with a government, multilateral organization, or development finance institution that could create a potential conflict of interest.

Key Competencies

• Institutional business development and growth.
• Government and development-sector relationship management.
• Strategic market analysis and opportunity assessment.
• Business development pipeline management.
• Proposal development and commercial negotiation.
• Technical and solution-oriented thinking.
• AI, data, and digital transformation awareness.
• Stakeholder engagement and executive communication.
• Leadership, team building, and mentoring.
• Revenue ownership and target achievement.
• Cross-cultural and regional relationship management.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and conflict-of-interest awareness.