Position Summary

Reporting to the Group Chief Executive Officer and serving as a member of Senior Management, the Group Director of Business Development is responsible for driving the growth of AGF’s Guarantee and products across Africa. This role involves optimizing partnerships, identifying new market opportunities, designing new products and leading business development efforts to achieve revenue targets and enhance the AGF's market position. Success requires sustainable revenue and impact growth without compromising portfolio quality, financial sustainability, governance, environmental and social standards, or customer experience

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy, growth and market development

• Develop and execute the Group Business Development strategy, translating AGF's mandate and corporate priorities into clear regional, product and PFI account plans, performance indicators and accountabilities.
• Lead disciplined market expansion and selective origination, prioritizing opportunities with clear additionality and appropriate risk-adjusted returns.
• Maintain a robust market-intelligence capability covering PFI needs, regulation, technology, sector trends and country dynamics, and convert insights into actionable commercial decisions.
• Provide evidence-based advice to the Group CEO and Senior Management on growth choices, market positioning, commercial risks and emerging opportunities, and contribute to Board reporting as required.
• Develop strong strategic partnerships with different stakeholders to catalyze more financing for the African SMEs.

Partner relationships and guarantee utilisation

• Establish a Group-wide customer relationship management framework based on partner segmentation, disciplined account planning, service standards, reliable data and clear ownership of every strategic relationship.
• Ensure a responsive end-to-end partner experience by coordinating onboarding, due diligence, structuring, documentation, implementation and post-signature support across Risk, Structured Finance, Legal, Finance, Operations and Capacity Development.
• Develop and implement strategy to source and acquire new business opportunities.
• Continuously carry out market and competitor analysis as part of gathering market intelligence to inform business decisions.
• Provide clear leadership in understanding the market, technology and financial institution’s needs and trends and how these translate into possible opportunities for AGF.
• Thought leadership on strategic marketing, communication and new products development.
• Build trusted relationships with banks, non-bank financial institutions, development finance institutions, guarantee institutions, regulators, central banks, industry bodies and other ecosystem partners to broaden the reach and acceptance of AGF's solutions to catalyze more financing for the African SMEs.

Pipeline and portfolio management

• Own the consolidated Group business pipeline and commercial forecast, enforcing common stage definitions, qualification criteria, conversion discipline, data quality and transparent reporting across regions and products.
• Manage performance against approved utilisation, origination, income, margin, partner and impact objectives, escalating constraints promptly and initiating corrective action where delivery is off track.
• Balance growth with portfolio quality and capital efficiency by working closely with other departments on partner selection, pricing, terms, concentration, exposure and expected performance.
• Support partner accountability on reporting, claims and recoveries, collaborating with Risk and recovery teams to protect AGF's capital and reinforce disciplined portfolio management.
• Oversee the development of the guarantee pipeline at Group level and ensure proper tracking of opportunities.
• Collaborate with regional business development teams to optimize lead generation, conversion strategies and guarantee portfolio optimization.

Product innovation, thematic finance and impact

• Identify, design and bring to market fit-for-purpose guarantee products, channels and partnership models that respond to evolving PFI and SME needs while remaining operationally scalable and financially sustainable.
• Advance commercial opportunities in AGF's priority themes, including gender finance, climate and green finance, agriculture and food security, innovation, digital inclusion, and other underserved segments.
• Partner with Capacity Development to combine guarantees with targeted institutional strengthening, product design and SME-readiness interventions that improve utilization, portfolio quality and market development.
• Embed financial and development additionality, environmental and social requirements, and credible impact indicators into commercial propositions, partner agreements and portfolio monitoring from the outset.

Execution excellence and people leadership

• Lead with consistency and clarity in a way that unifies staff and builds a sense of shared accountability for the success of the department.
• Set clear targets and monitor the achievement of performance and personal development goals for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement is embedded within the team.
• Show resilience, navigate challenges and resolve conflicts with internal and external stakeholders with diplomacy, sensitivity and transparency.
• Champion digital tools, CRM adoption, automation and process improvement to strengthen pipeline visibility, partner responsiveness, turnaround times and management information.
• Manage departmental resources and budgets responsibly, and uphold AGF's policies, delegated authorities, ethics, compliance requirements and values in every client and transaction decision.
• Strategize, develop, and build senior-level relationships to establish long-term, meaningful partnerships within the region.

Desirable qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience

• Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Development Economics, Financial Inclusion or a related discipline. A relevant professional qualification is an added advantage.
• At least 15 years' managerial and leadership experience gained in a financial institution, development finance institution, or guarantee/credit-enhancement environment, with a demonstrable record of delivering commercial growth.
• Extensive experience in business development, origination, sales or marketing, including at least 10 years in a senior leadership role with direct accountability for revenue, portfolio, or partnership targets.
• Proven ability to build and grow a pipeline of institutional partnerships including banks, nonbank lenders, and financial intermediaries and to convert relationships into signed agreements and measurable portfolio growth across multiple markets.
• Excellent knowledge of the African financial institution landscape and the SME operating context, including the structural constraints to SME access to finance and the levers available to address them.
• Strong command of financial institutions' approaches to SME lending, credit risk mitigation, guarantee and credit-enhancement structures, loan appraisal criteria, and portfolio management.
• Track record of developing and launching financial products or partnership models that expand access to finance, ideally with a gender-lens or inclusion dimension.
• Sound understanding of development impact, environmental and social considerations, and the data and reporting disciplines required by DFIs and institutional partners.
• Full professional fluency in both English and French is mandatory, given the institution's bilingual, pan-African operating environment.
• Strong digital and data literacy, with the ability to use management information and automation to improve decisions, controls and customer service.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and stakeholder-management skills, with the presence and credibility to represent the institution at C-suite, board, and DFI level.
• A strategic, self-driven leader with sound commercial judgement, the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams, and a genuine passion for helping African SMEs succeed.

• Develop and execute the Group Business Development strategy, translating AGF's mandate and corporate priorities into clear regional, product and PFI account plans, performance indicators and accountabilities.
• Lead disciplined market expansion and selective origination, prioritizing opportunities with clear additionality and appropriate risk-adjusted returns.
• Maintain a robust market-intelligence capability covering PFI needs, regulation, technology, sector trends and country dynamics, and convert insights into actionable commercial decisions.
• Provide evidence-based advice to the Group CEO and Senior Management on growth choices, market positioning, commercial risks and emerging opportunities, and contribute to Board reporting as required.
• Develop strong strategic partnerships with different stakeholders to catalyze more financing for the African SMEs.
• Establish a Group-wide customer relationship management framework based on partner segmentation, disciplined account planning, service standards, reliable data and clear ownership of every strategic relationship.
• Ensure a responsive end-to-end partner experience by coordinating onboarding, due diligence, structuring, documentation, implementation and post-signature support across Risk, Structured Finance, Legal, Finance, Operations and Capacity Development.
• Develop and implement strategy to source and acquire new business opportunities.
• Continuously carry out market and competitor analysis as part of gathering market intelligence to inform business decisions.
• Provide clear leadership in understanding the market, technology and financial institution’s needs and trends and how these translate into possible opportunities for AGF.
• Thought leadership on strategic marketing, communication and new products development.
• Build trusted relationships with banks, non-bank financial institutions, development finance institutions, guarantee institutions, regulators, central banks, industry bodies and other ecosystem partners to broaden the reach and acceptance of AGF's solutions to catalyze more financing for the African SMEs.
• Own the consolidated Group business pipeline and commercial forecast, enforcing common stage definitions, qualification criteria, conversion discipline, data quality and transparent reporting across regions and products.
• Manage performance against approved utilisation, origination, income, margin, partner and impact objectives, escalating constraints promptly and initiating corrective action where delivery is off track.
• Balance growth with portfolio quality and capital efficiency by working closely with other departments on partner selection, pricing, terms, concentration, exposure and expected performance.
• Support partner accountability on reporting, claims and recoveries, collaborating with Risk and recovery teams to protect AGF's capital and reinforce disciplined portfolio management.
• Oversee the development of the guarantee pipeline at Group level and ensure proper tracking of opportunities.
• Collaborate with regional business development teams to optimize lead generation, conversion strategies and guarantee portfolio optimization.
• Identify, design and bring to market fit-for-purpose guarantee products, channels and partnership models that respond to evolving PFI and SME needs while remaining operationally scalable and financially sustainable.
• Advance commercial opportunities in AGF's priority themes, including gender finance, climate and green finance, agriculture and food security, innovation, digital inclusion, and other underserved segments.
• Partner with Capacity Development to combine guarantees with targeted institutional strengthening, product design and SME-readiness interventions that improve utilization, portfolio quality and market development.
• Embed financial and development additionality, environmental and social requirements, and credible impact indicators into commercial propositions, partner agreements and portfolio monitoring from the outset.
• Lead with consistency and clarity in a way that unifies staff and builds a sense of shared accountability for the success of the department.
• Set clear targets and monitor the achievement of performance and personal development goals for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement is embedded within the team.
• Show resilience, navigate challenges and resolve conflicts with internal and external stakeholders with diplomacy, sensitivity and transparency.
• Champion digital tools, CRM adoption, automation and process improvement to strengthen pipeline visibility, partner responsiveness, turnaround times and management information.
• Manage departmental resources and budgets responsibly, and uphold AGF's policies, delegated authorities, ethics, compliance requirements and values in every client and transaction decision.
• Strategize, develop, and build senior-level relationships to establish long-term, meaningful partnerships within the region.

• Market-intelligence capability
• Commercial decision-making
• Strategic partnerships
• Customer relationship management
• Business development
• Market and competitor analysis
• Thought leadership
• Pipeline and portfolio management
• Product innovation
• Thematic finance
• Impact measurement
• Execution excellence
• People leadership
• Digital tools adoption
• Budget management
• Negotiation skills
• Communication skills
• Stakeholder management skills
• Commercial judgement
• Team building and motivation
• French language fluency
• Digital and data literacy

• Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Development Economics, Financial Inclusion or a related discipline.
• A relevant professional qualification is an added advantage.
• At least 15 years' managerial and leadership experience gained in a financial institution, development finance institution, or guarantee/credit-enhancement environment, with a demonstrable record of delivering commercial growth.
• Extensive experience in business development, origination, sales or marketing, including at least 10 years in a senior leadership role with direct accountability for revenue, portfolio, or partnership targets.
• Proven ability to build and grow a pipeline of institutional partnerships including banks, nonbank lenders, and financial intermediaries and to convert relationships into signed agreements and measurable portfolio growth across multiple markets.
• Excellent knowledge of the African financial institution landscape and the SME operating context, including the structural constraints to SME access to finance and the levers available to address them.
• Strong command of financial institutions' approaches to SME lending, credit risk mitigation, guarantee and credit-enhancement structures, loan appraisal criteria, and portfolio management.
• Track record of developing and launching financial products or partnership models that expand access to finance, ideally with a gender-lens or inclusion dimension.
• Sound understanding of development impact, environmental and social considerations, and the data and reporting disciplines required by DFIs and institutional partners.
• Full professional fluency in both English and French is mandatory, given the institution's bilingual, pan-African operating environment.
• Strong digital and data literacy, with the ability to use management information and automation to improve decisions, controls and customer service.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and stakeholder-management skills, with the presence and credibility to represent the institution at C-suite, board, and DFI level.
• A strategic, self-driven leader with sound commercial judgement, the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams, and a genuine passion for helping African SMEs succeed.