Head: Partnerships, ARO RBB - Sandton at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Description

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Strategic Partnership Development and Management:

• Identify and evaluate potential strategic partners that align with the institution's mission and business goals.
• Develop strategic partnerships across various segments and sectors.
• Develop, manage and maintain the overall partnership plan across multiple geographies and value streams that seeks to extract value from strategic partnerships.
• Develop and maintain the overarching partnership framework and guiding principles to ultimately shape / inform go / no go payment partnerships decisions in close collaboration with our country ARO businesses.
• Negotiate and finalize mutually beneficial partnership agreements that drive profitable customer growth, product adoption and revenue generation across markets.
• Manage and maintain strong relationships with key partners at all levels, ensuring clear communication, collaboration, and alignment with Absa's business objectives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all partnership-related activities and communications.

Market Analysis and Opportunity Identification:

• Conduct thorough market research to identify trends, opportunities, and competitive landscape in the financial services sector across Africa.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and business models that could enhance the institution’s offerings.
• Conduct thorough market research to identify customer needs, preferences, and risk profiles.
• Lead the development and launch of innovative products and services tailored to the specific needs of the target market.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders in Product, IT, Risk Management, and Marketing to develop and implement new solutions.
• Explore and position partnerships as platforms for competing in non-presence territories.

Commercialization and Performance Management

• Develop and execute comprehensive commercialization strategies to drive awareness, adoption, and usage of Absa's products and services.
• Leverage partner channels and digital marketing platforms to effectively reach the target audience.
• Set clear performance targets for all partnerships across the ARO countries.
• Monitor and assess the performance and impact of existing partnerships, making adjustments as necessary.
• Oversee the performance of teams across the value chain and implement strategies to optimize growth and profitability.

Risk Management and Compliance:

• Ensure the implementation of a robust risk management framework for the business.
• In collaboration with Risk, build a quality credit portfolio that effectively utilizes capital to build sustainable income for the Bank.
• Collaborate with the Risk Management team to implement appropriate risk-based models and collection strategies.
• Ensure all partnership activities comply with relevant regulations and internal policies.
• Continuously monitor and mitigate potential risks associated with reputational risk, fraud, creditworthiness, and data security.
• Ensure all products and services comply with regulatory requirements.

Data Driven Management and Reporting:

• Develop and implement a data-driven approach to business, leveraging customer data and market insights to inform product development, marketing strategies, and risk management practices.
• Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress towards achieving business objectives.
• Generate regular reports on the performance of the business, including customer acquisition, revenue generation, and risk metrics.
• Translate data insights into actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.

Team Management and Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Lead, motivate, and develop partnership specialists at the centre and across markets
• Ensure team members possess the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve business goals.
• Foster a collaborative and results-oriented work environment.
• Delegate tasks effectively and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Product Development, Marketing, Operations, and Legal, to ensure seamless integration and execution of partnership initiatives.
• Work closely with the leadership team to align partnership strategies with overall business objectives.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree: Finance and Investment Management (Required)