Business Development Manager (West Africa)

Who we are

Greenlight Planet designs, distributes, and finances the purchase of solar powered home energy solutions for the world’s 1.3 billion under-electrified consumers.  We are market leaders in the distributed off-grid solar industry, and our Sun King™ products have enabled 76 million people around the world to access clean, reliable, solar powered light and energy at home. 

Sun King products range from portable solar lamps to more robust multi-light solar home systems, to solar powered televisions and fans and energy efficient inverter bulbs.  Our products drastically improve quality of life for those that lack reliable electricity access: they help extend the number of productive, income generating hours in a day; they enable children to study after dark; they allow families and communities to gather safely to socialize after sunset; and when replacing field-based sources of light like kerosene lamps, they reduce exposure to indoor air pollution.     

We reach our customers through two distinct business models: a vast network of more than 300 distribution partners across 40 countries, and through our EasyBuy™ Direct sales channel, where we sell directly to consumers in India, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia through a network of more than 7,000 commission sales agents.  Our customers have the option to purchase these products up front or to pay for them through an installment payment plan over a period of 4-18 months through our Sun King EasyBuy™ line, our technology enabled ‘pay-as-you-go’ (PAYG) systems. 

Greenlight employs more than 1,500 people in 11 countries across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.  We are passionate about serving off-grid customers, and we are driven by the challenge of continuously innovating and growing a smart, sustainable business with profound impact on the world.

The team you would join

Greenlight’s partnership and business development team covering our partnerships business in West and Central Africa has been growing consistently over the last 5 years at remarkable scale with a large partner base of over 300 partners.

We are looking for an experienced Business development Manager who would leverage on their expertise to grow our active partner base and revenues by over 100% by onboarding strategic partners across sectors of interest in West and central Africa.

What you would be expected to do:

Networking

• Regularly network with industry colleagues and associations to help establish the brand in West and Central Africa
• Organise and attend strategic sector events in order to build a strong business development network 
• Build a network of key stakeholders in sectors of interest in order to onboard strategic partnerships 

Leadership

• Lead the business development team to achieve set KPIs
• Lead Generation: Data mine and qualify suitable partners, provide summaries of their businesses and any required business information with focus on B2B sales
• Pipeline Management: Maintain active database of qualified leads and onboard partners seamlessly
• Prospect Meeting: Regularly have physical & virtual meetings with prospects for training,

product demo and onboarding across West and Central Africa region

• Industry Updates: Stay abreast of industry trends, opportunities, and ongoing tenders in West Africa
• Proposals: Create effective client proposals and manage tender applications as required

You might be a strong candidate if you:

• hold a degree or diploma in a business-related field or have a minimum of 5 years working in a business development or sales role in the FMCG, banking or telecom industries. 
• are passionate about networking and building strong relationships
• are passionate about positively impacting the lives of rural consumers.
• are a strong collaborator with great interpersonal skills to mentor your team to deliver on expectations?
• are comfortable working with PowerPoint and MS Excel 

What we offer (in addition to compensation and statutory benefits):

• An opportunity to grow as a professional in a dynamic, fast growing, high impact industry. 
• The chance to work in an open minded, collaborative culture surrounded by enthusiastic Greenlighters who are driven by the challenge of continuously innovating and growing a smart, sustainable business with profound impact on the world. 
• A truly multicultural experience: you will have the chance to work with and learn from people from different geographies, nationalities, and backgrounds. 
• Structured, tailored learning and development programs that help you become a better leader, manager, and professional through the Greenlight Academy.

We place great importance on sustaining a diverse, inclusive work environment.  

We believe that diversity (of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, personality type, perspective, and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different) enriches innovation and our competitiveness in the market. 

We strive to ensure diverse perspectives inform critical decisions, and we actively work towards ensuring all Greenlighters feel like they belong.  We also know that sustaining an inclusive workplace requires conscious effort and is a continuous journey, not an end-state.

Greenlight recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes individuals based on experiences and demonstrated job performance, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, HIV/AIDS status, disability, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

What to expect from us, after you submit your application:

The first step is to apply for the job opening through Greenlight’s career website or by emailing your resume to one of our HR representatives.  You can expect an email response within three weeks regarding the status of your application.  If you are shortlisted for consideration, we’ll set up a conversion with you to learn more about your interests and background, share more about the job requirements and Greenlight Planet, and to answer any initial questions you may have.