Vice President, Specialist Sales, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) - Africa

Position Overview

• We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Vice President to lead our Specialist Sales Team across Africa. This senior leader will be responsible for driving our sales strategy in a complex and evolving payments landscape, focusing on delivering innovative payment solutions to fintechs and large issuing banks specifically for their Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) customer base. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in Mastercard's growth strategy, leveraging deep industry knowledge to create differentiated value propositions that address client pain points and drive adoption of Mastercard solutions within the SME sector.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute comprehensive regional sales strategies aligned with Mastercard's Africa business objectives
• Lead a high-performing team of 4+ sales professionals, providing coaching, mentoring and performance management
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify market opportunities and drive revenue growth
• Establish and maintain strong executive-level relationships with key clients and partners
• Represent Mastercard at industry events and speak authoritatively on payment trends and innovations

Client Solutions

• Understand the complex needs and pain points of fintechs and large issuing banks across diverse Africa, specifically as they relate to their SME customer base
• Create differentiated value propositions that address client challenges in serving SME customers and deliver measurable business outcomes
• Oversee the development of strategic account plans for key clients, ensuring alignment with their SME business priorities
• Drive adoption of Mastercard's innovative payment solutions for SME customers across Africa
• Develop and articulate compelling business cases to prospective clients that showcase the value of Mastercard solutions for their SME offerings
• Expertise in SFDC management

Team Development

• Build and maintain a high-performance sales culture focused on client outcomes and revenue growth
• Recruit, develop and retain top sales talent across Africa
• Implement rigorous sales methodologies and best practices aligned with the Sales Transformation programme
• Lead by example, demonstrating exceptional sales skills and client relationship management
• Regularly review team performance against targets and implement improvement plans where needed

Market Intelligence

• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the African payments landscape, including regulatory developments, competitive threats and emerging technologies affecting the SME sector
• Monitor and analyze SME banking and payment trends across Africa
• Identify opportunities for Mastercard to add value within the SME ecosystem through partnerships with accounting software providers (Zoho, etc.)
• Monitor competitive activity in the SME payment space and develop effective counter-strategies
• Collaborate with product teams to ensure solutions address evolving SME market needs
• Provide regular market intelligence updates to senior leadership on SME payment trends and opportunities

Required Qualifications
Experience & Skills

• Extensive experience in financial services or payments technology, with strong team management and leadership qualities.
• Proven track record of consistently exceeding sales targets and driving business growth in complex B2B environments
• Understanding of the African payments landscape, card issuing, and acquiring businesses with a focus on SME solutions
• Experience working with or selling to SME-focused financial service providers, including banks, fintechs, and accounting software companies
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to create compelling value propositions for sophisticated clients targeting SME customers
• Experience selling to C-level executives at financial institutions, fintechs, and multinational corporations
• Demonstrated understanding of the SME market in multiple African countries and their specific financial needs
• Exceptional leadership skills with demonstrated ability to motivate and develop high-performing teams
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and generate actionable insights
• Experience developing and implementing successful sales strategies in competitive markets

Languages

• Fluent in English (written and verbal)
• Proficiency in at least one additional language is required

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate market changes and identify growth opportunities
• Results-oriented with a strong focus on exceeding targets and delivering business outcomes
• Client-centric approach with exceptional relationship-building capabilities
• Collaborative leader who can work effectively across organizational boundaries
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly
• Resilient and adaptable in a rapidly changing industry landscape
• High level of integrity and professional ethics

Travel Requirements

• Willingness to travel up to 40% of the time across Africa