Business Development Manager - Google Cloud

Role Overview

This position owns Google Cloud's growth agenda across the Rest of Africa, working with customers, partners and internal teams to open up markets where cloud adoption is still maturing. Day to day, you will be in front of prospects and partners, translating their business problems into cloud-led solutions, while also feeding what you learn back into the regional strategy. The role matters because it is the bridge between untapped demand in African markets and the technical, marketing and sales resources that can convert it into long-term revenue.

Key Responsibilities

• Map the competitive and customer landscape across target African markets, tracking shifting buying behaviour, regulatory pressures and where rival cloud providers are gaining ground.
• Source and qualify new business opportunities, moving early-stage conversations into a structured pipeline that sales teams can act on.
• Cultivate relationships with partners, resellers, industry bodies and influential decision-makers who can extend Google Cloud's reach into new segments and territories.
• Deliver product demonstrations and value-led presentations that connect Google Cloud capabilities to a client's specific commercial and technical objectives.
• Work alongside solution architects, engineers and bid teams to shape proposals and proof-of-concept designs tailored to each account.
• Equip regional sales teams with market intelligence, competitive insight and enablement materials that sharpen their pitch and shorten deal cycles.
• Maintain disciplined pipeline hygiene, keeping forecasts, activity records and business cases accurate and current for regional leadership.
• Represent Google Cloud at industry events, workshops and partner forums to build visibility and generate qualified leads.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, information technology, or a related discipline; a postgraduate qualification or cloud-focused certification is advantageous.
• At least three years in business development or sales within cloud solutions, plus a further three years or more working hands-on with Google Cloud or a comparable cloud platform.
• Solid grasp of cloud computing concepts and the Google Cloud product portfolio, with the ability to explain technical trade-offs in plain commercial language.
• Proven commercial judgement — you can size a market, assess an opportunity and build a defensible business case without hand-holding.
• Familiarity with partner ecosystems, channel sales models and co-selling motions.
• Confident communicator and presenter, comfortable in front of both C-level audiences and technical stakeholders.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills, including the patience to develop long-cycle enterprise and public-sector deals.
• Strategic thinker with a practical problem-solving instinct and the self-direction to operate across multiple countries and time zones.
• Google Cloud Foundational or Associate-level certification is expected, or a clear commitment to obtaining it early in the role.

What Success Looks Like

• Growth: A steady flow of newly qualified opportunities, measurable revenue from new accounts, and demonstrable entry into markets or segments the business had not previously reached.
• Partnerships: New strategic alliances formed, plus joint initiatives and co-marketing activity that produce tangible pipeline.
• Market intelligence: Research and competitive analysis that regional leadership actually uses to refine positioning and prioritise investment.
• Client engagement: A consistent cadence of meetings, presentations and workshops, reflected in positive client feedback.
• Reporting: Prompt, accurate pipeline reporting and well-constructed proposals and business cases that stand up to scrutiny.