Sales Manager – Alternative Channels

Role Overview

This role owns the growth of the company's alternative distribution network — the partner institutions that reach customers outside the traditional branch and agency model. Day to day, the holder hunts for, negotiates with and onboards organisations such as SACCOs, microfinance institutions, professional associations, affinity groups, aggregators and fintech platforms, then manages those relationships so they keep producing profitable Life, General and Health insurance business. It matters because these channels are how the business reaches large, under-served customer groups at scale, and the person in the seat carries direct accountability for the premium, retention and partner productivity that result.

Key Responsibilities

• Prospect, pitch, negotiate and onboard new distribution partners across microfinance institutions, SACCOs, professional bodies, affinity groups, aggregators, fintechs and corporate organisations for Life, General and Health insurance products.
• Carry the commercial numbers for the assigned portfolio — premium growth, revenue, profitability, retention and cross-sell targets — and build a pipeline strong enough to hit and exceed them.
• Act as the primary relationship owner for assigned partners, engaging executives, board members and association leaders, running regular performance reviews, and resolving service or delivery issues before they damage the partnership.
• Drive direct business through structured staff referral schemes, lead generation campaigns and partner-sourced introductions.
• Pitch and close tailored insurance solutions for individual customers, SME clients and institutional buyers across all three business lines.
• Work alongside Product Development, Underwriting, Claims, Operations and Marketing to shape and launch propositions that fit partner institutions and their customers, and to support adoption of new products across the channels.
• Design and deliver training, coaching and enablement for partner staff and intermediaries, plus customer awareness and financial literacy sessions that lift product uptake.
• Monitor portfolio quality, regulatory compliance and business risk in collaboration with Risk, Compliance and Claims teams, and prepare performance reports, market intelligence and corrective action plans for management.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, insurance, marketing, economics or a related discipline from a recognised institution.
• Five to ten years of experience in business development, sales, relationship or partnership management, or distribution within insurance, banking, financial services, healthcare, fintech, SACCO or MFI environments.
• A demonstrable record of delivering sales growth, meeting revenue targets and managing strategic partnerships end to end.
• Practical experience developing alternative distribution channels — SACCOs, MFIs, professional associations, affinity groups, aggregators, fintechs, corporates or direct sales structures.
• Exposure to Life, General or Health insurance, particularly multi-line distribution, is strongly preferred.
• Professional insurance qualifications such as AIIK, ACII or Dip CII are an added advantage, as are certifications in sales, relationship management, bancassurance or project management.
• Experience with digital distribution, embedded insurance or platform-based, technology-enabled sales models is a plus.
• Strong negotiation and persuasion ability, clear communication and interpersonal skills, comfortable analysing data and market trends, and able to work independently while juggling multiple stakeholders.
• An entrepreneurial instinct for spotting and seizing opportunities, sound judgement on partnership potential and performance, and the emotional intelligence to navigate complex institutional relationships.