Business Development Manager - Kontak Recruitment

A South African SME funding provider is seeking a commercially minded Business Development Consultant to drive growth beyond its existing online channel. The role will build and own new acquisition partnerships, expand the affiliate and lead-provider network, and strengthen the organisation’s market presence through direct relationships, events and community engagement across South Africa. The position requires a visible, relationship-led and entrepreneurial professional who can create a partner book from the ground up. Business kilometres travelled will be reimbursed, a cellphone allowance is provided, and the successful candidate will qualify for commission upon reaching specified KPIs.

Minimum Requirements:
An NQF Level 7 Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Communication or a similar field is preferred.
3–5+ years of business development and sales experience, including at least three years in lending, banking or the broader financial services industry.
Proven experience independently building and owning a client or partner book, rather than solely managing an inherited portfolio.
Valid driver’s licence and own vehicle are essential, as this is a road- and event-based role.
Solid credit and lending experience involving SMEs and/or business clients.
Strong conceptual skills and the ability to integrate business development and sales activities with operational priorities.
Ability to secure support and buy-in from internal stakeholders.
Confident public-speaking and presentation abilities.
Comfortable representing the organisation at public forums, on stage and during one-on-one engagements.
An established presence in relevant business communities and a willingness to remain visible on the road, at events and in the market.
Working knowledge of CRM systems and disciplined pipeline management.
Strong commercial orientation, sound business acumen and a thorough understanding of the competitive lending landscape.
Resilient and target-driven, with the ability to maintain momentum within a high-decline-rate credit environment.
Adaptable and able to prioritise deliverables according to the most valuable and simplest solution.
Proactive track record of identifying and initiating sales and marketing opportunities.
Experience in customer success or another relationship-led service environment, such as financial services or insurance, is advantageous.
Genuinely entrepreneurial and motivated by building a business book and market presence from the ground up.
Strong entrepreneurial and commercial thinking, research, influencing, presentation, communication and interpersonal abilities.
Ability to become fully operational within approximately two weeks and work confidently within a single-product, conservative credit model in which approximately one in five applications is approved.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Own and develop relationships with lead providers and manage the relevant service level agreements.
Build and take full accountability for an independent pipeline of partners and referral sources.
Drive the acquisition of new SME customers and lead generation from first contact through to conversion.
Acquire and develop new lead-provider partnerships to expand the affiliate network and generate quality SME funding opportunities.
Represent the organisation at public forums, networking events, industry gatherings and community platforms.
Maintain a genuine and visible presence within the market beyond online channels.
Identify and engage potential partners, merchants, networks, banks and online lending platforms to grow the client base.
Manage, maintain and grow new and existing marketing and referral channels.
Deliver consistent, high-quality support to referral and business partners.
Track and manage partner relationships through disciplined CRM use.
Drive the development of new and existing channels to sustain business growth.
Work with lead-generation and acquisition agencies to deliver SME customer growth and engagement in line with agreed targets.
Maintain a client-centric and relationship-driven approach aligned with a human-first funding philosophy.
Report regularly against departmental objectives and the annual calendar.
Prepare updates, reports and presentations as required.
Provide regular field-based insights into market trends, industry needs and customer preferences.
Use market intelligence to support the development of new and existing accounts.
Propose new channels, strategic directions or products based on market insights.
Monitor competitor activity and take appropriate action to maintain a competitive and differentiated market proposition.
Identify suitable marketing events for the assigned area of responsibility.
Evaluate marketing campaigns in partnership with the Marketing department.
Track trends and apply insights to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing campaigns.
Identify and use appropriate measurement and reporting tools to maximise campaign feedback and results.
Manage business development, sales and marketing campaigns within approved cost, quality and timeline parameters.
Work closely with internal stakeholders, particularly Marketing and Operations.
Build and maintain relationships with prospective and current clients, affiliates, lead providers, and relevant industry and community networks.
Demonstrate accountability, initiative, self-leadership and ownership of results.

Please do not apply using Scanned CVs, no supporting documentation is required at this point, this will be requested later.

Kontak Recruitment Disclaimer:
Equal opportunity: All backgrounds are welcomed, with no bias. All are considered based on requirements.
Job specifics: Requirements mirror advertisement, duties may adjust for client needs.
Fair process: Fair assessment, only shortlisted candidates contacted due to volume.
Privacy: Data processed as per Privacy Policy. By applying, you agree to data handling. We safeguard applicant info.
Candidate verification: Candidates selected by the client are verified. False info may disqualify or end employment via the client.
Offer clarity: Advert is not a binding offer. Written offers based on pre-employment conditions.
No direct link: Advert is not tied to Kontak Recruitment. We assist in the employment process ONLY.
Applicant Responsibility: Upon applying, confirmation of receipt for a specific advert is given. If no confirmation is received, you must verify with Kontak Recruitment.