Country Manager/Lead

Are you looking for a new business development leadership opportunity with a high degree of responsibility within a fast-growing start-up?
Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the developing world?

If you answered yes to the above, then the Country Manager/Lead position at Upya may be a good fit for you. This is a permanent role based in London.

Why Upya?

Upya is a fast-growing fintech company with the objective to *accelerate the electrification of the developing world *

• Over 600M people are currently without electricity in Africa, and one of the key challenges is how to "de-risk" energy projects to meet the growing need for funding
• Upya’s client management (CRM) software suite of products helps to address this challenge for last mile distributors in emerging markets
• Our innovative and cost-effective software improves our distributor clients operations and helps them to scale sustainably Focus on emerging markets: We work with companies in Africa and our technology helps to reduce the cost of energy for bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) populations in sub-Saharan Africa, giving them access to cheaper, safer and greener electricity. Help to fight climate change: We are passionate about effecting positive change for society and we work closely with companies who champion renewable energy technologies and a clean, green and more sustainable future for all

What does the role involve?
We are looking for a Country Manager/Lead to operate as part of our leadership team in London.
The individual will be responsible for driving growth across one or more of our existing markets in East Africa, with primary emphasis on the Kenyan market. Key responsibilities for the country/countries under management will be to manage and grow existing clients and drive sales to new clients.
The Country Manager will be expected to become an expert on their specific market(s) across the entire last mile distribution value chain to add strategic decision-making value to our client base.
This is an opportunity for someone to take leadership and control of key market(s) and the entire sales development cycle, assessing and targeting potential customers, cross-selling to existing customers and putting Upya business structures in place to build relationships across the last mile eco-system.
The individual will think strategically, analytically, and creatively to analyse and develop the existing growth plan and drive implementation of the plan in their market(s) with support of the rest of the growth team.
Ideally, the candidate will have strong experience of working with clients in emerging markets, and experience working with CRM software tools and databases would be desirable. Technical agility to adapt between different disciplines is a requirement as well as being able to learn quickly and being comfortable working with new technology.

What do I need?
The ideal candidate will be passionate about having an impact in the developing world with the following skills and experience:

• 3+ years of demonstrable experience in business development/B2B SaaS/start-up/consulting or analyst type roles
• Previous experience in top-tier consulting preferred
• BA/BS in business, engineering, or related field (1st Hons preferred)
  
• Strategic planning experience to develop and implement brand strategies to promote awareness and usage of our products and services
• Ability to find solutions and deliver under pressure
• Humility and eagerness to learn and grow
• Ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise accordingly and meet deadlines
• Good IT literacy (MS Office, CRM and database tools) Ability to work in the EU

What do we offer you?
We offer a salary of £40-50k where you will have the benefit of flexible working hours and the opportunity to work within a dynamic team. In addition, you’ll get a unique insight into the fast-developing off-grid energy market in Sub-Saharan Africa, on projects with a tangible impact.

We are a close-knit team that is committed to building a sustainable and impactful business at Upya. We want to provide a platform for our team members to work on areas that they are passionate about including travel to and work from developing markets.
Our culture is open and collaborative, encouraging critical feedback and learning.

How do I apply?
If you would like to be considered for this opportunity, please write to us at [email protected]. Please include your CV and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role and why you would be a good fit for the team.