Business Development Manager – Youth Banking

About the role

Equity Bank is hiring a full-time Business Development Manager for its Youth Banking unit in Nairobi. The role leads the development and management of strategic partnerships that expand the Bank's reach in the youth market, turning relationships with educational institutions, employers, technology hubs and other partners into customer acquisition, digital banking adoption and sustainable growth. It also drives youth financial literacy, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute a youth ecosystem partnership strategy with universities, TVETs, technology hubs, employers, youth organisations, fintechs and development partners.
• Build and manage a portfolio of strategic partnerships aligned with the Bank's youth banking objectives.
• Turn partnerships into business opportunities through customer acquisition, deposit mobilisation, digital onboarding, lending and revenue generation.
• Drive digital banking solutions such as campus onboarding, embedded finance and wallet-as-a-service partnerships.
• Lead campus banking initiatives, student acquisition campaigns, back-to-school programmes, internships and youth events.
• Develop partnerships in the creative, entertainment, sports and gig economy with the Creative Economy Specialist.
• Drive financial literacy, digital learning and entrepreneurship programmes.
• Work with Marketing and Group Communications on youth engagement strategies.
• Structure and manage partnership agreements, MoUs and commercial arrangements with Legal, Risk and Compliance.
• Set up performance frameworks to measure customer acquisition, onboarding conversion, deposits, revenue and return on partnership investments.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Management, Finance, Commerce or a related field.
• Relevant professional qualification in banking or financial services.
• 5 to 8 years in business development, partnerships, institutional banking, fintech or youth and education programmes; exposure to the creative or gig economy is an added advantage.
• Nice to have: Master's degree and membership in a recognised professional body in banking, insurance or financial services.

Required skills

• Strategic partnership development, negotiation and commercial structuring.
• Embedded finance, wallet-as-a-service and digital onboarding models.
• Campaign, programme and event delivery.
• Stakeholder management and influencing without authority.

The application is made through the Corporate Staffing Services portal where the vacancy was advertised.