Business Development Manager – Youth Banking

About the role

Equity Bank Kenya Limited is looking for a Business Development Manager to lead the development and management of strategic partnerships that expand the Bank's reach in the youth market. The role builds a youth ecosystem across educational institutions, employers, technology hubs, creative industries and other partners, turning these relationships into customer acquisition, digital banking adoption and sustainable growth, while driving 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 and commercial priorities.
• Turn partnerships into business opportunities through customer acquisition, deposit mobilisation, digital onboarding, lending and revenue generation.
• Drive digital banking solutions through campus onboarding, embedded finance and wallet-as-a-service partnerships.
• Lead campus banking, student acquisition campaigns, back-to-school programmes, internship engagement 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 performance frameworks to measure customer acquisition, onboarding conversion, active usage, deposits, revenue and return on partnership investment.

Required profile

• 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.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, Business Management, Finance, Commerce or a related field; a Master's degree is a nice-to-have.
• Relevant professional qualification in banking or financial services; membership in a recognised professional body is a nice-to-have.

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.
• Knowledge of the youth, education, creative and gig economies.