Business Development Manager – Institutional Partnerships & Agricultural Finance

Overview

We are recruiting!

Our client in the agriculture industry is seeking a results-driven Business Development Manager to lead growth of their agribusiness inputs distribution business (seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, farm equipment, and related agri-inputs) through partnerships with NGOs, development agencies, and donor-funded programs across Kenya and the wider African region. This role carries direct, personal accountability for achieving assigned sales and revenue targets. The Business Development Manager is measured on actual revenue closed and delivered — not activity alone — and is expected to own the full cycle from lead generation through contract signing to order fulfilment and payment collection. The ideal candidate combines strong commercial acumen with a solid understanding of NGO and donor procurement and is comfortable being held to quota against a defined revenue plan.

For more information and how to apply, please follow the link below:

Responsibilities

• Revenue & Target Accountability
  • Own and deliver an annual/quarterly revenue target for the NGO and donor-funded projects segment
  • Take full accountability for the sales pipeline value, conversion rate, and actual revenue booked against target
  • Ensure orders won are converted into delivered, invoiced, and collected revenue — not just signed contracts
  • Provide early warning to management on any revenue shortfall risk, with a corrective action plan
  • Balance new business acquisition with revenue retention/growth from existing NGO/institutional accounts
• Business Development & Partnerships
  • Identify, pursue, and secure business opportunities with NGOs, UN agencies, government-funded programs, and donor-funded agricultural projects
  • Build and maintain a strong, qualified pipeline sufficient to consistently meet or exceed revenue targets
  • Develop and nurture relationships with key decision-makers: program directors, procurement leads, agricultural officers, and consortium partners
• Tender & Proposal Management
  • Track and respond to tenders, RFPs, RFQs, and EOIs from NGOs and donor-funded projects
  • Coordinate cross-functional input (pricing, logistics, technical specs) to prepare competitive, compliant, and profitable bids
  • Ensure compliance with donor procurement rules (e.g., USAID, EU, FCDO regulations, source/origin rules)
  • Own bid win-rate as a performance metric
• Account & Contract Management
  • Manage relationships with existing NGO/institutional clients to ensure repeat business, upsell, and contract renewals
  • Coordinate with supply chain/logistics teams to ensure on-time delivery that meets donor timelines — delivery delays that jeopardize revenue recognition are a direct accountability of this role
  • Ensure after-sales support, farmer training coordination, and last-mile delivery align with program expectations and protect future revenue
  • Monitor accounts receivable related to own sales and support timely collections
• Market & Sector Intelligence
  • Monitor donor funding announcements, agricultural project pipelines, and NGO activity across target markets to build a credible, target-supporting pipeline
  • Map key players: implementing partners, consortiums, and government input-subsidy programs
  • Provide market intelligence and competitor analysis to inform pricing and strategy
• Strategic Growth
  • Co-develop annual revenue targets and go-to-market strategy for the NGO/institutional segment with management
  • Represent the company at agricultural sector events, donor forums, and industry conferences to build the pipeline
  • Explore new country market entry opportunities within Africa where funded agri-programs are active
• Reporting & Forecasting
  • Maintain an accurate, up-to-date CRM with pipeline value, weighted forecasts, and close probabilities
  • Provide regular (weekly/monthly) sales performance reports against target, including variance analysis
  • Deliver an accurate monthly/quarterly revenue forecast to management

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Economics, Marketing, Development Studies, Finance, or a related discipline.
• MBA or Master’s degree is highly desirable.
• Professional qualifications in project management or business development are an added advantage.
• Minimum of 8–10 years’ experience in business development, strategic partnerships, institutional sales, or commercial leadership.
• Demonstrated experience working with NGOs, donor-funded organizations, county governments, or development agencies.
• Strong understanding of Kenya’s agricultural sector and institutional procurement landscape.
• Experience engaging with commercial banks or agricultural financing institutions.
• Proven success in developing strategic partnerships and closing high-value commercial agreements.
• Experience within agribusiness, agricultural technology, irrigation, greenhouse farming, crop protection, seeds, fertilizers, or related industries is highly preferred.

Qualified candidates are welcome to apply. Please be advised that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.