Head SME Ecosystem & Growth

Boost; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Boost Bank in Kuala Lumpur seeks a Head, SME Ecosystem & Growth to lead the commercial strategy, growth, and end-to-end performance of the SME proposition. You will drive customer acquisition, ecosystem partnerships, deposit growth, payments adoption, and financing conversion for SME customers, and oversee the development of an integrated SME ecosystem.

You will work cross-functionally to accelerate business growth, optimize the customer journey, and deliver sustainable commercial outcomes,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Banking, Finance, Economics, Marketing or related discipline.
• 10+ years of relevant leadership experience in SME/Business Banking, Payments, Fintech or ecosystem partnerships.
• Proven track record in building and scaling commercial growth and customer acquisition programs.
• Strong analytical and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive SME growth strategies to hit acquisition, activation, retention, and revenue targets.
• Identify and manage strategic SME ecosystem partnerships across multiple sectors.
• Lead embedded banking propositions integrating business accounts, payments, and financing.
• Own end-to-end SME customer funnel from lead through disbursement, improving conversion and efficiency.
• Collaborate with Lending, Credit, Risk and Marketing to drive financing growth and campaigns.
• Oversee SME marketing and customer acquisition via digital channels, partnerships and events.
• Champion SME customer experience across onboarding, KYC, activation, and servicing.
• Establish dashboards and reporting to monitor performance and drive strategic actions.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/ Economics/ Marketing

Job description

About the role

The Head, SME Ecosystem & Growth is responsible for leading the commercial strategy, growth, and end-to-end performance of Boost Bank's SME proposition. The role drives customer acquisition, ecosystem partnerships, deposit growth, payments adoption, and financing conversion for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) customers. This position will oversee the development and expansion of a holistic SME ecosystem that integrates Business Accounts, Payments, and Financing solutions, ensuring a seamless customer journey from onboarding through financing disbursement. The incumbent will work cross-functionally to accelerate business growth, optimize customer experience, and deliver sustainable commercial outcomes.

Key responsibilities

1. Drive SME Business Growth

• Develop and execute growth strategies to achieve SME customer acquisition, activation, retention, and revenue targets.

• Own and deliver business performance across:

  • SME account acquisition

  • Active customer growth

  • CASA balances

  • Payments and QR adoption

  • Financing applications and disbursements

  • Customer engagement and revenue generation

• Monitor monthly, quarterly, and annual performance against business objectives.

• Implement corrective actions and growth initiatives to address performance gaps.

2. Build and Expand SME Ecosystem Partnerships

• Identify, develop, and manage strategic partnerships that generate SME and merchant acquisition opportunities.

• Establish collaborations with:

  • Merchant and retail ecosystems

  • E-commerce platforms

  • SME associations and business communities

  • Telecommunications and technology providers

  • POS, accounting, and business management solution providers

  • Government-linked SME initiatives and agencies

  • Supply chain, distributor, and marketplace ecosystems

• Design embedded banking propositions integrating business accounts, payments, and financing solutions.

• Manage the end-to-end partnership lifecycle from sourcing and negotiation to launch and performance optimization.

3. Lead the Embedded Banking Proposition

• Drive growth of the integrated: Business Account + Payments + Financing proposition.

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to maximize customer progression across the ecosystem.

• Develop strategies to convert merchants into banking customers and financing prospects.

• Leverage transaction and ecosystem data to improve customer engagement, product adoption, and financing conversion while ensuring compliance with risk and regulatory requirements.

4. Manage the End-to-End SME Customer Funnel

Own and monitor the complete SME customer journey: Lead → Application → Account Opening → Activation → Payments → Financing Application → Approval → Disbursement

• Lead generation

• Conversion rates

• Application completion rates

• Approval ratios

• Turnaround times

• Customer drop-off points

Work closely with Product, Technology, Operations, Credit, Compliance, and Customer Experience teams to improve customer journeys and operational efficiency.

5. Drive SME Lending Growth and Conversion

• Partner with Lending, Credit, and Risk teams to build and maintain a strong financing pipeline.

• Develop strategies to:

  • Increase financing applications

  • Improve application-to-approval conversion

  • Improve approval-to-disbursement conversion

  • Reduce turnaround times

  • Address financing rejection and drop-off trends

• Launch targeted financing campaigns for existing SME customers and merchants.

• Ensure commercial and customer journey effectiveness while adhering to established credit governance frameworks.

6. Lead SME Marketing and Customer Acquisition

• Collaborate with Marketing to develop and execute SME acquisition and engagement strategies.

• Drive customer acquisition through:

  • Digital marketing channels

  • Partner ecosystems

  • SME communities and associations

  • Referral programs

  • Merchant ecosystems

  • Events and industry engagements

• Ensure marketing investments deliver measurable commercial results and customer value.

7. Champion SME Customer Experience

• Serve as the business owner of the SME customer experience across:

  • Customer onboarding and eKYC/KYB

  • Account opening

  • QR and payment services activation

  • Financing application and documentation

  • Approval and disbursement processes

  • Ongoing account servicing

• Utilize customer insights and operational data to identify improvement opportunities and drive service excellence initiatives.

8. Performance Management and Business Reporting

• Establish and maintain a comprehensive SME business dashboard covering:

  • New SME accounts

  • Active customers

  • CASA balances

  • Merchant activation

  • QR and payment gateway adoption

  • Transaction volumes

  • Financing applications and approvals

  • Loan disbursement

  • Turnaround times

  • Funnel conversion rates

  • Partner performance

  • Customer acquisition cost

  • Revenue and customer lifetime value

• Prepare regular business updates for Management and key stakeholders.

• Recommend actions and strategic initiatives to address performance gaps and improve business outcomes.

About you

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Banking, Finance, Economics, Marketing or a related discipline.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within SME/Business Banking, Merchant Acquiring or Payments, Digital Banking, SME Lending, Fintech, Ecosystem Partnerships, Digital Commerce or Platform Businesses.

• Proven track record in building and scaling commercial businesses, customer acquisition programs, or ecosystem-led growth initiatives.

• Strong understanding of banking products, payments, lending, and SME customer needs.

• Experience managing strategic partnerships and cross-functional initiatives.

• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities.

• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and drive execution across multiple functions.