Business Development Director (Fiat Rails)

Black Pen Recruitment; Cape Town; Remote; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Pen Recruitment is seeking a Business Development Director for a global fintech company expanding in Africa. The role focuses on growing fiat rails, strengthening banking and PSP partnerships, and expanding access to fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services.

You will lead regional business development, onboard partners, negotiate agreements and manage key relationships, with a hands-on approach and a track record in fintech partnerships across Africa.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years experience in business development in fintech/payments.
• Experience sourcing and onboarding banking and payment partnerships in African markets.
• Extensive PSP experience including negotiations and onboarding.
• Proven team leadership and performance management.
• Hands-on prospecting, negotiations and deal closing.
• Strong knowledge of fiat payment rails and cross-border payments.
• Data-driven with ability to translate metrics into action.
• Excellent English communication for international partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop regional B2B strategy for fiat rails across Africa.
• Identify and engage banks, PSPs, and partners.
• Lead negotiations and onboard partners.
• Manage term sheets and partner performance.
• Coach regional B2B team and set targets.
• Collaborate with operations, product, compliance.
• Monitor market trends and inform strategy.
• Oversee partner onboarding and support.

Skills

Banking partnerships

PSP onboarding

Negotiation

Leadership

Team management

Cross-border payments

Fintech payments

Crypto interest

Data-driven

English fluency

Job description

Our client is a global financial technology company operating across multiple international markets. As part of its continued expansion in Africa, the business is seeking a Business Development Director to grow its regional fiat business, strengthen banking and payment partnerships, and expand access to fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services.

Role Overview

This role combines commercial leadership, team management and hands-on execution. The successful candidate will lead regional business development activities while actively identifying partners, negotiating agreements, onboarding payment channels and managing key relationships.The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience working with banks and payment service providers (PSPs), a strong understanding of the African payments landscape, and a passion for crypto and digital assets.

Job Type: Permanent/Full Time

Workplace: Remote

Location: SA

Requirements

• 10-15 years of experience in business development, sales or strategic partnerships within financial services, fintech, payments or digital assets.
• Strong experience sourcing, negotiating and onboarding banking and payment partnerships across African markets.
• Extensive experience working with payment service providers (PSPs), including commercial negotiations, onboarding, payment channel development and ongoing relationship management.
• Proven experience leading and managing a business development or sales team, including setting targets, coaching team members and driving performance.
• A hands-on approach, with the ability to personally prospect, negotiate, close deals and resolve operational challenges while managing a team.
• Strong understanding of fiat payment rails, local payment methods, cross-border payments and fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute regional commercial strategies and deliver measurable growth.
• Strong commercial judgment and negotiation skills.
• A data-driven approach, with the ability to interpret sales, marketing and operational metrics and translate insights into action.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with operations, product, compliance and other internal teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills, accountability and a focus on results.
• Strong interest in crypto and digital assets; experience within crypto or Web3 businesses would be an advantage.
• Fluency in English, with strong communication skills for working with international partners, stakeholders and customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the regional business development strategy for fiat rails across Africa.
• Proactively identify and engage banks, PSPs and other local and global payment partners.
• Lead commercial negotiations and onboard partners that expand payment coverage and improve fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services.
• Own and grow relationships with banking and payment partners, managing commercial terms, performance and ongoing collaboration.
• Lead, coach and manage the regional business development team, setting clear targets and maintaining accountability for results.
• Remain actively involved in prospecting, partner meetings, negotiations, onboarding and resolving key commercial or operational issues.
• Take ownership of regional fiat business performance, including partner development, payment channel growth and user acquisition.
• Work closely with operations, product, engineering and compliance teams to support partner integrations and reliable payment services.
• Oversee regional fiat operations and partner performance to ensure a consistent, efficient and high-quality customer experience.
• Coordinate regulatory and licensing matters with relevant internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Lead local business development and growth initiatives to increase adoption of fiat services.
• Build relationships within local fintech, payments and digital asset communities.
• Monitor market developments, competitor activity and customer needs to inform product, marketing and operational strategies.
• Track and report on commercial and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve conversion, payment success rates and regional growth.