Senior Business Development Executive

Principa; Wes-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in financial consulting seeks a Senior Business Development Executive to drive growth across South Africa and the broader African market. The role involves identifying new opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and expanding the client base. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in business development, particularly in credit risk analytics, and a strong ability to engage with C-level stakeholders. This position offers flexibility with a hybrid work model and focuses on impactful decision-making.

Benefits

Work on Challenging Problems

Continuous Learning & Development

Remote Work

Great Leadership

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 – 12 years in business development or sales roles.
• Ability to analyse complex data and translate insights into actionable strategies.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within credit analytics.
• Craft proposals and close deals to meet/exceed sales targets.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Analytical Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business

Bachelor's degree in finance

Bachelor's degree in technology

Job description

ABOUT PRINCIPA:

At Principa we focus on reducing risk and improving profitability by streamlining processes, increasing efficiency, and automating data-driven decision making across the customer lifecycle.

We have overtwenty-five years of data and analytics consulting experience and our Just Cause is to open doors and enable access to financial services that foster economic empowerment and opportunity for all.

What We Do:

• Consulting and Analytics: We provide actionable insights that drive smarter decisions across credit risk management, customer analytics, and portfolio optimisation. We leverage over 20 years of expertise to help businesses enhance credit decisioning, mitigate risk, and improve customer acquisition and retention strategies.
• Data and Decisioning Solutions: We focus on transforming raw data into meaningful information to enable better decisions. Whether through ADMiT — our innovative risk scoring tool for thin-file clients — or through our advanced lead generation services, we empower businesses to reach new markets and make smarter, more impactful choices.
• Technology Solutions: Our decisioning and collections recovery technology solutions offer business rule management across the entire customer lifecycle, specialist collections strategies, and tactical actions that improve collections efficiency.

At Principa, you will have the opportunity to be part of something bigger, part of a groundswell of financial inclusion that will change the face of the world. You will have the opportunity to make a real and lasting difference.

We understand that the value we deliver to our clients and customers depends on our People. Our people are at the heart of everything we do — it all starts with them, and it’s because of them. Here, you will never be just a number, you will be recognised for who you are and the value you bring.

Benefits

• Work on Challenging Problems: Work alongside some of the brightest minds in credit consulting, solving key business challenges.
• Continuous Learning & Development: Our people are encouraged to have a structured learning plan encompassing coaching, mentoring, and formal learning, enabling personal, professional, and team mastery.
• Remote Work: Our remote-first approach gives our people flexibility in their work model. We also host quarterly in-person Huddles to foster culture and connectedness.
• Great Leadership: Our leaders benefit from specialised training interventions focused on building empathetic leadership capabilities.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Senior Business Development Executive to spearhead the growth of Principa. This role involves identifying new business opportunities, cultivating strategic partnerships, and expanding our client base across South Africa and the broader African market. The ideal candidate will possess a good understanding of credit risk analytics and a proven track record in consultative sales.

This individual is motivated by the challenges and excitement of growing a business through creative thinking and collaboration, and above all has a strong drive to support client priorities by matching them with robust and viable solutions. The successful candidate will consistently be sourcing, solutioning and closing net-new logos to the highest level of client satisfaction. Key components of the role will include:

• Establishing professional and consultative relationships with client stakeholders including C-level where applicable, across a range of mid-sized and large accounts by developing a core understanding of their unique business drivers and matching them with solutions that align to the clients’ goals
• Crafting proposals and closing deals that result in consistently meeting/exceeding sales targets

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Market Expansion: Identify and pursue new business opportunities within the credit analytics domain, focusing on sectors such as banking, retail and telecommunications.
• Account Planning: Define clear plans to convert prospects to closed won opportunities. Identify and reach decision makers and key influencers and can persuade them to take-action by leaning on best-practice sales methodologies.
• Client Engagement: Establishing professional and consultative relationships with client stakeholders including C-level where applicable, across a range of mid-sized and large accounts by developing a core understanding of their unique business drivers and matching them with solutions that align to the clients’ goals.
• Strategic Partnerships: Develop and nurture partnerships that enhance our service offerings and market reach.
• Proposal Development: Prepare and deliver compelling proposals and presentations that address client needs and showcase our value proposition.
• Solutioning: Collaborating cross-functionally with relevant teams across the business to create and refine strategies, processes, and policies that drive organisational growth.
• Industry Knowledge: Constantly refresh insight, knowledge and understanding of the industry and competitors.
• Presentation and Proposal Building: Professionally and effectively communicate Principa’s solutions to new prospects through presentations, written proposals, RFP responses and regular business correspondence.
• Pipeline Management: Follow the sales processes/procedures including creating and maintaining a monthly/quarterly sales forecast and excellent CRM hygiene.
• Commercial and Pricing: Drive out Principa commercial objectives, with a focus on margin improvement and implementation of fixed contract and variable reward models.
• Negotiation: Close large deals and facilitate the end to end negotiation process with clients buyers and procurement departments.
• Innovation: Surface ideas for the business from client problems, opportunities and needs and collaborate with business unit leaders to ensure that they drive growth in products and services.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or technology.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 – 12 years in business development or sales roles within the financial services or consulting industry
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills. Ability to analyse complex data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Deep understanding of credit risk management practices and regulatory frameworks in South Africa and the African continent is preferable.
• Established connections within the financial services sector.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and adapt to changing market conditions.
• Ability to operate up to a C-Level within our prospects & clients
• Familiarity with established sales methodologies such as MEDDIC or Value Selling preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS:

• Outstanding commercial sales acumen derived from previous experience in a sales or consulting role, preferably within the data and analytics space.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to derive actionable insights from data and work with commercials
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and have a demonstrated desire to grow and achieve personal and work goals.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within a cross-functional, geographically dispersed team.
• Proven ability to work autonomously in a remote / hybrid environment.
• Exceptional organisational, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging to suit differing personas and business priorities.
• Leadership qualities and a deep desire to nurture those skills and competencies.
• Negotiation skills across product, xAAS and services domains.

OTHER:

• The position is hybrid and with teams mostly working remotely. But we prioritise in person time for collaboration and will require travel to client sites in South Africa and possibly abroad.

Should you work from home, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have uninterrupted internet connectivity and a ‘work-like’ environment at your home location to deliver your best in terms of performance and productivity.