Business Development Manager/ Specialist – Creative Economy

Equity Bank Limited is a leading financial institution in Kenya, founded in 1984. It operates within the banking and financial services sector, with its headquarters in Nairobi.

The Business Development Manager/Specialist for the Creative Economy at Equity Bank is tasked with spearheading growth and commercial advancement within this sector. This involves translating the bank's strategic objectives into scalable business opportunities, developing distinct financial solutions, and forging strategic partnerships to position Equity Bank as the preferred financial partner for creators, artists, athletes, gig workers, and digital entrepreneurs. The role is crucial for driving customer acquisition, fostering ecosystem development, expanding the portfolio, and generating revenue through strategic alliances, innovative distribution models, digital onboarding, sector-specific propositions, and inclusive financing solutions. It also provides strategic leadership in mobilizing creative communities, broadening market participation, influencing product and credit innovation, and building sustainable commercial ecosystems to strengthen the bank's competitive standing and unlock the economic potential of Africa's creative and gig economy.

1. Develop differentiated youth banking propositions, product bundles, and customer journeys for creators, artists, athletes, and digital entrepreneurs, aligning with the Creative Economy Strategy to achieve measurable customer acquisition, activation, and revenue growth.
2. Identify, secure, and manage strategic partnerships with creator and gig platforms, studios, sports bodies, creative hubs, aggregators, and sector associations, ensuring measurable partnership value, customer referrals, and commercial returns.
3. Drive the activation of Equity Creative Centres and youth clubs through structured programs, showcases, and events, with success measured by community participation, customer acquisition, conversion, and business generation.
4. Scale creator and gig-worker acquisition through aggregators, Wallet-as-a-Service, and embedded payout solutions, collaborating with Digital Banking and Data & Innovation, and measuring success by onboarding volumes, activation rates, and transaction growth.
5. Partner with Credit, Risk, and Data & Innovation to develop financing propositions for creators and gig-income earners, along with alternative credit scoring capabilities, measured by product development milestones, qualified lending pipeline, and financing uptake.
6. Establish effective customer qualification, referral, and handover mechanisms to the Senior Relationship Manager, with performance measured by qualified leads, conversion rates, customer retention, and portfolio growth.
7. Lead sector-focused marketing campaigns and strategic speaking engagements in collaboration with Marketing and Group Communications, measuring success by market reach, customer acquisition, engagement, and campaign return on investment.
8. Drive revenue generation and commercial sustainability across creative economy initiatives, measured by income growth, customer value, transaction volumes, and return on ecosystem investments.
9. Establish commercial agreements, performance targets, and attribution frameworks for strategic partnerships, measured by partnership productivity, customer contribution, revenue generated, and delivery against agreed commitments.
10. Monitor and report on the performance of the Creative Economy portfolio, providing insights on customer acquisition, ecosystem growth, partnership returns, digital adoption, financing opportunities, and commercial impact to guide strategic decisions.

1. Bachelor's Degree.
2. 5 to 8 years of experience in business development, partnerships, or ecosystem building within creative industries, media, sport, fintech, or banking, with banking exposure being an advantage.
3. In-depth knowledge of the creative economy and creator ecosystems, including music, film, fashion, sport, and digital content.
4. Proven ability in proposition and product bundle development tailored for creators and gig workers.
5. Experience with digital creator onboarding, aggregator integration, and embedded payouts.
6. Understanding of creator income patterns and alternative credit assessment methodologies.
7. Proficiency in community building, storytelling, and market positioning.
8. Demonstrated innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leadership skills.
9. Strong partnership development, negotiation, and commercial acumen.
10. Experience with digital onboarding, embedded finance, and API-led models.
11. Capability in program, community, and campaign delivery.
12. Understanding of creator and gig income patterns and their funding needs.