Senior Business and Partnership Manager

Learn About Farmerline

Field

Details

Job Title

Senior - Business & Partnership Manager

Department and Location

Corporate Services

Incumbent Supervisor

CEO Office

Role Overview

The overall purpose of Senior - Business & Partnership Manager is to meet and exceed sales targets and business goals by bringing Farmerline’s tools and services to clients and partners around the world. The role involves building a deep understanding of Farmerline’s technologies, products, services, and potential tools, translating these to fit the needs of a wide range of organizations (including but not limited to Local Agribusinesses, Global Traders and Manufactures, Food Brands, Cooperatives/ Farmer groups, NGOs, Donors, Government institutions) working to improve the livelihoods of farmers and help create lasting profit for farmers everywhere. You will be evaluated based on partnerships initiated and managed successfully and sales closed. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and a team player, has strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills and a deep understanding and network of the global commodity supply chain, agricultural digitalization and business intelligence and insight services.

Responsibilities

Business Development & Revenue Generation

• Provide general support to Farmerline ’s business development processes by participating on concept notes and proposals and business development marketing materials: management plans, corporate capability statements;
• Stay abreast with key market trends and intelligence with the ability to seek new business opportunities and formulate sales strategies to capitalize on growing the business
• Establish and develop relationships with key contacts in potential organizations to foster partnerships and business development opportunities.
• Understand the needs of your customers and be able to respond effectively with a plan of how to meet these needs
• Consultative sales and account management of new and existing partner base 

Prospecting

• Generate sales leads, actively engage and manage a growing pipeline of potential partners (Local agribusinesses, Global Traders and Manufactures, Cooperatives/ Farmer groups, NGOs, Government institutions),  prioritize and build strategic relationships with them based on needs and alignment to Farmerline’s mission and business goals.
• Assess and convert leads with sales potentials from the Marketing and Communications team 
• Grow Farmerline’s market share across Africa in the digitalization of commodities sector, prospecting, cold calling, and networking within the global commodity trading/ sourcing, agricultural and nutrition security, and other relevant sectors with a primary focus on countries in Africa and globally.
• Prepare proposals and conduct professional presentations to prospective and existing customers and partners

Research/Forecast

• Research and identify new business opportunities - including new markets, growth areas, trends, customers, partnerships, products and services - or new ways of reaching existing markets
• Carry out sales forecasts and analysis and present your findings to senior management/the board of directors
• Research and attend relevant seminars, conferences and events to expand network and boost sales potential

Negotiation

• Leverage knowledge, experience and network in local and global market space to negotiate prices and secure deals from local and international businesses.

Others

• Become fully conversant on Corporate and Farmer Services operations, historical and current, and be able to support, advise and recommend to team and partners best approach for collaboration in order to achieve sales target and business goals

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Agriculture, International Development, Economics, Marketing, Finance, or a related field.
   
• Minimum of 5 years of proven experience in business development, strategic partnerships, client relationship management, and revenue generation, preferably in agriculture, agritech, commodities, financial inclusion, or development-related sectors.
   
• Strong track record in building and managing high-value partnerships across agribusiness, financial institutions, NGOs, commodity ecosystems, and public or private sector stakeholders.
   
• Demonstrated ability to establish, grow, and maintain effective working relationships with business leaders, ecosystem actors, customers, and internal teams across multiple markets.
   
• Strong professional network relevant to Farmerline’s focus areas, especially in agriculture, cocoa, coffee, financial services, NGOs, and ecosystem partnerships. Candidates should be assessed not only on who they know, but also on how relevant, active, and usable those networks are for generating partnerships and revenue.
   
• Good working knowledge of the cocoa and coffee sectors across Africa, including crop calendars, value chain structures, key actors, commercial cycles, and regional market dynamics.
   
• Strong understanding of sustainability and compliance topics relevant to agricultural value chains, including child labour risks, premium payment structures, deforestation issues, and EUDR-related requirements. Candidates should be able to connect these issues to commercial opportunities and client needs.
   
• Good understanding of financial inclusion models in agriculture, including farmer profiling, KYC, digital payments, credit enablement, partnerships with financial institutions, and data-driven services that support farmer and SME financing.
   
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities, deadlines, and stakeholder relationships simultaneously.
   
• Excellent writing, presentation, and communication skills in English, including strong proposal development, concept note drafting, commercial writing, and budget preparation skills.
   
• Proven experience in client prospecting, opportunity shaping, negotiation, closing, and account growth, with a consistent ability to meet or exceed business development targets.
   
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly, absorb new sector or product knowledge, and apply learning effectively in live business situations. This should be assessed through practical case discussions, role plays, or scenario-based exercises rather than relying only on interview answers.
   
• Strong adaptability and ability to work in fast-changing environments, including taking initiative, responding to ambiguity, and translating strategy into execution.
   
• Advanced proficiency in productivity tools and sales systems, including CRM platforms such as Pipedrive, as well as strong digital working habits.