Summary

The Merchant Growth & Partnerships Specialist is responsible for growing the company's merchant payment business through merchant acquisition, activation, retention, and development of strategic partnerships. The role will focus not only on registering merchants but also on ensuring that merchants become active, generate transactions, and contribute sustainable revenue to the business.

Responsibilities

A. Merchant Acquisition

• Identify and acquire potential merchants for payment services.
• Develop merchant acquisition plans based on priority sectors and locations.
• Build relationships with supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, fuel stations, schools, hospitals, online businesses, and other merchant categories.
• Maintain a pipeline of prospective merchants.
• Coordinate merchant onboarding with relevant internal teams.
• Ensure merchant documentation and requirements are completed.

B. Merchant Activation

• Ensure newly acquired merchants become active transaction users.
• Monitor transaction performance after merchant onboarding.
• Identify inactive or low-performing merchants.
• Develop activation initiatives to improve merchant usage.
• Coordinate merchant training and product awareness.
• Follow up on operational issues affecting merchant activity.

C. Merchant Retention

• Maintain relationships with strategic and high-value merchants.
• Understand merchant concerns and business requirements.
• Coordinate resolution of service issues.
• Develop engagement programmes to increase retention.
• Monitor merchant inactivity and churn.
• Recommend retention actions for important merchant accounts.

D. Merchant Transaction Growth

• Develop initiatives to increase merchant transaction frequency and value.
• Identify high-potential merchant segments.
• Support merchant campaigns and promotional programmes.
• Monitor merchant performance by category and location.
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling company services.
• Recommend commercial actions to improve merchant revenue contribution.

E. Strategic Partnerships

• Identify partnership opportunities that can increase product and service usage.
• Engage potential corporate and commercial partners.
• Prepare partnership proposals and business cases.
• Support commercial negotiations.
• Coordinate implementation of approved partnerships.
• Maintain relationships with key partners.
• Monitor partner performance against agreed KPIs.

F. Key Account Management

• Manage assigned strategic merchant and partner accounts.
• Maintain regular engagement with key accounts.
• Understand partner business needs and identify growth opportunities.
• Coordinate internal support required by strategic partners.
• Track agreed commercial deliverables.

G. Merchant Pricing & Commercial Propositions

• Support development and review of merchant pricing.
• Analyse commercial impact of merchant incentives and promotions.
• Recommend competitive propositions based on market conditions.
• Monitor competitor merchant payment offerings.
• Support development of proposals for strategic merchants.

H. Merchant Performance Monitoring

• Track registered merchants, active merchants, merchant transactions, transaction value, merchant revenue, inactive merchants, and retention rate.
• Prepare merchant performance reports.
• Identify areas requiring management intervention.

I. Merchant Market Intelligence

• Monitor competitor merchant offerings.
• Collect feedback from merchants.
• Identify new merchant payment trends.
• Recommend product and service improvements.
• Share market insights with Product and Marketing teams.

J. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work with Technical teams on merchant integrations.
• Coordinate with Product Development on merchant product enhancements.
• Work with Marketing on merchant campaigns.
• Coordinate with Finance on settlement and reconciliation issues.
• Work with Customer Experience on merchant service issues.
• Liaise with Legal and Compliance on merchant agreements and requirements.

3. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

• Number of new merchants acquired.
• Merchant activation rate.
• Number of active merchants.
• Merchant transaction growth.
• Merchant transaction value growth.
• Merchant revenue growth.
• Merchant retention rate.
• Reduction in inactive merchants.
• Number of strategic partnerships implemented.
• Revenue generated from partnerships.
• Percentage of merchant issues resolved within agreed timelines.

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, Economics, Finance, or a related field.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3–5 years of relevant experience in merchant acquisition, sales, partnerships, business development, or account management.
• Experience in mobile money, fintech, banking, payments, or telecommunications is highly desirable.
• Experience managing corporate or merchant accounts will be an added advantage.

Characteristics

• Commercial orientation.
• Results focus.
• Strong negotiation.
• Relationship building.
• Customer focus.
• Accountability.
• Initiative.
• Problem-solving.
• Communication.
• Strong follow-up.
• Teamwork.

Reporting To

Head of Growth & Business Development