Head of Business Development

**Description**:
**Allied Talent Partners** (ATP) is a marketplace that connects experienced professionals and climate experts, locally and globally, to climate-related projects **in emerging markets and developing economies, with an initial focus on Africa. Our project-based work focuses on climate-related infrastructure (e.g., utility-scale solar & wind), platform businesses (e.g., rooftop solar, e-mobility, energy efficiency), governmental and regulatory bodies, power and water utilities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donor agencies, and consulting firms.

**ATP builds upon a proven model** that has been applied in the US and Europe. These talent marketplaces help a client scope a project, breaking down work into a set of deliverables to be completed in a discrete amount of time. They then connect independent workers to fixed-term projects, representing a new and efficient way to get work done. ATP’s model leverages global trends in the way that work gets done, building more flexibility and autonomy into the market, and channelling people to work on interesting, mission-critical climate and energy projects.

**The talent marketplace is the first phase of our broader ambition to enhance the talent development ecosystem** across emerging markets and developing economies.

ATP is an early-stage, non-profit entity, looking to build and scale our operations and presence across the African continent.

Today, ATP has 7 FTEs based across Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg and the US.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Role Description**:
Allied Talent Partners (ATP) is seeking a seasoned, strategic, and results-oriented **Head of Business Development** to establish and lead a new business development team, steering ATP’s growth in the climate and clean energy space across Africa.

The role is based in **Nairobi** or **Johannesburg**, with expected travel across Africa and internationally to meet clients, attend industry events, and cultivate relationships that advance ATP’s mission and business goals.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Business Development Execution**
- Actively lead from the front in identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, leveraging existing networks, partnerships and market intelligence to secure high-impact clients and projects, and building new partnerships with clients and potential clients. Serve as a strategic thought partner, leveraging deep problem-solving skills, business acumen, and a nuanced understanding of client operations to uncover needs and help them craft high-impact discrete projects to address their unique challenges and unlock value through meaningful, consultative business development discussions.

**Market Intelligence and Opportunity Analysis**
- Oversee the monitoring of market trends, competitor activities, and client needs to inform ATP’s positioning and service offerings.
- Develop actionable insights to guide strategic decision-making and identify emerging opportunities in the climate talent marketplace.

**Client Relationship Management**
- Build and nurture relationships with key decision-makers in ATP’s target client sectors, including DFIs, climate-focused corporates, professional services, and financiers and investment firms among others.
- Oversee the development of tailored client engagement plans, ensuring a seamless client experience and that ATP remains a trusted partner for on-demand access to high-quality local and global talent for climate-related fixed-term projects.
- Follow through with priority clients on specific projects, and working with ATP’s talent and project delivery team to ensure successful project execution and a seamless client experience.

**Business Development Processes and Tools**
- Oversee the implementation and effective use of CRM systems and other tools to track pipelines, manage client interactions, and measure performance.
- Ensure accurate reporting on sales metrics, progress against targets, and forecasts to inform leadership decision-making.

**Strategy and Leadership**
- Develop, own and execute ATP’s business development strategy, focusing on growing ATP’s presence and reputation in ATP’s target markets.
- Lead and mentor the business development team, setting clear goals, measuring performance, and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability.
- Collaborate with other ATP teams/colleagues to align business development efforts with overall organisational goals.

**Team Oversight and Development**
- Provide guidance and support to the Business Development team, ensuring their success in meeting individual and team targets.
- Implement training and development initiatives to enhance the team’s skills in client acquisition, relationship management, and pipeline building.
- Regularly review and refine team structures and workflows for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

**Skills, Knowledge and Expertise**:
**Qualifications and Experience**

**Education**:

- A minimum of a Bachelor’s deg