Business Development Manager

Department:
Business Development

Location:
South Africa

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.

By applying this model to climate in Africa, ATP aims to (1) grow the local and global pools of talent focused on climate, (2) connect talent more efficiently to projects, and (3) enable the transfer and development of key skills to local organisations.  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 11 FTEs based across Nairobi, Johannesburg and the US.

Key Responsibilities
Role Description:
Allied Talent Partners is seeking a seasoned Business Development Manager (BDM) who will play a critical role in strengthening and scaling existing client service and, where capacity allows, developing high-potential prospects. Guided by the Director of Business Development, the BDM will convert strategic objectives into actionable engagement plans – translating client and market insights into new project opportunities that deepen partnerships, accelerate delivery, and extend ATP's reach within the energy and sustainability ecosystem.

The BDM will lead day-to-day execution of ATP's business development agenda, ensuring strategic alignment, operational excellence, and measurable growth. This includes driving account and prospect expansion while strengthening ATP's systems, processes, and playbooks for scalable, sustainable growth.

The role blends strategic account development with practical execution. The successful candidate will identify and cultivate opportunities and execute them to delivery – ensuring strong client engagement, robust project outcomes, and alignment between commercial growth and operational excellence. The BDM will be a bridge between business development and delivery, playing a pivotal role in scaling the Client's impact across Africa's sustainability and energy access ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overall Business Development Strategy Development

• Support the Director of Business Development in translating ATP's growth vision and organizational goals into a clear, phased business development strategy.

• Partner with the Director to define client segmentation frameworks, prioritize target sectors, and identify key accounts and partnerships that advance ATP's commercial objectives.
• Integrate insights from external research partners, internal delivery teams, and leadership discussions into a cohesive strategic plan that informs business development execution.
• Develop and maintain structured work plans, timelines, and reporting tools to track progress against strategic deliverables, surfacing insights and risks to the Director as needed.
• Provide operational continuity for business development initiatives, ensuring strategic alignment while leading day-to-day execution of plans and activities with Director input.

2.
Client Growth and Prospect Strategy

• Existing Clients
• Lead the design and execution of structured account strategies for approximately priority clients, focusing on growth, relationship deepening, and project pipeline expansion.
  • Develop phased account plans outlining objectives, commercial priorities, and partnership opportunities.
• Capture and codify client learnings and engagement practices into standardized templates and playbooks for scalability.
• High-Potential Prospects
• Lead the development of targeted outreach and re-engagement plans for high-potential prospects - both dormant and new - based on ATP's strategic priorities and capacity.
• Collaborate with the Director to refine prospect messaging, sequencing, and engagement tactics across target sectors and regions.
• Ensure prospect activities are timed and resourced effectively in line with available delivery capacity and market conditions.

3.
Execution and Pipeline Management

• Lead structured outreach across clients and prospects to identify, qualify, and validate new opportunities.
• Develop high-quality client-facing materials, including proposals and project briefs, in collaboration with the Director to refine value propositions and ensure alignment with ATP's mission, tone, and commercial priorities.
• Lead day-to-day client relationship management across priority accounts and prospects to ensure consistent engagement and the capture of client learnings.
• Coordinate with the Delivery and Talent teams to scope project requirements, manage submissions through to close, and lead final negotiations with clients to ensure a seamless transition from business development to delivery.

4.
Tracking, Learning, and Collaboration

• Monitor engagement and conversion metrics, analyzing results to refine strategies and improve future execution.
• Capture client and partner feedback to strengthen ATP's learning loop and inform iterative improvement.
• Pilot and coordinate new tools, templates, and processes to enhance efficiency and consistency across business development operations.
• Act as a conduit between external research partners, internal delivery teams, and the Director to ensure insight integration and strategic continuity.
• Support the Director in institutionalizing best practices and frameworks that can scale as ATP's business development function grows.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Qualifications:

• Education:
• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree from a top-tier university with consistent outstanding academic record; Advanced degree or MBA is preferred.
• Professional Experience:
• 8 years overall experience, with 5+ years in business development, account management, or client success within professional services, recruitment, or HR consulting.
  • Proven success in growing client portfolios, developing relationships, and driving revenue growth in nascent and/or complex sectors and geographies.
• Experience working in or directly with one or more of the following industries:
• Official Sector:
  DFIs (e.g., World Bank, AfDB, IFC), intergovernmental organizations (e.g., UNEP, UNECA), bilateral aid agencies (e.g., USAID, GIZ). (
  highly preferred
  )
• Operating Companies in Climate/Clean Energy in Africa:
  Renewable energy companies, climate startups, or conventional energy firms and corporations looking for climate-related solutions.
• Professional Services, Development Platforms and Investment Firms:
  Management consulting / advisory firms; Investment firms and funders in the climate space; Infrastructure developers / platforms focused on large-scale funding and development of climate-related projects
• Proven record of high performance and substantial achievements in your past positions.
• Technical Skills
  :
• Expertise in consultative sales and business development methodologies.
• Proficiency in using CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) for pipeline management and reporting.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and market trends to drive strategic decisions.
• Competencies
  and Leadership Skills:
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to act as a thought partner to clients, understanding their business needs and tailoring solutions effectively.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with Africa-focused markets and experience working across diverse cultural and geographical contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a diverse team, drive performance, and foster a collaborative and results-driven culture in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and deliver impactful presentations.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strong ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and clients
• Other Characteristics
• Excited about working in a mission-driven organization that combines commercial and social impact goals.
• Comfortable working with an international team across Africa and beyond.
• Willingness to travel across Africa and internationally.
• Proficiency in French or other languages relevant to ATP's target markets is an added advantage.
• Interest in being part of a growing, dynamic team

Travel within Africa and internationally expected up to 25% of the time.

If you are a dynamic professional passionate about growing a high-impact business and contributing to climate solutions, we would love to hear from you.