Policy Affairs Analyst

About Airtel Africa

Airtel Africa thrives on passion, innovation, and an entrepreneurial mindset. We value diversity, adaptability, and delivering impactful solutions that benefit the communities we serve. Joining Airtel means becoming part of a victorious team and growing your career across multiple African markets. We uphold equal opportunity employment and embrace inclusion.

Role Purpose

The Group Head of Policy Affairs for Airtel Money will spearhead the creation and execution of the Group’s regulatory and public policy strategy. This leader will shape the company's stance on evolving regulations in mobile money, fintech, and digital financial services sectors and actively engage regulators, policymakers, and industry forums to represent Airtel's interests.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate internal perspectives on critical regulatory issues including AML/CFT, financial inclusion, consumer protections, data governance, KYC, taxation, and platform accessibility.
• Lead preparation of policy papers, position statements, and white papers to support advocacy goals.
• Gather input for public consultations on proposed laws, regulations, directives, and guidance from central banks, ministries, and regional bodies.
• Ensure the internal regulatory strategies align with global, regional, and national policy developments.
• Manage the company’s regulatory stakeholder engagement plans and represent Airtel at policy forums, workshops, and regional working groups.
• Build and nurture strategic relationships with central banks, ministries, regulatory bodies, and financial sector partners.
• Participate actively in industry associations, advocacy coalitions, and national/regional taskforces.
• Monitor and analyze policy developments, identifying upcoming opportunities and risks, and provide briefing to leadership.
• Maintain a comprehensive regulatory radar across jurisdictions to forecast trends and escalate issues as needed.
• Collaborate with Licensing, Legal, Compliance, and Commercial teams to translate regulatory risks into appropriate policy solutions.
• Maintain and provide access to policy briefs, country snapshots, and regional trackers for internal use.
• Develop briefing materials, intelligence notes, and Q&A resources for senior leadership engagements with government and regulators.
• Report regularly to the Director of Regulatory Affairs and the Group’s External Relations Committee on strategic priorities and industry changes.
• Prepare board-level briefings and support external affairs and advocacy reporting responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Law, Economics, Political Science, International Relations, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree preferred (e.g. MPP, LLM, MBA, or MSc in Regulatory Policy or Development Economics).

Experience

• At least 10 years of professional experience with a minimum of 5 years in policy, government affairs, or public sector roles within financial services, fintech, telecom, or digital payments.
• Demonstrated success influencing legislation, policies, or regulations impacting payments, electronic money, digital financial services, or financial inclusion.
• Established relationships or experience with African regulatory bodies such as central banks, ministries, and industry associations.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Strong expertise in mobile money, fintech, digital payments, AML/CFT, data privacy, competition policy, and financial inclusion frameworks.
• Understanding of regional economic communities such as EAC, ECOWAS, and SADC and their regulatory harmonization efforts.
• Experience preparing public consultation inputs, policy papers, and white papers.

Core Competencies

• Strategic policy development capability to shape and respond to policy changes.
• Government and regulatory relations skills including negotiation and relationship management.
• Advocacy experience involving campaigns, coalition building, and effective messaging.
• Analytical proficiency to interpret legislation and assess impacts on business.
• Exceptional communication skills for writing and presenting policy documents.
• Ability to influence stakeholders within complex political and organizational contexts.