Head of East Africa

About the Company

This organization is building a leading cross-border fintech platform for emerging markets, with a mission to help families, support local economies, and improve access to financial services. Since launching in 2019, it has reshaped international money movement across 6 of 7 continents, serving both major and underserved remittance corridors. The company has helped shift finance from banks to mobile phones, extending digital financial access to regions where traditional systems had limited reach. Its next phase of growth focuses on expanding services for diaspora communities through offerings such as local cards, savings tools, and payment features.

The business is growing rapidly, supported by top-tier investors, and is scaling a product that combines meaningful real-world impact with advanced fintech innovation.

Additional Information

• Founded by Harvard graduates and three-time founders who previously created Segovia, which was acquired, and GiveDirectly, a high-growth NGO with more than $300M in revenue.
• Supported by well-known investors such as Spark Capital, Canaan, Reid Hoffman, Breyer Capital, Unbound, Wamda, and others.
• The team includes high performers from Bain, Google, McKinsey, Uber, Checkout, Bolt, and other leading companies, with a culture of speed, humility, and mission focus.
• It is a global workforce of more than 250 people representing 50+ nationalities and 50+ languages.
• The organization operates on values centered on ownership, impact, humility, and heart, reflected in everyday work.

Role Overview

As the Head of East Africa, you will lead the development and scaling of supply-side partnerships in East Africa while also expanding the user base. The role requires ownership of growth across the market, including acquisition and retention strategy, pricing, user research, product quality, customer experience, and team development. You will be expected to think like an owner, caring deeply about each customer’s experience while also improving scalable systems and growth processes.

This position includes P&L responsibility and accountability for growth and profitability goals in East Africa. You will help position the company as the preferred remittance product for the region and serve as the main representative for East Africa both inside the organization and externally. Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will also build and manage a team of growth managers in sending markets. The role offers the opportunity to join an early-stage, fast-growing startup and contribute positively to the communities it serves.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Execution

• Create and drive a clear strategy and execution roadmap for East Africa, covering both launch and expansion in sending and receiving markets.
• Develop creative approaches to increase adoption, strengthen profitability, and grow brand recognition.
• Provide regular, data-backed updates to executive leadership on progress, insights, and support needed, using a test-and-learn approach.
• Track and interpret growth, operational, and financial performance metrics to continuously improve execution.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Management

• Build trusted relationships with diaspora groups and commercial partners across East Africa to improve brand visibility and unit economics.
• Work closely with internal teams such as Customer Service, Finance, Technology, Legal, Compliance, and People Operations.

Growth and Customer Experience

• Own growth initiatives in sending markets, including acquisition, retention, pricing, user research, product quality, and customer experience.
• Use insights from the market, competitors, and customers to propose product enhancements.

Team Leadership and Development

• Guide the in-market team to deliver work according to agreed timelines.
• Recruit, motivate, develop, and retain strong, diverse talent.
• Take responsibility for team development and coaching.

Requirements

• Preference is given to candidates based in Nairobi, Dubai, or London.
• Willingness to travel internationally on a periodic and ad hoc basis to meet banks, regulators, disbursement partners, internal stakeholders, and customers.
• Strong interest in understanding the East African diaspora.
• Advanced ability to manage stakeholders effectively.
• Experience building, leading, developing, and managing teams across multiple regions.
• Understanding of the East African regulatory environment; experience with financial regulation is a plus.
• Strong analytical ability and comfort making decisions based on data.
• 7 to 15 years of experience in a fast-moving, high-growth environment such as startups, operations, consulting, finance, or a similar field.
• A strong ownership mindset with equal focus on individual user experience and scalable growth execution.

Personal Attributes

• Outgoing and comfortable starting conversations and building meaningful relationships.
• Highly execution-focused, with the ability to turn ideas into implemented actions.
• Mission-driven and motivated by work that creates positive social impact.
• Well organized, with a structured approach that works in a scrappy startup setting.
• Highly driven and energized by a fast-paced, target-oriented environment.

Values

• Impact first.
• Team next.
• Accept reality.
• Propose solutions.
• Win with grit.
• Be proactively candid with yourself and others.
• Love the particular.
• Own it.
• Create positive energy.
• Maybe, even have fun.

Equal Opportunity and Support

The employer is an equal opportunity organization committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. Hiring decisions are based on qualifications, experience, and business needs. Candidates from underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you need reasonable adjustments during the hiring process, you may request them. Any information shared for this purpose will only be used to support your needs.

The company also recognizes that imposter syndrome is common, and encourages candidates who do not meet every requirement perfectly to still apply.