Job Opportunity: Business Development Manager position available at Africa Electronic Trade Group in Addis Ababa. Business and Administration, Accounting and Finance, Economics, Sales and Marketing jobs in Ethiopia are in high demand. Apply now through GeezJobs - Ethiopia's leading job portal.
Business Development Manager
Company: AeTrade Group
Platform: Sokokuu Digital Marketplace
Function: Commercial & Growth
Reporting Line: Reports to Ethiopia Country Director
Employment Type: Full-time for 1 year with a possibility of extension
Role Context
Sokokuu is currently in the establishment and market-entry phase in Ethiopia, one of its priority anchor markets under the Pan-African digital trade ecosystem. This phase involves platform localization, institutional alignment, vendor onboarding, partnership activation, and early revenue generation under tight timelines and evolving conditions.
The Business Development Manager role is therefore high-impact and execution-intensive. It requires the ability to operate in ambiguity, manage competing priorities, resolve operational bottlenecks, and deliver visible results during a critical build-out period. This is not a passive or purely strategic role; it demands hands-on leadership and crisis-cross execution to demonstrate traction, credibility, and early wins.
Role Purpose
The Business Development Manager is accountable for market establishment and growth in Ethiopia, driving revenue performance, and commercial management of Sokokuu, AeTrade’s digital marketplace. The role combines new business development, activating partnerships, and converting Sokokuu’s integrated ecosystem into measurable commercial and institutional results, and partner management with commercial optimization across integrated services, including logistics and payment systems. This position plays a central role in AeTrade’s commercial structure and is critical to scaling the Sokokuu marketplace sustainably.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Business Development & Partnerships
- Lead vendor acquisition and strategic partnership development for Sokokuu
- Establish and manage partnerships with logistics providers, payment service providers, and other ecosystem partners
- Negotiate commercial terms, contracts, and service-level agreements
- Build and manage a pipeline of new business and partnership opportunities
2. Commercial Management & Revenue Performance
- Execute AeTrade’s commercial strategy for the Sokokuu platform
- Ensure commercial activities align with company policies and budgets
- Manage pricing models, commission structures, and service fees
- Drive revenue growth, transaction volumes, and marketplace activity
- Monitor and report on commercial KPIs, forecasts, and performance metrics
- Identify risks and recommend corrective actions
3. Vendor Onboarding & Marketplace Operations
- Oversee end-to-end vendor onboarding, activation, and engagement
- Manage vendor performance, compliance, and contractual obligations
- Improve vendor retention, satisfaction, and lifetime value
- Ensure a consistent and scalable onboarding experience
- Support MSMEs or vendors, ensuring their commercial success and growth through guidance, resources, and access to finance
4. Platform & Integrated Services Coordination
- Work closely with Product, Technology, and Operations teams to support integration of logistics, payment systems, and marketplace tools
- Provide commercial and market input into platform enhancements and roadmap planning
- Ensure partner and vendor requirements are translated into operational platform solutions
5. Market Intelligence & Growth Execution
- Monitor market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscape
- Support go-to-market initiatives for new platform features and services
- Identify new revenue streams and expansion opportunities
6. Cross-functional Collaboration & Reporting
- Collaborate with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and revenue tracking
- Work with Marketing on vendor acquisition and promotional initiatives
- Provide regular commercial performance updates to senior management
7. Team Management & Supervision
- Lead, manage, and supervise commercial, sales, business development teams and SAAPs
- Set clear KPIs, targets, and performance expectations
- Coach, mentor, and support team members to improve performance
- Conduct regular reviews, feedback sessions, and performance evaluations
Preferred Attributes
- Experience working with marketplaces, fintech platforms, or trade ecosystems
- Familiarity with AfCFTA, regional trade frameworks, or export promotion
- Multilingual capabilities (English required; French or other African languages an asset)
- Strong mission alignment with inclusive trade, youth, and women-led enterprise development
Why Join Sokokuu
Sokokuu is more than a marketplace it is a pan-African digital trade ecosystem designed to unlock market access, finance, and logistics for MSMEs at scale. This role offers the opportunity to shape regional trade, work with high-level partners, and contribute directly to job creation and inclusive economic growth across Africa.
Qualifications & Experience required
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or a related discipline
- Minimum of 8 years’ experience in business development, commercial management, logistics, fulfillment, supply chain partnerships, or sales leadership within digital products or platforms.
- Demonstrated experience in digital marketplaces, platforms, fintech, logistics, and related commercial activities
- Track record of driving revenue growth, acquiring clients/vendors, and scaling digital products
- Experience working with MSMEs, vendors, or partner ecosystems, including onboarding and supporting their growth
- Familiarity with payment systems, fintech integrations, and platform monetization models
Skills & Competencies
- Strong commercial judgment with proven negotiation and deal-structuring capability
- Ability to manage partner acquisition and ongoing commercial performance
- Strong financial and analytical capability, including pricing and margin management
- Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills
- Solid understanding of multi-sided marketplace and platform economics
- Proven experience in e-commerce, marketplaces, or digital platforms
- Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to manage and develop teams
- Strategic, data-driven mindset with strong problem-solving skills
How To Apply
Apply through this link Application Form
