Head of Sales and Business Development

HEAD OF SALES and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Location

Lusaka, Zambia

Reports To

Chief Executive Officer

About Our Client

Our client is a reputable and rapidly growing local insurance provider operating within Zambia’s financial services sector. Licensed by the Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA), the company provides a diverse range of general insurance solutions to individuals, businesses, and institutions across Zambia. The organization has established a strong reputation for delivering innovative, customer-focused insurance products and services that promote financial security, risk management, and business continuity.

As part of a well-established Zambian group with interests spanning multiple sectors of the economy, the company is committed to driving sustainable growth through operational excellence, strategic partnerships, and market expansion. The organization continues to strengthen its position within the insurance industry while pursuing ambitious growth objectives and enhancing its market presence.

As part of its long-term growth strategy and leadership succession planning, our client seeks to recruit a dynamic and commercially astute Head of Sales who will drive business growth, strengthen market presence, and develop the executive leadership capabilities required to transition into the Chief Executive Officer role within the next four years.

Position Summary

The Head of Sales will provide strategic leadership to the organization’s sales and business development function, driving revenue growth, market expansion, customer acquisition, and client retention initiatives. The role requires a commercially astute leader capable of developing high-performing teams, strengthening key stakeholder relationships, and contributing to the overall strategic direction of the business.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping the future growth of the organization and will be expected to demonstrate the leadership potential necessary for progression into executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Drive sustainable premium income growth through increased customer acquisition, improved retention, and expansion within target market segments.
• Develop and execute strategies to increase market share across the company’s portfolio of insurance products and services.
• Strengthen relationships with brokers, agents, corporate clients, and strategic partners to drive business growth.
• Monitor competitor activity, market trends, and customer behaviour to identify opportunities and maintain competitive positioning.
• Ensure the effective positioning of products and solutions to meet evolving customer needs and market demands.

Business Development and Distribution Strategy

• Identify and develop new distribution channels including digital platforms, bancassurance partnerships, brokers, agents, and direct sales channels.
• Lead initiatives aimed at expanding the customer base and accessing underserved or emerging market segments.
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships that support business growth and market expansion.
• Drive product diversification initiatives and contribute to the development of innovative insurance solutions aligned with market needs.
• Explore opportunities for geographic expansion and growth within emerging markets.

Commercial Strategy and Executive Leadership

• Contribute to the development and execution of the organization’s commercial strategy and long-term growth agenda.
• Align sales objectives and business development initiatives with the company’s strategic vision and corporate objectives.
• Provide executive leadership and board-level insights on market dynamics, customer trends, competitor activity, and growth opportunities.
• Participate actively in strategic decision-making and organizational transformation initiatives.
• Support leadership succession planning and executive capability development.

Financial Management and Budgeting

• Develop and manage the annual sales budget and ensure the efficient allocation of resources across sales initiatives.
• Monitor expenditure and ensure strong return on investment across all commercial activities.
• Prepare sales forecasts, financial projections, and business performance reports for Executive Committee and Board review.
• Drive accountability for revenue targets, profitability objectives, and overall commercial performance.

Compliance and Governance

• Ensure all sales activities and commercial practices comply with applicable regulatory requirements and internal governance frameworks.
• Promote ethical selling practices and ensure fair treatment of customers across all distribution channels.
• Oversee compliance with anti-money laundering requirements and other relevant financial services regulations.
• Maintain robust controls and monitoring mechanisms to mitigate commercial and regulatory risks.

Talent Management and Leadership Development

• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing sales professionals across the organization.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, innovation, and customer service excellence.
• Develop succession plans and leadership pipelines within the sales function.
• Design and oversee incentive structures and performance management systems aligned with business objectives.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities to team members.

Key Stakeholder Engagement

Branch Managers

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for branch sales performance and customer service delivery.
• Establish sales targets and performance standards across branches and ensure consistent execution.
• Support Branch Managers in addressing operational challenges and business development opportunities.
• Act as an escalation point for critical sales and customer management issues.

Agents

• Develop strategies to recruit, retain, and expand the company’s agent network.
• Ensure agents are adequately trained, supported, and incentivized to achieve business objectives.
• Promote compliance with regulatory and internal governance requirements across the agent network.
• Drive agent productivity and market penetration within personal and SME segments.

Brokers

• Build and maintain strong relationships with brokers and key intermediaries.
• Negotiate commercial terms and ensure the company remains competitive within the broker market.
• Provide brokers with product training, marketing support, and agreed service standards.
• Collaborate with brokers to identify growth opportunities and improve customer outcomes.

Direct Channels

• Provide strategic oversight for direct distribution channels including digital platforms, call centres, and direct corporate sales teams.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives aimed at improving customer experience and operational efficiency.
• Ensure alignment across distribution channels to maximise growth opportunities while minimising channel conflict.
• Support the development of innovative customer engagement and sales delivery models.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Insurance, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) or related discipline will be an added advantage.
• Professional insurance qualifications will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of 10 years’ progressive experience in sales, business development, or commercial leadership.
• At least 5 years in a senior management role within the insurance, financial services, banking, or related sector.
• Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth and managing high-performing sales teams.
• Experience engaging with corporate clients, brokers, and strategic partners.
• Strong understanding of the Zambian insurance market and regulatory environment.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Commercial Acumen
• Business Development and Market Expansion
• Executive Presence
• Relationship Management
• Negotiation and Influencing Skills
• Financial Literacy
• Change Management
• People Leadership and Talent Development
• Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
• Results Orientation
• Ethical Leadership

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking an ambitious and commercially driven leader who combines strong sales leadership with strategic business insight. The ideal candidate will not only deliver exceptional commercial results but will also demonstrate the vision, leadership maturity, and organizational impact required to transition into a future Chief Executive Officer role within the next 4 years.

What We Offer

This is a unique opportunity for an ambitious and high-performing commercial leader to join a growing organization with a clear pathway to executive leadership.

The successful candidate will benefit from:

• A competitive executive remuneration package commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• A personal-to-holder company vehicle.
• Performance-based incentives linked to the achievement of agreed business objectives.
• The opportunity to lead and shape the organization’s sales and growth strategy.
• Exposure to executive-level decision-making and strategic leadership responsibilities.
• Professional growth and leadership development opportunities within a dynamic and expanding organization.
• The opportunity to work within a well-established Zambian business group with a strong reputation and diverse business interests.
• A clearly defined succession pathway, with the potential to progress into the Chief Executive Officer role within the next 4 years, subject to performance and organizational requirements.

This role is ideally suited to a results-driven leader who is seeking not only a challenging commercial position, but also a long-term executive leadership career opportunity.

Application Deadline: 24 July 2026