Business Development Executive

Our client is a leading African enterprise communications platform providing SMS, USSD, Voice, VoIP, WhatsApp Business API and Chatbot services to businesses across the continent, they enable banks, fintechs, startups, logistics companies, healthcare providers and enterprises to communicate effectively with their customers through reliable, scalable CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) solutions, they are seeking experienced Business Development Executives to join their Lusaka office and take ownership of B2B sales activities across Zambia and Southern Africa.

Role Overview

The successful candidates will be responsible for identifying new business opportunities, generating qualified leads, conducting discovery and sales calls, and closing deals with enterprise customers.

This is a revenue-generating role for ambitious sales professionals who thrive in fast-paced, target-driven environments and have a proven ability to build pipelines, engage senior stakeholders, and close complex B2B sales.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Generation & Prospecting

▪️Research and identify target accounts in banking, fintech, e-commerce, logistics, healthcare, insurance, gaming and other sectors with high messaging and voice communication needs
▪️Build qualified prospect lists using lead mining tools such as Lusha, Apollo, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator or similar platforms
▪️Execute outbound prospecting campaigns via cold calls, email sequences, LinkedIn outreach and other channels
▪️Track all prospecting activities, leads and opportunities accurately in the CRM system

Sales Cycle Management

▪️Conduct discovery calls to understand client pain points, business requirements and communication needs
▪️Present and demo Africala's SMS, USSD, Voice, VoIP, WhatsApp Business API and Chatbot solutions tailored to client use cases
▪️Prepare compelling proposals, commercial offers, RFP responses and presentations for prospects
▪️Negotiate pricing, contract terms and service agreements to close deals
▪️Own the full sales cycle from initial contact through contract signing and handover to delivery teams

Relationship Building & Account Management

▪️Build and maintain strong relationships with C-level executives, IT managers, marketing heads and procurement decision-makers
▪️Act as the trusted advisor for prospects, understanding their communication challenges and positioning Africala solutions effectively
▪️Collaborate with internal technical, product and customer success teams to ensure smooth onboarding and client satisfaction
▪️Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities within existing accounts

Market Intelligence & Reporting

▪️Stay informed about market trends, competitor activities and emerging opportunities in Zambia and Southern Africa
▪️Provide regular sales reports, pipeline updates and revenue forecasts to management
▪️Share client feedback and market insights with product and marketing teams to improve offerings

Market Intelligence & Reporting

▪️Stay informed about market trends, competitor activities and emerging opportunities in Zambia and Southern Africa
▪️Provide regular sales reports, pipeline updates and revenue forecasts to management
▪️Share client feedback and market insights with product and marketing teams to improve offerings

Required Experience & Qualifications

▪️3–4 years of proven experience in Business Development or B2B Sales roles within IT, Telecom, Technology or SaaS companies
▪️Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets and revenue goals
▪️Experience selling to business customers including SMBs, mid-market enterprises and large organizations
▪️Strong understanding of B2B sales methodologies, consultative selling and solution-based sales approaches

Technical Skills & Tools

▪️CRM Systems: Hands-on experience with CRM platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive or similar tools for managing leads, opportunities, deal stages and sales reporting
▪️Lead Mining Tools: Proficiency with prospecting and lead generation tools such as Lusha, apollo.io ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator or equivalent platforms
▪️Email Outreach: Experience with email campaign tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Outreach,
Lemlist) and crafting effective cold email sequences
▪️Productivity Tools: Comfortable with Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace
(Excel/Sheets, PowerPoint/Slides, Word/Docs)

Core Competencies

▪️Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
▪️Strong presentation, negotiation and persuasion abilities
▪️Ability to engage and influence senior decision-makers and C-level executives
▪️Self-motivated, results-oriented and capable of working independently with minimal supervision
▪️Strategic thinking combined with attention to detail in pipeline management and forecasting
▪️Ability to research markets, identify opportunities and build actionable sales strategies

Advantageous Skills (Preferred but Not
Required)

▪️Prior experience working in CPaaS, A2P messaging, SMS aggregation, VoIP, WhatsApp Business API, USSD or other telecom value-added services
▪️Experience selling to enterprise clients in African markets, particularly in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania or other Southern African countries
▪️Familiarity with telecom ecosystem players such as mobile network operators (MNOs), mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), aggregators and enterprises
▪️Fluency in English and French; French language skills are preferred but not
mandatory for this role
▪️Knowledge of industry verticals such as banking, fintech, e-commerce, logistics, healthcare, insurance, iGaming or government sectors
▪️Understanding of API integrations, technical documentation and ability to discuss technical requirements with client IT teams

Compensation & Benefits

▪️Salary: Competitive base salary commensurate with experience, skills and performance potential, offered at par with prevailing industry norms for B2B sales roles in Lusaka, Zambia
▪️Incentives: Performance-based commissions and bonuses tied to revenue targets and deal closures
▪️Career Growth: Opportunity to grow into senior sales, account management or regional leadership roles as Africala expands
▪️Work Environment: Collaborative, fast-paced startup culture with a focus on innovation, execution and impact