Executive Head: Client Solutions | South Africa | Permanent

Drive commercial growth, build strategic client partnerships and shape the next phase of a technology-led business. This is an executive opportunity for a commercially minded leader who can turn market opportunity into sustainable revenue and build the team and capabilities required to deliver it.

The Executive Head: Client Solutions will own the commercial expansion agenda across sales, new business development and strategic client relationship management. The role will lead the full sales lifecycle, from market development and prospecting through solution positioning, negotiation and close, while ensuring a healthy and measurable pipeline across sectors, channels and geographies.

The successful executive will also serve as a trusted senior advisor to key clients, partnering with product and operations teams to develop compelling solutions and deliver measurable client value. A significant part of the mandate will be building and leading a high-performing Client Solutions team, strengthening sales capability and establishing disciplined commercial processes, forecasting and governance.

The client is an entrepreneurial technology business operating in the financial technology space, with a strong focus on innovative solutions and growth. The environment is fast-paced and commercially driven, requiring an executive who is comfortable operating with ambiguity, engaging senior decision-makers and translating changing market needs into practical growth strategies.

What You'll Do

Sales Strategy and Execution

• Develop and execute sales strategies aligned to quarterly and annual revenue objectives.

• Own the complete sales cycle from lead generation and qualification through proposal development, negotiation and closing.

• Build and maintain a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities across sectors, channels and geographies.

• Monitor conversion rates, deal velocity, average deal size and other commercial metrics to improve sales performance.

• Partner with marketing to align campaigns with commercial objectives and improve lead quality.

• Ensure CRM systems are accurately maintained and used for forecasting, reporting and sales management.

• Develop pricing and discount frameworks that balance competitiveness with profitability.

• Lead sales enablement initiatives, including training, playbooks and objection-handling resources.

New Business Development

• Identify new market segments, strategic partnerships and embedded distribution opportunities.

• Conduct market analysis to inform targeting, positioning and product-market fit.

• Build a sustainable prospecting engine incorporating outbound activity, referrals and industry events.

• Develop tailored value propositions and solution narratives for new client segments.

• Partner with product and operations teams to shape offerings around emerging client needs.

• Track new business conversion rates, sales cycle times and onboarding outcomes.

• Lead commercial negotiations for new accounts within organisational policies and risk appetite.

• Represent the business at relevant industry events, conferences and networking forums.

Client Engagement and Relationship Management

• Act as the senior relationship owner for key accounts, driving satisfaction, retention and growth.

• Build trusted, long-term relationships based on transparency and measurable value.

• Lead solution design and proposal development with cross-functional teams.

• Use client feedback, usage patterns and satisfaction measures to identify improvement opportunities.

• Ensure client onboarding is seamless, timely and aligned with agreed expectations.

• Lead strategic planning sessions and quarterly business reviews with priority clients.

• Identify and mitigate risks to retention, including service gaps, competitive threats and relationship challenges.

• Champion a client-first culture throughout the organisation.

Team Leadership and Capability Building

• Build, lead and develop a high-performing Client Solutions team.

• Recruit, onboard and manage performance against clear objectives and commercial targets.

• Establish individual development plans and strengthen sales capability across the team.

• Coach and mentor team members in solution selling, consultative sales and client engagement.

• Build a culture of ownership, accountability, customer focus and continuous improvement.

Commercial Governance and Reporting

• Maintain accurate CRM records, forecasts and commercial performance dashboards.

• Provide executive leadership with clear reporting on sales performance, pipeline health and market trends.

• Ensure pricing, contracting and commercial activity comply with relevant policies and regulatory requirements.

• Contribute to commercial policy development and broader strategic planning.

What You Bring

• A Bachelor's degree in a commercial discipline or equivalent NQF qualification.

• 10+ years' experience across sales, business development and client-facing commercial roles.

• At least 8 years' leadership experience with demonstrated responsibility for teams and commercial outcomes.

• A proven record of exceeding sales targets and delivering measurable revenue growth.

• Demonstrated success building and developing high-performing sales or client solutions teams.

• Strong experience in solution selling, consultative sales and strategic account management.

• Experience identifying and converting new markets, partnerships and commercial opportunities.

• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to develop compelling value propositions and close complex deals.

• Excellent negotiation, communication, influencing and relationship-management skills.

• Confidence engaging senior decision-makers, executive stakeholders and strategic partners.

• Strong understanding of sales performance metrics, CRM discipline, forecasting and pipeline management.

• Experience working closely with product and operational teams to shape client solutions.

• Resilience and adaptability within fast-moving, entrepreneurial or changing environments.

• Strong execution discipline, accountability and commercial focus.

• A growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

• High levels of integrity, professionalism and responsible leadership.

• Fintech, Insurtech or start-up experience is strongly preferred.

• Project management knowledge or experience is advantageous.

What Success Looks Like

• Revenue growth is supported by a clear, measurable and executable sales strategy.

• A strong, diversified pipeline is consistently maintained across relevant markets and channels.

• New business acquisition improves through disciplined prospecting, compelling propositions and effective commercial execution.

• Key client relationships are strengthened, retained and expanded through measurable value delivery.

• Sales forecasting, CRM utilisation and commercial reporting provide reliable visibility to executive leadership.

• Pricing and commercial decisions balance market competitiveness with sustainable profitability.

• A capable, motivated and accountable Client Solutions team is established and developed.

• Sales capability improves through coaching, enablement, structured processes and clear performance expectations.

• Product and operations teams have strong commercial insight into evolving client and market needs.

• The organisation is represented credibly with senior clients, partners and industry stakeholders.

• Commercial governance, contracting and regulatory requirements are consistently upheld.

• The Client Solutions function becomes a meaningful driver of sustainable growth and long-term client value.