Head of Business Development (Africa)

Reports to: Regional Manager

Location: Victoria Island (Fully Onsite)

Working Hours: Full-time, Monday–Friday, 8am–4pm or 9am–5pm

Salary: Competitive, based on experience + Bonus structure

About Us

Study Now is a leading education consultancy dedicated to helping students find the best study opportunities worldwide. We work closely with universities, colleges, and other educational institutions to facilitate student recruitment and admissions, providing personalised support and guidance to help our clients make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an accomplished and strategic leader to take on the role of Head of Business Development (Africa). This senior leadership position offers the opportunity to shape the future of Study Now's presence across the continent overseeing all Business Development Managers and Executives across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, and driving the strategic vision behind our growth. You will build lasting partnerships, expand our footprint, and lead high-performing teams to deliver ambitious student and agent recruitment targets.

This is a rare chance to take genuine ownership of a region at a pivotal stage of growth, with real influence over strategy, partnerships, and results.

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership & Market Expansion

• Develop and execute an Africa-wide business development strategy aligned with Study Now's commercial and growth objectives
• Identify priority markets, emerging opportunities, and new partnership channels across the continent
• Set clear country-level and individual KPIs for BDMs and BDEs
• Recommend market entry, scaling, or exit strategies based on performance and risk analysis

Commercial & Financial Accountability

• Own regional recruitment and revenue targets across Africa
• Forecast performance, manage pipelines, and drive conversion from lead to enrolment
• Monitor agent performance, commission structures, and return on investment by market

Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage all African business development teams, ensuring accountability and high performance
• Conduct regular performance reviews, training sessions, and structured team meetings
• Build a strong leadership pipeline within the region
• Address underperformance decisively through coaching, restructuring, or corrective action

Partnerships & Business Development

• Identify, negotiate, and manage partnerships with universities, colleges, agents, NGOs, and other education stakeholders
• Secure long-term, multi-market agreements with key education providers
• Represent Study Now at conferences, exhibitions, and industry events across Africa
• Act as a senior escalation point for strategic or high-value partnerships
• Conduct agent training for GSP and webinars, ensuring agents follow sector policies and remain compliant
• Lead regular B2B events to foster partnership growth and onboard agents

Student Recruitment & Operational Oversight

• Oversee agent recruitment and management, ensuring quality, compliance, and performance
• Support teams with complex, high-value, or sensitive student cases
• Ensure recruitment activities align with marketing campaigns and institutional priorities
• Stay actively involved in recruiting students in key strategic markets when required

Data, CRM & Reporting

• Ensure consistent and accurate CRM usage across all African markets
• Track and analyse recruitment data, including leads, deposits, CAS issuance, visa outcomes, and enrolments
• Produce regular performance reports for senior management with actionable insights
• Drive data-led decision making and continuous improvement

Compliance, Risk & Reputation Management

• Ensure full compliance with UKVI requirements, university partner regulations, and local laws
• Monitor visa refusal trends, agent risk, and reputational exposure
• Act as the regional escalation point for compliance-sensitive matters
• Implement risk mitigation strategies to protect the company's operations and brand

Collaboration with Events, Marketing, Operations & Product Teams

• Align marketing strategies with regional recruitment cycles and market needs
• Provide market intelligence to support content creation, campaigns, and messaging
• Co-develop country-specific digital and offline marketing initiatives to improve lead generation and conversion

Authority & Decision-Making

• Recommend hiring, restructuring, or exiting underperforming markets, agents, or partnerships (subject to executive approval)
• Approve agent onboarding and performance actions within company frameworks
• Own regional execution within agreed strategic and commercial parameters

What We're Looking For

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (education, business administration, marketing, social sciences, or similar); a master's degree is a plus
• A minimum of 6 years' experience in business development, student recruitment, admissions, or student placement services within the education industry or a related field
• Strong familiarity with international education systems, study abroad programmes, university and college admissions processes, and visa requirements across various countries
• Solid knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, and compliance requirements
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, parents, and educational institutions
• A detail-oriented approach, with strong organisational and time management skills
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team, managing multiple priorities and deadlines
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and CRM systems
• Fluency in English, written and spoken; additional languages are a plus
• A strong existing network of contacts with educational institutions, agents, and stakeholders across African markets
• A proven track record of achieving ambitious business development and recruitment targets
• Deep understanding of the African education landscape and its cultural and market-specific nuances
• Strategic thinking with strong problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Willingness to travel across African markets as required

You should also be able to demonstrate:

• A high degree of self-motivation, with the ability to work independently, make effective decisions, resolve unforeseen problems, and adapt to changing circumstances
• The ability to work under pressure, prioritising your own workload and that of your team while planning ahead to meet deadlines
• A sound understanding of information governance and data protection

Special Requirements

Ability to work across different premises, with flexibility to work outside normal office hours to support company operations and events. Travel will be required to attend conferences, events, and new projects, and to represent Study Now within key industry networks.

Our Values

At Study Now, every member of staff is expected to uphold high professional standards that reflect our core values: Excellence, People Focused, Partnership Working, Fairness, and Integrity. We are committed to equality and diversity in everything we do, and to a workplace where every colleague is treated with dignity, respect, and professional courtesy, free from harassment, intimidation, or any form of bullying.

This job description reflects the expectations of the role but is not exhaustive; you may be required to undertake other duties of a similar level and responsibility