Senior Business Development & Channel Partnerships Consultant – Africa (Commission-Based)

About ARED

ARED Group is an African technology company building a managed edge infrastructure platform designed for distributed environments.

Our platform combines networking, local computing, storage and applications on one infrastructure layer, enabling services such as AI, camera analytics, IoT and other digital applications to operate locally while integrating with cloud and enterprise systems.

We are expanding across Africa and are looking for a highly connected senior business development professional who can help us originate, develop and close commercial opportunities with the right customers and technology partners.

The opportunity

This is not a traditional salaried sales position and it is not a lead-generation or introduction-only role.

We are looking for an independent, commission-based business development and sales professional who already has strong relationships across the African or MEA technology ecosystem and can manage opportunities through the full commercial cycle.

That means:

• Identifying qualified customers and strategic partners.
• Opening doors to senior decision-makers.
• Understanding the customer’s business and identifying where ARED creates value.
• Positioning ARED appropriately for the opportunity.
• Managing commercial discussions and follow-up.
• Coordinating with ARED’s technical and leadership teams when required.
• Helping structure pilots, partnerships and commercial proposals.
• Handling objections and navigating the customer’s decision-making process.
• Driving opportunities toward a commercial decision.
• Helping negotiate and close deals.
• Staying involved until the opportunity becomes a signed partnership, pilot or commercial deployment.

The role does not end after making an introduction.

You will be expected to take ownership of the commercial opportunity and actively help move it from first conversation to close.

Who we want to reach

Relevant customers and partners may include:

• Systems integrators.
• Managed service providers.
• Internet service providers and telecom operators.
• Enterprise IT and infrastructure providers.
• Cloud and digital transformation companies.
• Security and video-surveillance integrators.
• Industrial automation companies.
• IoT solution providers.
• Energy and infrastructure technology companies.
• Technology distributors and channel partners.
• Large enterprises operating distributed physical locations.

We are particularly interested in organizations that already manage technology infrastructure or customer sites and could integrate, deploy, support or commercialize ARED as part of their existing services.

What you will do

You will own the commercial development of the opportunities you bring into ARED.

You will:

• Identify high-value commercial opportunities within your network.
• Introduce ARED directly to senior decision-makers.
• Qualify the opportunity and understand the customer’s business requirements.
• Develop the commercial opportunity with the prospect.
• Position ARED against the customer’s operational or commercial priorities.
• Build relationships with all relevant decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Coordinate meetings, follow-ups, proposals and next steps.
• Work with ARED’s technical team when deeper solution discussions are required.
• Help structure pilots, commercial models and partnership arrangements.
• Manage objections and procurement or internal approval processes.
• Negotiate commercial terms together with ARED leadership.
• Drive opportunities through to signed agreements and revenue.
• Maintain the relationship after the initial close where expansion opportunities exist.

You will not simply provide names, introductions or contact lists and then hand the opportunity back to ARED.

Who we are looking for

The right person should already have a strong professional network within enterprise technology in Africa or MEA and a proven ability to originate and close B2B technology business.

You may currently or previously have worked as a:

• Business Development Director.
• Regional Sales Director.
• Channel Director or Channel Manager.
• Strategic Alliances Director.
• Partner Development Manager.
• Enterprise Sales Director.
• Regional Technology Executive.
• Country Manager.
• Regional Manager.
• Senior technology consultant with strong commercial relationships.

Experience with organizations such as major technology vendors, telecom operators, systems integrators, cloud providers, distributors or enterprise infrastructure companies is particularly relevant.

Examples could include ecosystems around Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, HPE, Huawei, Fortinet, Schneider Electric, VMware/Broadcom and similar enterprise technology companies.

What matters most

We are looking for someone who:

• Already knows senior technology and business decision-makers.
• Understands how enterprise technology is bought and sold in Africa.
• Has personally helped originate and close B2B technology deals.
• Can manage a sales opportunity from first conversation through negotiation and close.
• Can identify genuine commercial opportunities rather than simply make introductions.
• Understands channel partnerships and enterprise sales cycles.
• Can communicate comfortably with CIOs, CTOs, CEOs, infrastructure leaders, procurement teams and business executives.
• Has experience working across multiple African markets or the wider MEA region.
• Is commercially driven and comfortable being accountable for results.
• Has a strong professional reputation and network.

Geographic focus

Africa is our primary market.

Candidates with strong networks in East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Francophone Africa are particularly relevant.

Professionals based in Dubai/UAE, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lagos, Accra, Casablanca or other major African/MEA technology hubs are also encouraged to apply if they have a strong African commercial network.

The role is remote and relationship-driven.

Compensation

This is an independent, performance-based consulting opportunity.

There is no fixed salary.

Compensation is linked to successful commercial opportunities, partnerships and business generated and closed through the consultant's involvement.

The specific commission structure will be agreed based on the nature and size of the opportunity.

There is significant upside for someone who can originate high-quality opportunities and convert them into revenue.

What success looks like

Success is not measured by the number of introductions, emails sent or leads generated.

Success means:

• Opening the right doors.
• Creating conversations with qualified decision-makers.
• Developing real customer and partner opportunities.
• Managing those opportunities through the sales process.
• Helping overcome objections and internal buying barriers.
• Negotiating viable commercial arrangements.
• Closing pilots, partnerships and commercial contracts.
• Generating revenue for ARED.

About you when applying

Please briefly tell us:

• Which African or MEA markets you know best.
• The types of technology companies and enterprise decision-makers in your network.
• Your background in enterprise technology sales, channel partnerships or business development.
• Examples of partnerships or enterprise technology deals you have personally helped originate and close.
• The approximate size or type of deals you have worked on.
• Why you believe your network and sales experience could help ARED grow across Africa.

We are looking for a small number of highly qualified commercial professionals who can both open doors and close business.