Strategic Partnership and Market Expansion Lead

About the role

Lulalend builds innovative fintech products that help SMEs unlock cash flow. As a Strategic Partnership and Market Expansion Lead, you will act as an individual contributor to identify, negotiate and launch high‑impact partnerships that drive the company’s next phase of 100% year‑on‑year growth.

Key responsibilities

• Scan the fintech landscape for untapped markets and build a rigorous pipeline of strategic partnership opportunities.
• Identify, approach and engage C‑suite stakeholders, leading the full commercial cycle from outreach to complex negotiations and closure.
• Design innovative commercial terms that deliver high‑margin revenue while navigating regulatory, product and risk constraints.
• Drive discovery and early validation of new growth bets, selling and piloting early‑stage concepts and feeding feedback to product teams.
• Own post‑deal partnership performance, tracking metrics such as origination volume, revenue, CAC and unit economics, and intervene to optimise outcomes.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with product, credit, risk and operations to ensure deals translate into live, revenue‑generating initiatives.

Required profile

• Relevant tertiary degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering or a quantitative field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands‑on experience in high‑growth environments such as strategic business development, commercial partnerships, management consulting, venture building or product management with P&L ownership.
• Proven track record of taking new initiatives from 0 to 1, including pitching, negotiating and closing complex, long‑cycle partnerships.
• Demonstrated accountability for achieving direct revenue or growth targets.
• Experience in fintech or financial services, particularly SME lending, B2B fintech or embedded finance in South Africa.