Head: Alternative Distribution (Channel Development)

HEAD: ALTERNATIVE DISTRIBUTION (CHANNEL DEVELOPMENT)

Location: South Africa
Industry: Financial Services / Insurance

A leading financial services organisation is seeking a strategic and commercially driven Head of Alternative Distribution to lead the development and growth of non-traditional distribution channels.

This is a high-impact leadership role suited to an innovative thinker who can unlock new revenue streams, build strategic partnerships, and leverage digital and emerging technologies to expand market reach and customer acquisition.

THE ROLE

You will take ownership of the alternative distribution strategy, driving growth through new channels, partnerships, and innovative delivery models.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing a comprehensive alternative distribution strategy
• Identifying and unlocking new market opportunities beyond traditional channels
• Driving growth across digital, telecom, bancassurance, and partnership channels
• Aligning distribution strategies with overall business and commercial objectives
• Identifying, negotiating, and managing strategic partnerships with third-party organisations
• Building relationships with financial institutions, fintechs, telecom providers, and retail platforms
• Structuring and managing commercial agreements and revenue models
• Designing and implementing scalable sales models for new and emerging channels
• Supporting the development of channel-specific product offerings
• Enhancing customer experience and optimising the end-to-end customer journey
• Collaborating with marketing, product, IT, and data teams to deliver integrated solutions
• Leveraging data and analytics to monitor performance and identify optimisation opportunities
• Defining and tracking KPIs across all channels (growth, acquisition, retention, profitability)
• Providing strategic insights and performance reporting to senior leadership
• Building, leading, and developing a high-performing channel development team
• Driving a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Key requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field (MBA advantageous)
• 8+ years' experience in sales, marketing, or business development
• Strong experience within financial services or insurance
• Proven track record in developing and scaling alternative distribution channels
• Demonstrated success in building and managing strategic partnerships
• Strong commercial and strategic thinking ability

WHO YOU ARE

• A strategic leader with strong commercial acumen
• An innovator who can identify and unlock new growth opportunities
• A relationship builder with strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Data-driven with strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• A confident communicator able to operate at executive level
• Results-driven with a focus on measurable outcomes

WHY THIS ROLE

• Executive-level role with significant strategic impact
• Opportunity to build and scale new distribution channels
• Exposure to digital innovation and emerging technologies
• High visibility across leadership and business functions
• Collaborative and forward-thinking working environment