Merchant Opening Lead

About Wave Mobile Money

Wave Mobile Money is driving the transformation to make Africa the first cashless continent by providing accessible and affordable financial services. In regions where traditional banking is inconvenient or costly, Wave offers no-fee, instant mobile payments accepted widely even in areas with limited infrastructure. Since 2017, Wave has expanded across nine countries, empowering millions with mobile payment solutions for cash deposits, withdrawals, and peer-to-peer and business payments.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Merchant Opening Lead to manage and scale the merchant acquisition and retention operations in The Gambia. This role involves leading a sizable field team to implement strategies for onboarding, educating, and maintaining merchant engagement with Wave’s payment products. You will play a critical role in optimizing merchant performance, ensuring compliance, and driving sustainable growth while collaborating closely with various internal departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Merchant Opening team in acquiring, training, and branding merchants while monitoring their ongoing transaction activity.
• Identify and resolve significant obstacles that hinder merchant growth or product usage.
• Develop and execute a strategic roadmap for team objectives and operational targets.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with distribution, marketing, compliance, and support teams to align and implement strategies.
• Establish scalable processes and frameworks for high-quality merchant onboarding.
• Create and deliver comprehensive training programs for staff to build relevant skills for supporting merchants.
• Oversee the growth and development of Wave’s merchant network in The Gambia following approved procedures for compliance and quality.
• Foster a culture of learning and continuous improvement by tracking performance and providing constructive feedback to team members.
• Analyze merchant performance data to identify success factors and areas for improvement, taking necessary actions to maintain high service standards.
• Partner with Risk & Fraud teams to detect and minimize security threats affecting merchants and payers.
• Contribute to the development of operational playbooks to enable quicker and more successful future launches.
• Share insights and lessons learned to support Wave’s global strategy evolution.
• Demonstrate and instill Wave’s core values throughout the team.

Key Details

• This is a permanent, full-time position based in Kotu, The Gambia, with potential travel to various field locations.
• Work authorization for The Gambia is mandatory.
• The salary structure is competitive and transparent, with biannual performance reviews and eligibility for bonuses after six months.
• Comprehensive health insurance is provided for employees and their dependents.
• Support for working parents includes 26 weeks of maternity leave, 4 weeks of paternity leave, and subsidized childcare post-leave.
• Airtime reimbursement, complimentary meals, and a well-equipped office environment are offered.

Requirements

• Fluency in English, as interaction with non-French speakers is frequent.
• Fluency in both Mandinka and Wolof languages.
• A minimum of five years' relevant experience managing networks, including at least two years leading large field teams of 50+ members.
• Extensive geographical knowledge of The Gambia.

Preferred Traits and Skills

• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, with a tendency to over-communicate.
• Meticulous attention to detail and pursuit of excellence.
• Strong self-motivation with a proactive approach to reaching ambitious goals.
• Independent project ownership with sound judgment on escalation points.
• Proven ability to build and guide effective teams to achieve objectives.
• Intellectual curiosity and creativity in problem-solving, embracing failure as a path to innovation.
• Determination and resilience to complete tasks thoroughly.
• Adaptability to shifting priorities and environments.
• User-centric thinking regarding culture and process improvements.
• Technical proficiency, comfortable with Excel and learning new tools.

Our Commitment

• Join a fast-growing team across multiple African countries and beyond, united by a mission to revolutionize financial access.
• Experience autonomy and ownership throughout project lifecycles.
• Backed by leading investors like Founders Fund, Sequoia Heritage, Stripe, Ribbit Capital, Y Combinator, and Partech Africa.
• Recognized among top revenue-generating companies.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Wave celebrates diversity and actively fosters an inclusive workplace for all employees.