Head Business Development
- Sandton, Johannesburg
- Permanent
- Full-time
growth through product innovation, opportunity assessment, strategic enablement, and
commercialization across Life and Non-Life insurance segments. The incumbent will
manage a portfolio of development initiatives, lead innovation through research and
insights, and build strategic partnerships that enhance the organisation’s market presence
and client value proposition.Key Responsibilities
Strategic Growth & Innovation
- Lead cross-functional collaboration to manage the end-to-end product
- Identify and assess new business opportunities through market research,
- Drive the commercialization of products and expansion into new channels and
- Lead the ideation and implementation of solutions through the Innovation Hub,
Portfolio & Initiative Management
- Deliver on the Business Development team’s strategic Book of Work aligned to a 3-
- Monitor and support pilot projects to evaluate success metrics and scalability.
- Communicate initiative outcomes in internal forums to enable informed decision-
Stakeholder Engagement & Enablement
- Build and sustain effective relationships with internal departments (e.g. Product,
- Collaborate with Product Portfolio Managers and the Marketing Team to conduct
- Actively participate in product and execution forums to manage product and
Business Case Development & Risk Integration
- Develop business cases with clear insights, market analysis, financial modeling,
- Incorporate risk, governance, and compliance requirements into all business
- Recommend and lead process improvements that support scalability and enhance
Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead, mentor, and support a team of Business Development Managers to ensure
- Foster a culture of learning, innovation, and execution excellence within the team.
- Support personal and professional growth through targeted development initiatives
Qualifications & Experience
Minimum Qualifications:
- Matric / National Senior Certificate (Essential)
- Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Insurance, Strategy, or related field
Experience:
- Minimum of 8 years' experience in business development, opportunity
Insurance industry.
- Proven experience in leading multifunctional teams, launching new
- Strong understanding of:
o Strategic communication and stakeholder engagement
o Governance, Risk, and Compliance frameworks
o Product development, innovation, and commercialization
o Research and market insight methodologies
o Project and portfolio management practices
o Operational systems and business process optimizationBehavioural Competencies
- Innovation – Champions and drives creative thinking and new market solutions
- Strategic Decision Making – Assesses opportunity and risk to guide direction
- Planning and Organising – Manages complex workstreams with structure and
- Building Partnerships – Creates value through strong collaboration and influence
- Continuous Learning – Promotes professional development and curiosity
- Technical/Professional Expertise – Applies deep industry knowledge with strategic