Head, Distribution and Digital Channel Strategy

Proten • Lagos, Nigeria

19 days ago

Job description

Job Location : Lagos Deadline : October 02, 2026 Quick Recommended Links

Job Summary

Our client is seeking a strategic, commercially astute, and data-driven distribution leader to develop and execute the organization’s distribution and digital channel strategy across physical and digital platforms.
The role will lead the development and scaling of an efficient distribution network coveringagents, POS terminals, debit cards, branches, service points, onboarding infrastructure, and alternative channels.
The successful candidate will determine where and how distribution resources should be deployed to maximize customer acquisition, transaction volumes, geographic coverage, profitability, and return on investment.
This is agrowth and strategy leadership role, requiring the ability to translate business growth objectives into territories, channels, infrastructure, budgets, deployment plans, and measurable KPIs.

Key Responsibilities
Distribution & Channel Strategy:

Develop and execute the organization’s overall distribution and digital channel strategyin line with business growth objectives.
Develop territory and geographic expansion plans based on market potential, customer demand, competitive landscape, and commercial opportunity.
Translate customer acquisition and transaction targets into required distribution infrastructure, resources, and budgets.
Evaluate and recommend optimal distribution models, including agents, POS, branches, service points, and alternative channels.
Develop annual distribution strategies, territory plans, deployment plans, budgets, and performance reports.

Agent & POS Network Expansion:

Lead agent network expansion, includingrecruitment, onboarding, activation, productivity, performance, and retention.
Develop and manage POS deployment plans, including allocation, utilization, replacement, recovery, and redeployment of idle or underutilized terminals.
Monitor agent and POS productivity, transaction volumes, profitability, coverage, utilization, and cost efficiency.
Identify opportunities to improve channel performance and optimize the distribution network based on data and market insights.

Digital & Alternative Channels:

Develop strategies for digital and alternative distribution channels to improve customer acquisition, accessibility, and transaction growth.
Lead debit card distribution planning, forecasting, deployment, activation, and utilization.
Coordinate onboarding infrastructure, customer acquisition materials, kits, and other resources required to support channel expansion.
Assess emerging channel opportunities and recommend scalable solutions that improve customer reach and commercial performance.

Data, Analytics & Performance Management:

Establish and maintain distribution performance dashboards covering key commercial and operational metrics.
Use data and market intelligence to optimize territory allocation, agent/POS deployment, channel productivity, and resource utilization.
Monitor channel profitability, customer acquisition costs, return on distribution investment, and asset utilization.
Identify performance gaps and implement corrective strategies to improve channel effectiveness.
Provide management with periodic performance reports, insights, and recommendations.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

Work closely with Sales, Operations, Technology, Finance, Risk & Compliance, Marketing, Procurement, and other relevant teams to ensure effective channel execution.
Coordinate the deployment of distribution resources and ensure alignment between commercial objectives, operational capacity, technology, and regulatory requirements.
Provide strategic input into customer acquisition, geographic expansion, and channel investment decisions.

First 90-Day Expectations
Within the first 90 days, the successful candidate will be expected to:

Assess the existing distribution infrastructure and channel performance.
Map the current distribution network and identify coverage and performance gaps.
Develop a12-month Distribution Strategy.
Produce territory-by-territory deployment and expansion plans.
Develop agent, POS, and debit-card expansion plans.
Establish distribution KPIs and a performance dashboard.
Develop the distribution budget and resource requirements.
Present a comprehensive Distribution Master Plan to Management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, Operations, Marketing, or a related discipline.
8–12 years of relevant experience, preferably within banking, fintech, payments, telecommunications, agency banking, FMCG, or large-scale distribution.
Proven experience managingmulti-location distribution networks.
Strong experience inPOS, agency banking, merchant acquisition, field operations, or related distribution channels.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute distribution strategies, territory expansion plans, and channel deployment models.
Strong strategic planning, commercial, analytical, project management, and execution capabilities.
Good understanding of Nigeria’sfinancial services, payments, and agency banking ecosystem.
MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
Strong research, presentation, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
Strong leadership, stakeholder management, organization, and time-management skills.
High level of professionalism, discretion, and execution discipline.

What We Are Looking For:

We are looking for a growth-oriented distribution strategist, not simply a POS or logistics manager.
The ideal candidate should be able to work backwards from business growth objectives and determine the infrastructure and resources required to achieve them:
Customers → Territories → Agents → POS → Cards → Branches / Service Points → Onboarding → Technology → Budget → Deployment → KPIs
The successful candidate must demonstrate strong commercial judgement, analytical ability, strategic thinking, leadership, execution discipline, and cross-functional coordination.

Benefits

Head, Investment Research