Business Development Manager

About azakaw azakaw is a purpose-built RegTech compliance platform for financial institutions, fintechs, and professional services firms. Core modules include Digital KYC/KYB, AML Screening, Transaction Monitoring, and Corporate Compliance. The platform is backed by j. awan & partners and supported by more than 50 compliance specialists. azakaw is entering its next growth phase, including new markets, accelerated client acquisition, and a scaling commercial team. The commercial function has proven unit economics per BDM and is expanding simultaneously across GCC, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Brazil, and Eastern Europe. Operating markets sit within a two-hour time zone spread. This role exists to lead the sales team through that expansion. Culture and Values • Growth mindset, resilience, accountability, and adaptability in a fast-paced scaling environment. • Professional maturity and integrity in handling sensitive client and regulatory information. • Client-first philosophy: every interaction, starting with the first sales conversation, reflects the accuracy, proactivity, and integrity of the group's advisory heritage. • Trust and credibility built through consistent follow-through, transparency, and candid communication. Mission A high-impact, full-cycle sales role for a BDM who builds pipeline from scratch, runs a disciplined sales process, and closes deals independently. You own every stage from cold outreach through tailored demos, influencer mapping, commercial negotiation, and contract close across startups, fintechs, mid-market, and enterprise. Global scope with key target markets in UAE, KSA, the wider GCC, Africa, South America, UK, and Europe. The ideal candidate sells with insight, not just effort. Leading with a point of view on the prospect's regulatory exposure, reframing how they think about compliance risk, and positioning azakaw as the solution to a problem they may not have fully articulated. How we sell is how the client experiences us from day one. 12-18 Month Mission Outcomes ("What Success Looks Like") Client-Centric Excellence Every prospect experiences azakaw's advisory heritage from the first conversation. Engagement tailored to jurisdiction, regulatory exposure, and operating model. Demo-to-proposal conversion at or above 60%. Post-sale handoffs clean, documented, and confirmed by delivery. Pipeline Ownership You own your pipeline. 3x quota coverage maintained monthly through own prospecting, referrals, events, and network. Outbound-sourced pipeline exceeds 70% of total. No reliance on inbound or marketing to hit target. Conversion rates improving quarter over quarter. Revenue Delivery 100% of quarterly revenue target through consistent monthly deal flow, not end-of-quarter compression. Deal volume targets met. Sales cycle at or below 60-90 day benchmark. Revenue is predictable, not volatile. Market Entry and Territory Growth Active qualified pipeline across assigned target markets. Territory strategy built top-down by leadership, supported and refined bottom-up by the BDM, documented and presented to line manager Competitive Displacement Prospects using incumbents (World-Check, LexisNexis, Sumsub, or manual processes) engaged, qualified, and converted. azakaw positioned credibly against established competitors without disparagement. Competitive win stories documented and shared with the team. Commercial Integrity Deals closed on value, not discounts and average deal size maintained or growing. Account Expansion Upsell and cross-sell identified within 90 days of initial close. Clients expanding module adoption (KYC to AML, AML to Transaction Monitoring, single to multi-jurisdiction). Expansion revenue tracked quarterly and growing. Market Intelligence You are azakaw's eyes and ears in the market. Regulatory shifts, enforcement actions, competitor moves, and pricing trends reported monthly. Field insights converted into prospecting triggers, messaging refinements, and product feedback. Event Impact Industry events generate measurable pipeline, not just visibility. Target pre-scheduled meetings. Event-sourced pipeline tracked quarterly. Structured follow-up within 48 hours. Technology & Platform Proficiency HubSpot pipeline, forecasting, and reporting executed with full accuracy and discipline. azakaw platform demonstrated fluently in every client-facing interaction. All mandated firm technology (ClickUp, WebHR, and others as introduced) adopted and maintained at 90%+ proficiency. Function BuildingYou are building a commercial engine, not just carrying a number. Playbook contributions logged quarterly. Battle cards, objection handling, and demo scripts refined from live deals. New BDMs and SDRs onboarded with your support. Key Accountabilities Pipeline Generation and Market Intelligence Execute disciplined outbound prospecting to build a self-sustaining pipeline at minimum 3x coverage. Map buyer personas by firm size. Monitor regulatory developments and competitor activity as prospecting triggers. Shape event strategy, pre-schedule meetings, and execute follow-up within 48 hours. Strategic Selling and Demos Own the full sales cycle from outreach through close. Lead with regulatory insight, deliver demos tailored to each prospect's jurisdiction/industry. Multi-thread across buying committees. Build quantified business cases using cost savings calculators and ROI modelling. Revenue Delivery and Deal Closure Achieve monthly and quarterly revenue and deal volume targets. Negotiate with confidence across all segments. Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities within 90 days post-close. Seamless handoffs to delivery teams. Cross-Functional Collaboration Provide structured feedback to marketing on messaging and lead quality. Partner with product as a voice-of-customer channel. Engage compliance SMEs for complex deals. Coordinate with delivery pre-close on scope and timelines. CRM Discipline and Forecasting Maintain clean, current HubSpot records updated within 24 hours of any stage change. Submit weekly pipeline updates and bi-weekly detailed forecasts with deal-level commentary and risk flags. Sales Enablement Flag when battle cards, positioning, or demo scripts need updating. Share winning talk tracks through deal reviews and playbook contributions. Support onboarding of new team members as the team scales This Role is Not for You If... • You rely on inbound leads. This role requires a self-generated, outbound-first pipeline. • You are uncomfortable selling into regulated environments where compliance frameworks shape every conversation. • You prefer transactional, feature-led selling. We sell with insight, data, and a point of view. • You close a handful of large, slow-moving deals per year. This is a high-velocity environment with consistent monthly deal flow. Core Competencies • Hunter Mentality: Self-start

This role requires a self-generated, outbound-first pipeline and the ability to sell in regulated environments. Candidates should lead with regulatory insight, deliver tailored demos, and manage full sales cycles from outreach to close. Experience building and expanding a commercial engine, and working with CRM discipline (HubSpot).

Own the full sales cycle from outreach through close. Build and manage a self-sustaining pipeline (minimum 3x coverage). Lead with regulatory insight in demos, multi-thread across buying committees, build quantified business cases, and negotiate across segments. Ensure seamless handoffs to delivery, maintain CRM discipline, forecast accurately, and enable the team through playbooks, battle cards, and onboarding support.