The Product Specialist – Merchant Payments will lead the strategy and execution of M-PESA merchant and agent offerings within Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC's MPESA Products and B2C Segments department. This role focuses on accelerating financial services digitization, expanding merchant acceptance, and strengthening the digital payment ecosystem to promote financial inclusion for underserved and unbanked populations.

At Safaricom Ethiopia, we are a purpose-led technology company dedicated to transforming lives through digital connectivity and inclusive financial services. In less than five years, we have grown to serve over 15 million 90 days active customers, with our network now reaching 60% of Ethiopia’s population; a testament to our bold vision and trusted partnerships.

Guided by our core values of Customer Obsession, Innovation, Integrity, and Get It Done Together, we are building a dynamic, inclusive, and empowering workplace. We believe our greatest strength lies in our people. That is why, for three consecutive years, we have proudly earned the Top Employer Award. In addition, we have received the African Top Employer recognition for the first time, reflecting our unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive, innovative, and inclusive work environment.

Join Safaricom Ethiopia and be part of a team shaping the digital future of Ethiopia. Here, your work has meaning, your voice matters, and your growth is our priority. Together, we are transforming lives for a digital future.

Role Overview – Merchant Product Specialist

Overall responsibility for developing, driving, and executing the M-PESA Merchant growth strategy through the development, management, and optimization of Merchant and Agent products, services, and strategic partnerships. The role focuses on accelerating the digitization of financial services, expanding merchant acceptance, strengthening the digital payment ecosystem, and promoting financial inclusion by delivering accessible, affordable, and innovative financial solutions to underserved and unbanked populations.

The role requires close collaboration with strategic business partners, internal business units, and cross-functional teams, including Technology, Finance, Marketing, Operations, and Commercial teams, to identify market opportunities and deliver customer-centric Merchant and Agent products and services that address evolving market needs, drive business growth, improve customer experience, and advance Safaricom M-PESA's financial inclusion objectives.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership

Identify, define and develop Merchant and Agent products and services
Champion Financial Inclusion through developing relevant Merchant and Agent products and services to allow accessible and affordable financial services access in the market.
Lead the end-of-the-end product lifecycle from concept to launch, including market research, planning, development, testing, and deployment. Working with technical teams to design and implement solutions that meet business needs.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including marketing, finance, operations, and technology to ensure successful product development and launch.
To manage and cultivate strategic partnerships with partners that are key to development and growth of Financial Services and ensure that they provide benefit to Merchant and agent products and services.
Co-ordinate the management of ongoing relationships with existing partners and, where relevant, leverage those relationships to greater collective impact.
Help organize and lead critical planning meetings, status updates, business reviews and other communications with partners.
Monitor market insights (market intelligence) and competitor activity within the Merchant and agent product sector to support overall business strategy and support decision making.
Help organize and lead critical planning meetings, status updates, business reviews and other communication related to the banking sector.
Evaluate existing business processes and recommend solutions for optimization and efficiency.
Assist in project planning, coordination, and management to ensure timely delivery of objectives
core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Business Competencies

Working with Others
Consciously takes steps to make the most of every conversation/interaction
Identifies people’s needs, interests and motives to be able to influence the decisions they make
Pro-actively adapts own style and approach to build rapport, and work with others more effectively.
Build and maintain strong relationships and networks.
Proactively engages with key stakeholders, as needed, to ensure the timely completion of key deliverables. This includes in-person meetings when other communication channels, such as emails, calls, and chats, are not effective.

Operational Excellence

Targets effort and resources on high-value, high impact activity
Focus on achieving maximum performance and continuous driving improvement.
Thinks about processes and problems cross functionally and end-to-end
Uses knowledge of products, technology, processes, systems and policy to solve problems Creativity and Innovation
Finds creative ways to exploit opportunities and solve problems
Take risks and push what is possible
Experiments with unorthodox approaches Business Know how
Uses data and research to make decisions that are competitively and financially robust.
Balances current and future needs
Thinks and acts like an owner of the business
Acts in line with legal, regulatory, professional and ethical standards Working with Change
Responds flexibly to changing situations.
Manages the business and people aspects of change to drive performance. Project and Program Management
Defines scope and deliverables in terms of time, cost, quality and business benefit
Schedules activity and identifies resource needs, dependencies and synergies
Evaluates progress, mitigates risks and addresses issues

Functional Competencies

Products, Services and Technology Knowledge – Merchant and agent product
Explains and matches the functionality and benefits of our products and services to our customer’s needs
Fixes problems to maintain & enhance service
Applied knowledge of the Mobile Money regulation to deliver products and services Business Development and Sales Planning
Forecasts of future sales, revenues and risks
Identifies and qualifies opportunities to develop new business Solution Selling
Wins and retains Customers by identifying their needs or business challenges, and matching them to Safaricom products and services
Focus on achieving maximum performance and driving continuous improvement.
Thinks about processes and problems cross functionally and end-to-end
Uses knowledge of products, technology, processes, systems and policy to solve problems Creativity and Innovation
Finds creative ways to exploit opportunities and solve problems
Take risks and push what is possible
Experiments with unorthodox approaches Business Know how
Uses data and research to make decisions that are competitively and financially robust.
Balances current and future needs
Thinks and acts like an owner of the business
Acts in line with legal, regulatory, professional and ethical standards Working with Change
Responds flexibly to changing situations.
Manages the business and people aspects of change to drive performance. Project and Program Management
Defines scope and deliverables in terms of time, cost, quality and business benefit
Schedules activity and identifies resource needs, dependencies and synergies
Evaluates progress, mitigates risks and addresses issues Functional Competencies: Products, Services and Technology Knowledge – Merchant and agent product
Fixes problems to maintain & enhance service
Wins and retains Customers by identifying their needs or business challenges, and matching identifies opportunities to win more business by up-selling and cross-selling Negotiation
Responds positively and professionally to objections, and addresses the Customer’s needs to successfully close the sale
Uses a range of techniques and approaches to make agreements that add value for Safaricom and our Customers Competing to win
Brings energy and passion to work and always aims to beat the competition
Knows what the competitors are offering, how our offer compares and uses market data to drive decisions

Key performance indicators

Business KPI Achievement: Ensure adherence to agreed business KPIs, strategic objectives, and performance commitments for Merchant and Agent products and services.
Product Development and Launch: Successfully deliver and roll out new Merchant and Agent products, solutions, and services within agreed timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
Product Optimization: Drive continuous improvement and optimization of existing Merchant and Agent products and services to enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, revenue generation, and product performance.
Product Delivery and Prioritization: Ensure timely delivery of Merchant and Agent product initiatives based on strategic priorities, business impact, customer needs, and available resources. Product Growth and Retention: Develop and implement strategies to drive merchant and agent acquisition, activation, adoption, usage, engagement, and retention.
Reward and Recognition: Develop guidelines, frameworks, and implementation processes for Merchant and Agent reward and recognition initiatives to encourage performance, engagement, and business growth.
Digital Transformation and Innovation: Drive the successful delivery of strategic digitization projects and initiatives that accelerate digital payment adoption, expand merchant acceptance, and strengthen the M-PESA ecosystem.
Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management: Ensure all Merchant and Agent products, services, and initiatives comply with applicable regulatory requirements, internal policies, and procedures. Monitor compliance KPIs, audit findings, and risk management measures.
Agile Maturity and Productivity: Contribute to improving Agile maturity, team productivity, delivery effectiveness, and Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) through effective collaboration, continuous improvement, and stakeholder engagement.

Must have technical / professional qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a technology or business-related field from a recognized university
A master’s degree will be an added advantage
At least 1 years’ experience in the Financial Services industry handling either Project Management, Product Management related to Merchant and agent products
Business Analysis Experience in handling either partnerships or business development is an added advantage.
Track record of innovation and development of new products and services
Must demonstrate strategy execution/delivery
Must have excellent financial and analytical skills.
How to Apply. If you feel that you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualification and experience, kindly proceed to create/ update your candidate profile on the recruitment portal and then Click on the apply button. Remember to attach your resume.

Product Specialist – Merchant Payments (Internal/ External) @ Safaricom Candidate Experience site

About this role