Introduction

The Business Development Lead (Africa) is responsible for identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities across the African region, with a primary focus on renewable energy, transmission lines, and water infrastructure.

This role combines strong commercial acumen with solid technical and industry understanding, enabling effective opportunity origination, bid leadership, and value-driven engagement with clients and partners. The position supports multiple delivery models including EPC, EPC+F, IPP/PPP, concessions, and O&M, and contributes across the full project lifecycle from early opportunity identification and feasibility through to contract award and, where applicable, COD.

Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Market & Opportunity Development

Identify, assess, and prioritize business opportunities across energy, transmission, and water sectors in Africa.
Analyse market trends, regulatory frameworks, procurement models, and competitive dynamics across target countries.
Participate in early-stage feasibility assessments, opportunity structuring, and risk evaluation.
Originate and develop greenfield and brownfield opportunities aligned with regional and corporate growth strategies.

Client, Network & Stakeholder Management

Build, maintain, and actively leverage a high-performing network of clients, utilities, system operators, DFIs, government entities, developers, and strategic partners.
Develop and maintain long-term client relationships across the target markets.
Participate in and lead client presentations, commercial discussions, workshops, and negotiations.
Coordinate and attend site visits to support opportunity development and bid preparation.
Proactively identify new customers and markets through research, direct engagement, and industry networking.

Bidding & Tender Coordination

Lead and coordinate responses to EOIs, RFPs, RFQs, and tender processes across multiple infrastructure sectors.
Work closely with technical, commercial, legal, finance, and operations teams to prepare competitive and compliant bid submissions.
Contribute to bid strategy definition, pricing structures, risk allocation, and partner selection.
Ensure alignment between commercial proposals and technical solutions.

Strategy, Reporting & Governance

Develop and maintain a structured business development pipeline covering all relevant sectors and delivery models.
Prepare internal reports detailing pipeline status, targets, progress, and key risks for senior management.
Collaborate with management to define and implement regional business development strategies.
Support internal governance processes related to opportunity approval and bid authorization.

Process & Capability Development

Establish and continuously improve business development policies, procedures, templates, and tools.
Promote best practices in opportunity screening, project development, and bid management.

Strengthen coordination across internal stakeholders to ensure consistency and efficiency in business development activities

Desired Experience & Qualification

Minimum 5 years’ experience in business development within energy, renewable energy, transmission, water, and/or industrial infrastructure.
Proven ability to combine commercial judgment with technical understanding across infrastructure projects.
Demonstrated experience developing projects from early-stage origination through contract award, financial close, and ideally COD.
Strong exposure to tendering and competitive procurement processes, particularly in African markets.
Experience across multiple delivery models (EPC, EPC+F, IPP/PPP, concessions, O&M).
Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and presentation skills.
Comfortable working in complex, multicultural, and multi-jurisdictional environments.
Willingness to travel within Africa as required.

Cobra Industrial Services

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