Fintech Frontiers Lead

What we’re looking for;

In keeping with our current business needs, we are looking for a person who meets the criteria indicated below

Reporting to the Tribe Lead Next Gen Fintech , the role purpose is as highlighted below;

The Fintech Frontiers Lead role is focused on identifying, developing, and scaling next-generation innovations
that drive long-term growth, competitive advantage, and ecosystem expansion. The primary purpose of this
role is to explore emerging technologies, new business models, and untapped market opportunities that sit at
the “frontiers” of fintech—ensuring the organization remains ahead of industry disruption and positioned as a
leader in digital financial services.
At its core, the role is responsible for scanning the external environment to identify trends such as artificial
intelligence, blockchain, embedded finance, digital identity, open banking, and decentralized finance. By
evaluating these innovations, the Fintech Frontiers Lead translates emerging opportunities into actionable
strategies that can be piloted, tested, and scaled. This involves bridging innovation with commercial viability,
ensuring that frontier initiatives not only drive differentiation but also contribute to revenue growth and
customer value.
A key aspect of the role is leading experimentation and innovation programs, including pilots, incubations,
and partnerships with startups, fintechs, and technology providers. The role works closely with internal
product, technology, and commercial teams to integrate new capabilities into existing platforms or to
develop entirely new solutions. Through agile methodologies and rapid prototyping, the Fintech Frontiers
Lead accelerates the organization’s ability to bring innovative solutions to market quickly and effectively.
Additionally, the role plays a strategic function in shaping the organization’s future growth agenda. This
includes evaluating potential investments, partnerships, and acquisitions that align with long-term innovation
goals. The Fintech Frontiers Lead also engages with regulators, industry bodies, and innovation hubs to stay
ahead of regulatory developments and ensure that new solutions are compliant and scalable.
Ultimately, the purpose of the Fintech Frontiers Lead is to act as a catalyst for transformation—driving
continuous innovation while aligning new opportunities with business strategy and customer needs. By
combining deep industry knowledge, foresight, and execution capability, the role ensures that the
organization can navigate disruption, unlock new markets, and deliver cutting-edge financial solutions that
redefine customer experiences and create sustainable growth in the evolving fintech landscape.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership:
Emerging Trends and Innovation Scouting
• Identify global fintech trends and disruptions
• Monitor advancements in AI, blockchain, and open banking
• Analyze competitive and startup ecosystems
• Engage with innovation hubs and research bodies
• Evaluate relevance of new technologies to business
• Track regulatory developments impacting innovation
• Provide insights to shape innovation strategy

Innovation Strategy Development
• Define fintech frontier strategy aligned to business goals
• Prioritize innovation themes and focus areas
• Develop long-term innovation roadmaps
• Align initiatives with customer and market needs
• Balance experimentation with commercial viability
• Secure leadership alignment on innovation agenda
• Continuously refine strategy based on outcomes

Experimentation and Pilot Execution
• Design and run proofs of concept (POCs)
• Lead pilot programs for new technologies
• Apply agile and rapid prototyping approaches
• Test use cases in controlled environments
• Measure pilot success against defined KPIs
• Iterate solutions based on learnings
• Scale successful pilots into full products

Ecosystem and Partnership Development
• Build relationships with startups and fintechs
• Collaborate with technology providers and platforms
• Explore partnerships for co-innovation opportunities
• Engage venture capital and innovation networks
• Identify investment or acquisition opportunities
• Facilitate joint product development initiatives
• Strengthen ecosystem positioning and reach

Product and Platform Integration
• Integrate new technologies into existing platforms
• Collaborate with product and tech teams
• Ensure interoperability within ecosystem solutions
• Support API and platform-based development
• Align innovation with customer experience goals
• Ensure scalability and performance of solutions
• Drive adoption of frontier capabilities

Commercialization and Value Realization
• Translate innovation into revenue-generating solutions
• Develop business cases for new initiatives
• Define monetization and pricing strategies
• Support go-to-market for new innovations
• Track ROI and commercial impact
• Align innovation with growth objectives
• Scale solutions across markets and segments

Governance, Risk, and Compliance
• Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks
• Assess risks associated with new technologies
• Collaborate with legal, risk, and compliance teams
• Establish governance for innovation initiatives
• Ensure data privacy and security standards
• Monitor ethical implications of emerging tech
• Balance innovation speed with risk management

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Technology, Business, Innovation, or related field (MBA preferred)
• 8–12 years’ experience in fintech, banking, innovation, or digital transformation roles
• Strong knowledge of emerging technologies (AI, blockchain, APIs, open banking, embedded finance)
• Proven experience in innovation strategy, product incubation, or new venture development
• Experience working with fintech startups, ecosystems, and partnership models
• Solid understanding of financial services regulations, risk, and compliance frameworks
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and ability to translate trends into business opportunities
• Experience in leading cross-functional teams and driving complex innovation programs
• Proficiency in data analysis, business case development, and ROI evaluation
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and executive influencing skills

Safaricom is the leading technology company in East Africa. Our purpose is to transform lives by connecting people to people, people to opportunities and people to information. We keep over 60 million customers connected across Kenya and Ethiopia, and play a critical role in the society, supporting over 1.13 million jobs both directly and indirectly while our total economic value was estimated at KES 1.1 trillion ($ 8.5 billion) for the 12 months through March 2025.

Listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and with annual revenues of close to KES 388 billion as at March 2025, Safaricom provides connectivity through wide range of technology. Our 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network in aggregate covers over 99% of Kenya’s population.

We run the world’s largest mobile payment system and Africa’s largest Fintech, M-PESA, the world’s first mobile money transfer system. By empowering millions of customers to transact, save or borrow money through their mobile phone, M-PESA has driven financial inclusion in Kenya to 84.8% of the adult population in 2024, from a low of 26.7% in 2006, and generated over KES 161 billion in revenue as at FY25.

Our subsidiary, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, has deployed world class network and services to contribute to Ethiopia’s digital transformation.

Safaricom is an equal opportunity employer, actively recruiting staff from different backgrounds reflecting the communities that we serve. We are committed to equal gender representation at all levels.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we continue to work towards improving energy and resource efficiency in our network and facilities to reduce carbon emissions and our fuel consumption. We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050.