Business Development Manager

• Classification: Austrade Overseas Performance Level C (AOPL C)
• Location: Nairobi, Kenya
• Salary: KES 4,896,346
  
  

The Role

Austrade is seeking an experienced business development professional to be based in Nairobi as a Business Development Manager (BDM) within our Education team. The BDM will work with Australian education providers seeking to establish or grow their business across markets of East, Central and Southern Africa.

The candidate will have strong business English communication skills, a passion for business development and building trusted relationships with stakeholders and clients. We are looking for people with a strong commercial background and experience working within the education system.

Working closely with Australian Education providers, the Business Development Manager will create action plans for Australian businesses which may include providing advice on market entry and growth strategies, regulatory requirements within Africa, facilitating introductions to industry, customers and partners, and providing bespoke support that results in clients winning new business.

Reporting to the Trade and Investment Commissioner (TIC) in Nairobi, the BDM will form an integral part of the Study Australia team in the Middle East Africa regional team, working closely with other colleagues. This role will also work with a strong stakeholder network including Australia based Austrade teams, State Governments, Industry bodies and specific incubators and groups.

Duties include

• Provide trade services to Australian Education providers, including strategic advice in relation to scoping, entering and expanding within Africa, including:
• identifying specific, qualified and relevant export opportunities
• providing advice on market conditions, market entry strategies and the regulatory environment across East, Central and Southern Africa
• identifying, and facilitate introductions to, suitable in-market customers and partners aligned with client needs; and
• developing and managing client meetings and visit programs.
• Undertake analysis and market research to identify market trends, existing and emerging business opportunities for Australian Education providers in the region across sectors of focus, including supporting with analysis of regulatory changes.
• Develop a strong understanding of Australian education capabilities.
• Deliver compelling presentations to customers, partners and industry stakeholders to promote client capabilities, and Austrade’s services and value proposition to clients and partners.
• Build and maintain meaningful and productive networks with key business and industry contacts, government and other stakeholders in East, Southern and Central Africa in the Education sectors, including (but not limited to) tertiary education representatives, education agents, consumers of ed-tech solutions, and relevant support networks.
• Collaborate with Austrade’s stakeholder network.
• Responsible for meeting individual key performance indicators, by assisting Australian companies to achieve commercial results in Africa.
• Apply Austrade business practices and maintain timely and accurate reporting of information in all Austrade Business Systems client interactions, services milestones and outcomes in Austrade's client management system.
  
  

For more detailed information please view the Job Information Pack.

Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration and appointment you must have:

• Work Authorisation - to be eligible for employment with Austrade in the Kenya, candidates must be legally authorised to live and work in Kenya at the time of appointment.
• Language - the successful candidate must be a highly motivated team member, fluent in written and spoken English.
• Security Clearance - the successful applicant must be willing to complete an Entry Level Screening Pack and be confirmed as a suitable person to access Government resources prior to commencement in the role.
  
  

Closing date

Applications close Sunday, 11 January 2026 at 11:30pm (Nairobi Local Time)

Only candidates who complete their application in Austrade’s online recruitment system will be considered. Email applications cannot be accepted.

This is a locally-engaged position governed by Austrade’s Overseas Engaged Employees terms and conditions of employment and Kenya labour law. Candidates must currently have the right to live and legally work in Kenya. Austrade will not be able to provide any sponsorship letter nor be involved in the work visa application process.