Country Manager (WAEMU)

👋 About Us

NALA is building Payments for the Next Billion. Faster, smarter, and fairer transfers for everyone. Since 2022, we've grown our business 120x, grown the team from 9 to 150+, raised $50M+ from top-tier investors, and were named to the Forbes Fintech 50 in 2025.

We operate two core products:

• NALA, our consumer app making cross-border payments cheaper, faster and more reliable for the global diaspora. Allowing users to send money from the UK, US and EU to Africa and Asia.
• Rafiki, our B2B payments infrastructure, is powering global payments.

Our team includes alumni from Wise, Stripe, Monzo, Revolut, and CashApp — operators who’ve scaled world-class products. We act with urgency, think deeply, and put our customers first always.

At NALA, this isn’t just a job. It’s ownership, impact, and the chance to change global payments forever.

Join us in building Payments for the Next Billion

🙌 Your Mission

In this role, you will lead Rafiki’s business in WAEMU, starting with Cameroon and Senegal. Your primary responsibility is to secure the best possible FX rates by working closely with banks, brokers and other financial institutions. You’ll also secure funding arrangements that ease float constraints and reduce settlement delays—ensuring that our operations remain reliable and efficient.

Beyond FX, you’ll lead key negotiations with payout partners, banks and other partners to secure strong commercial terms. You’ll oversee licensing, ensure compliance with local regulations, and maintain an active relationship with the Central Bank and other authorities. This role calls for someone who can think and act like an owner and entrepreneur - someone who moves fast, solves problems clearly, and uses data and insight to make strategic decisions.

If you’re a strong negotiator who thrives in fast payment environment, this role is for you.

🎯 Your Responsibilities in this Role

• Develop and execute strategies to grow Rafiki’s presence and market share in WAEMU.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local financial institutions, payment providers, and regulatory bodies.
• Navigate the regulatory landscape and manage relationships with Central Banks in WAEMU member countries to ensure compliance and secure necessary licenses.
• Negotiate the best commercials, fees and secure the best FX rates.
• Own the market’s P&L, providing strategic insight to drive profitability and sustainability.
• Surface insights and data that drive real decisions.

🔥 Must-have requirements

• Proven experience in the fintech, banking or payments sector within the WAEMU region.
• Strong understanding of the regulatory frameworks governing financial services in WAEMU countries.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with a track record of partnerships with banks, regulators, and fintech startups.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to problem-solving in fast-paced environments.
• Fluency in English and French

💪 Nice to Have Qualifications

• Experience with market entry strategies and scaling operations in multiple countries.
• Previous work experience in a leadership role within a rapidly-growing startup.
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset and ability to adapt strategies quickly based on market feedback.

✅ Success in the role looks like

3-Month Metrics

• You’ve built strong relationships with key partners, regulators, and stakeholders in Senegal or Cameroon, and begun expanding your network into additional Francophone markets.
• You’re analysing transaction data daily and have already used those insights to recommend at least one adjustment to partner commercial terms or market strategy.
• You’ve identified any major operational blockers in your corridor and worked with internal teams (treasury, payment ops, etc.) to resolve them quickly.
• You’ve created and started executing a market growth plan for your country, with clear priorities for the next quarter.

6-Month Metrics

• You’ve taken on responsibility for multiple markets in Francophone Africa, with Cameroon established as a high-performing corridor.
• You’ve successfully renegotiated at least one key partner agreement, improving commercial terms or competitiveness.
• You’ve run at least one full quarterly strategy realignment, launching initiatives quickly and iterating based on market feedback.
• You’re recognised internally as the go-to person for your markets, with a proven ability to operate autonomously and drive growth without constant oversight.

➡️ Interview Process

• 30-Minute Intro Call: Your first conversation will be with our Senior Talent Partner. We’ll discuss your background, motivations, and alignment with the role and company culture. This is also a chance for you to ask questions and understand how we operate.
• 1-Hour Technical Interview with Hiring Manager: This is a deep dive into your ability to do the job. We’ll explore your functional expertise, how you approach complex challenges, and assess your readiness to execute in this role.
• 30-Minute Peer Interview: You’ll speak with someone who’s either in the role or has done it before—someone who truly knows what it takes to succeed. This is a valuable opportunity to get an honest view of our culture, pace, and expectations from a teammate’s perspective. It’s also a key moment for us to assess your fit—both culturally and functionally—through the lens of someone who’s walked the path.
• Task (Up to 2 Hours): You’ll complete a practical task that mirrors the kind of challenges you’ll face in the role. We’re looking for clear thinking, structured problem-solving, and strong execution under real-world constraints.
• 1-Hour Final Interview with our COO or CEO: You’ll wrap with a strategic conversation focused on your long-term vision, leadership mindset, and how you’ll contribute to Rafiki’s mission and growth. It’s also a chance to align on values, ambition, and what success looks like in this role.

⭐️ Benefits

• 35 Days Off: Enjoy an amazing 35 days of holidays to unwind and explore.

• Birthday Leave: Celebrate your special day with a bonus day off to take off in that month
• Enhanced Parental Leave - We offer 16 weeks of full pay for the primary caregiver and 4 weeks of full pay for the secondary caregiver (After a 6-month probationary period)
• Learning Budget: Fuel your growth with $1000 annually for learning and development.
• Global Workspace: Get access to WeWork locations worldwide