East & West Africa | Performance-Based Contract
Ria’s Colony is building a network of people across East and West Africa who can help businesses enter new African markets.
There are many African businesses with good products and services that want to expand into other countries but don't have anyone on the ground to help them understand the market, find the right people or get their products in front of potential customers.
That is where you come in.
We are looking for people who understand their local markets, know how to build relationships and can help businesses find real opportunities on the ground.
This is more than traditional field marketing. Depending on the client, you could be helping a company understand a market, find distributors, speak to customers, test a product, generate leads, secure partnerships or represent them at a trade expo.
What You May be Doing
The work will depend on what the client needs, but it can include:
Market Research & Intelligence
- Researching a market before a company enters
- Speaking with potential customers and businesses
- Conducting customer surveys
- Understanding customer needs, preferences and concerns
- Researching competitors and pricing
- Identifying potential distributors, retailers and partners
- Gathering information about how a product or service fits into the market
- Preparing clear market intelligence reports based on what you find
Taking Products to the Market
Sometimes, the client doesn't just need a report. They need someone to actually take the product into the market.
You may be responsible for:
- Introducing products to potential customers
- Speaking with retailers, distributors and businesses
- Conducting product demonstrations where necessary
- Generating leads
- Collecting customer feedback
- Finding out what is working and what isn't
- Reporting what you are seeing back to the client
- Helping the client make better decisions based on real market feedback
Finding Distributors & Business Partners
You may also help companies find the people they need to grow in a new country.
This could include:
- Finding potential distributors
- Identifying retailers and agents
- Connecting businesses with potential partners
- Opening conversations
- Setting up meetings
- Supporting partnership discussions
- Following up on opportunities
- Helping to secure distribution or commercial agreements
The goal is not simply to make introductions. It is to help create genuine commercial opportunities.
Trade Events & Representation
Some companies may need someone on the ground to represent them at:
- Trade expos
- Business conferences
- Industry events
- B2B meetings
- Networking events
- Trade missions
- Distributor meetings
- Other relevant business events
You may attend on behalf of a client, speak with potential partners, collect leads, identify opportunities and report back afterwards.
SOMETIMES, IT GOES BEYOND A ONE-OFF PROJECT
A company may not just need a market report or someone to represent them at an expo.
They may need someone on the ground to help them actually enter a new market.
In that case, Ria’s Colony can work with the company as its fractional go-to-market partner for that market.
That could mean helping them understand the market, speak to potential customers, find distributors, test the product, gather feedback, attend meetings and events, and build the relationships they need to get established.
The idea is to help the company enter the market properly, learn what works, build the right relationships and gain a foothold before eventually handing things over to their own team.
You may therefore be involved from the first market research conversation all the way to helping secure the first customers, distributors or partnerships.
The exact work will depend on what the client needs.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are particularly interested in people who have already done this kind of work.
You may currently work as a:
- Business development professional
- Field marketing professional
- Market expansion specialist
- Trade representative
- Sales professional
- Commercial consultant
- Distributor or agent
- Market researcher
- Import/export professional
- Regional business development manager
- Trade fair or event representative
- Independent commercial professional
Your job title isn't the most important thing to us.
What you've actually done is.
Preference will be given to people who can show a track record of:
- Taking products or services into new markets
- Finding distributors or agents
- Generating business leads
- Securing commercial partnerships
- Conducting market research
- Conducting customer surveys
- Representing companies at trade fairs or expos
- Generating sales or business opportunities
- Helping businesses establish themselves in a new market
If you have examples, case studies, numbers, references, a portfolio or anything else that demonstrates your experience, please include them.
WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING
You should:
- Understand the market where you operate
- Have existing business connections or know how to build them
- Be comfortable approaching businesses and potential customers
- Communicate clearly and professionally
- Be able to conduct research and gather useful information
- Be comfortable with sales and business development
- Be able to negotiate and build relationships
- Work independently without needing constant supervision
- Be reliable with reporting and follow-up
- Understand the business culture of your market
- Be willing to go into the field when the assignment requires it
Most importantly, you should be someone who can open doors.
WHERE WE ARE RECRUITING
For now, we are building our network across West and East Africa.
This includes markets such as:
West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Togo and other West African markets.
East Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and other East African markets.
You do not need to be based in every country listed.
We are looking for people who have strong knowledge, networks or experience in their own market and can help us build a reliable network across the region.
HOW THE WORK WILL BE PAID
This is a contract-based, performance-driven opportunity.
There is no fixed monthly salary for this role.
Payment will depend on the assignment and the agreed deliverables or commercial outcome.
For example, an engagement could involve payment for:
- A completed market intelligence report
- A customer survey
- Qualified leads generated
- Distributor opportunities identified
- A successful distributor agreement
- Business partnerships facilitated
- Sales or deals secured
- Trade expo representation
- Client meetings arranged or supported
- A specific market-entry project
The payment structure will be agreed before each assignment so that both sides understand what is expected and what the compensation will be.
WHY THIS MATTERS
We believe African businesses should be able to do more business with other African businesses.
But entering another country is not always as simple as putting a product online and waiting for customers.
Businesses need local knowledge. They need relationships. They need to understand customers. They need people who can go into the market, ask questions, test things, make introductions and help them figure out what works.
That is what we are trying to build.
A network of capable people across Africa who can help businesses move from "We want to enter this market" to "We understand this market, we have customers, we have partners and we know what we're doing here."
HOW TO APPLY
Send your CV or professional profile to:
Use the subject:
Market Expansion Representative – [Country]
In your application, please tell us:
- The country or countries you understand well
- Your current or previous experience
- The kind of products, services or businesses you have helped take to market
- Any distributors, partnerships or commercial deals you have helped secure
- Any trade expos, conferences or business events where you have represented a company
- The business networks you currently have access to
- Examples of results you have achieved
If you have a LinkedIn profile, portfolio, case study or other evidence of your work, include it.
We are looking for people who understand markets, build relationships and can turn opportunities into real business.