Apollo Agriculture is the commercial farming platform that helps small-scale farmers maximize their profits. Apollo’s ML-powered credit models and automated operations technology unlock the massive, untapped small-scale farming market, starting in Kenya. With optimized financing, high-quality farm products, and digital advice, Apollo farmers are already more than doubling their farm profitability. Apollo’s team brings together technology, credit and operations experience from The Climate Corporation (acquired for USD $1 Billion), Google, Capital One and One Acre Fund. We value evangelical pursuit of mission with a pragmatic approach, humility in the face of challenge, active discussion of disagreements, and considerate listening.

About the Role: Apollo is seeking an experienced Head of Strategy and BD to help us build pathways from subsistence to commercial farming. This role will drive Apollo’s growth in several areas, including new product strategy, geographic expansion, and partnership development.  This role is inherently cross-functional, touching on product and expansion strategy, agronomy, business development, and technology.

The Head of Strategy and BD will work closely with Apollo’s CEO and Chief Customer Officer, as well as our product, engineering, agronomy, and operations teams, to evaluate opportunities and develop Apollo’s strategy in the following critical areas:

●      Vertical scale: What crops, tools, services, and investments best enable Apollo’s customers to transition from subsistence maize farming to more profitable, more sustainable, and more commercial farming? How should Apollo evaluate, prioritize and actualize growth into these new crops, new products, and new services like market access for their crops, and on what timescale?

●      Horizontal scale: How should Apollo expand, both within Kenya and internationally? What products are best suited to new regions, and how should product offerings be adapted to achieve product-market fit in new territories?

●      Technology landscape: How should Apollo’s product and customer acquisition strategies evolve as our customers transition from feature phones to smartphones? How can Apollo best take advantage of opportunities brought about by smartphone adoption and other new technologies?

●      Partnerships and Business Development: What partnerships can Apollo develop or deepen to increase both horizontal and vertical scale? How can Apollo expand existing partnerships, including with ag-input suppliers, local governments, insurance companies, and agrodealers to maximize our value proposition and achieve our growth goals?

Success in this role will require deep strategic and analytical capabilities, excellent commercial judgment to prioritize new opportunities, and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. You’ll help guide Apollo’s growth priorities in the coming years and build the future of agriculture in Africa.

Location: Either Nairobi, Kenya or Amsterdam, Netherlands is preferred. The role can be remote for the first ~6 months.

Reporting: This role reports to the CEO.