Director, Digital Platforms & Business Development

About Palladium
Operating in over 50 countries, Palladium is a global consulting and implementation company working in partnership with governments, businesses, investors, and communities to design and deliver solutions that create lasting positive impact. We address some of the world’s most complex challenges across infrastructure, economic growth and natural capital, health, energy, climate and environment, and digital transformation—strengthening systems, institutions, and markets to support inclusive and sustainable development. Our more than 2,100 staff worldwide work as trusted advisors across diverse contexts, combining deep technical expertise, implementation techniques, and innovative technology to deliver locally informed, client-focused solutions that help organizations achieve measurable, sustainable impact. 
Palladium is part of GISI’s global family of companies, which aims to create solutions for the world’s most complex challenges. With annual revenues of $14 billion, GISI’s approximately 15,000 employees are engaged in projects across 100 countries worldwide providing construction, program/project management, and engineering consulting services.
This Opportunity
Palladium is seeking a Director, Digital Platforms & Business Development to lead its Nairobi Digital Hub as it evolves into a platform-led, engineering-driven model. This leadership role blends hands-on technology and platform management with a strong focus on private-sector-style business development and revenue growth. The Director will be responsible for setting the technical vision, architecture, and delivery standards for Palladium’s digital platforms, ensuring they are robust, commercially viable, and meet client and partner needs. The position requires a proactive, client-facing technologist who can translate technology into compelling value propositions and drive partnerships. The ideal candidate is a builder–seller–leader, requiring active ownership of business development, partnership creation, and revenue generation, particularly in digital health and data-driven platform solutions.
Location:
This role is based out of Palladium’s Nairobi, Kenya office. Please note that applicants must have the right to work in Kenya, as visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Palladium supports a hybrid working model with 3 days in office and 2 days remote.
Reporting Lines

• The Director reports to the Vice President, Digital Technology and Delivery (US-based)
• This role will supervise the Digital Hub engineering, platform, and product teams, including technical leads, architects, and delivery managers
  

Primary Responsibilities
Portfolio Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and scale the Nairobi Digital Hub as a multidisciplinary engineering organization across software, data, cloud,
• DevOps, QA, security, and UX
• Provide executive oversight of major digital and platform implementations, balancing innovation, delivery discipline, risk, and financial performance
• Represent Palladium as a senior digital and engineering leader with clients, funders, governments, and private sector partners
• Ensure projects align with Palladium’s platform strategy and Digital Hub delivery model
• Recruit, mentor, and retain strong engineering and product talent while building sustainable delivery capacity and clear career pathways
• Foster a builder culture grounded in ownership, accountability, learning, and delivery excellence
  

Technical Strategy and Execution Oversight

• Define and lead Palladium’s digital platform strategy across interoperable architecture, open-source/public goods ecosystems, data platforms, analytics, and AI
• Set and uphold engineering standards for architecture, code quality, security, scalability, documentation, and DevOps
• Oversee the design, build, and operation of shared platforms, accelerators, and reusable components
• Drive a product- and platform-led delivery model supported by modern engineering practices such as Agile, CI/CD, cloud-native, API-first, and modular design
• Provide senior technical leadership on architecture, integration, and interoperability across sectors
• Ensure platforms are secure, scalable, compliant, and supported by reusable reference architectures and blueprints
  

Growth and Business Development

• Originate, develop, and close digital platform and product opportunities, with a strong focus on digital health solutions, data platforms, and technology-enabled services
• Lead end-to-end business development, including pipeline creation, client engagement, solution design, pricing, and deal closure
• Drive product creation and commercialization, packaging digital platforms into scalable, repeatable offerings (e.g., SaaS, managed services, digital health solutions)
• Build and execute market entry strategies, particularly in digital health and adjacent sectors
• Establish and grow strategic partnerships with technology firms, digital health companies, startups, investors, and ecosystem partners to support co-creation and co-investment
• Identify and pursue new revenue streams, including private sector clients and blended finance opportunities beyond donor-funded work
• Lead or contribute to proposal development, including technical design, commercial structuring, and value proposition articulation
• Act as a client-facing commercial leader, capable of pitching, negotiating, and closing complex digital and platform deals
  

Product & Platform Creation and Commercialization

• Lead the design, development, and launch of digital products, with emphasis on digital health platforms and interoperable solutions
• Define product vision, roadmaps, and go-to-market strategies for platform-based offerings
• Ensure platforms are designed for scalability, reuse, and commercial viability, including SaaS and managed service delivery models
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and commercial teams to bridge product development and revenue generation
• Continuously iterate offerings based on market demand, client feedback, and emerging digital health trends
  

Essential Criteria

• 15+ years in software engineering, digital platforms, or technology leadership roles
• Demonstrated success in business development, sales, or commercial roles, including originating opportunities, shaping deals, and closing revenue-generating engagements
• Proven experience leading engineering teams and growth of digital platform engineering teams at scale
• Strong understanding of: Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP); Modern software architectures (microservices, APIs, event-driven systems); Data platforms and analytics
• Proven experience in building partnerships and ecosystems, particularly with technology firms, digital health organizations, or platform providers
• Experience operating at the intersection of technology, product development, and commercial strategy
• Track record of delivering complex digital solutions in multi-stakeholder environments
  

Core Capabilities

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to drive revenue and close complex deals
• Ability to translate product, engineering, and market needs into compelling platform offerings
• Expertise in partnership development and ecosystem building, especially in digital and health tech
• Excellent communication with technical and non-technical audiences
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and building new models
• Strong people leadership and coaching skills
  

Desired Criteria

• Experience in building or scaling digital health, health tech, or data-driven health platforms or products, not just projects
• Exposure to managed services or SaaS-style models
• Experience working with or alongside startups and technology vendors
• Background in global development, DPI, or large-scale public-sector digital programs
  

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply early as the position may close once a suitable candidate is found.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual, or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.
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