Country Operations Manager - Agent Network

Location: Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Lagos, RSA) Language: English (Intermediate+), Ukrainian or Russian (fluent) Model: Full-time Contract type: B2B About the Client Our client is a high-growth global payment platform utilizing AI-routing in specialized verticals (iGaming, Forex, Crypto). They are building a payments infrastructure for Nigeria through a high-performance offline agent network. This is a pilot with the ambition to become a scalable model across West Africa. Their Vision To build the most efficient agent network for payments in Nigeria . We are starting in Lagos to validate the model within 3-6 months, followed by rapid scaling across other regions and neighboring markets. We have a ready-made blueprint, informed by the experience of successful agent networks. However, we know that the best solutions are always built on the ground , working directly with real agents and customers. Your local expertise and insights will be critical to our success. Pilot Success Metrics (Your Scorecard) 50+ active agents across 2-3 locations during pilot. Unit economics that confidently say: “Scale me now”. 70%+ agent retention after 90 days. Fraud rate , quality score 85%+. Key Responsibilities Your goal is not just to execute the plan - your goal is to make it work in Nigerian reality. Build the Agent Network From Scratch • Find the first high-quality agents who will become the backbone of the network. - Example: We may assume the best agents are near Lagos transport hubs - but you may say: “No, markets outperform transport hubs, and here’s why.” • Launch training and onboarding: - Week 1: 10 leads - Week 2: Train the first 5 - Week 3: First live transactions • Maintain Operational Stability - fixed vs variable commission, bonuses, tiers. Two-week sprints per experiment. Maintain Operational Stability • Track daily agent performance: activity, drop-offs, conversion issues. - Target: • Weekly 1:1s with top-performing and struggling agents. Fraud & Quality Monitoring (Detective Work) • Mystery shopping every 2 weeks. • Immediate escalation/containment at first signs of fraud. • Work with the product team to improve KYC / risk processes. Generate Insights and Improve the Model • Why does Agent #7 convert at 40% while Agent #12 hits 75%? • Weekly report: What’s working / What’s not / Why / What we test next. Top 3 KPI Areas (Pilot Phase) Network Scale & Quality Target: 50+ active agents (20+ tx/month OR 50,000 NGN+ volume) • Month 1: 10 agents • Month 2-3: 25-100 agents • Month 4-6: 500+ agents (post-pilot ramp) Economics & Retention • 70%+ agent retention @ 90 days • 40%+ customer repeat @ 30 days • Blended cost per transaction Operational Excellence Deliverable: A reproducible model + documented proposal: Scale / Pivot / Shut Down . Requirements Must Have Based in Lagos , with the ability to work hands-on in the field. Fluent English + Russian/Ukrainian is a must! 2+ years working with agent networks, field sales, or related on-ground operations. Builder mindset - 60-70% time in the field, not in slides. Nice to Have Experience in Nigerian fintech (OPay, Moniepoint, Jiji, PalmPay). Pilot-launch experience. Startup DNA: 0→1 execution, fast learning, high ownership.