Commercial Director, Data Services

Job description

About Pula We are an insuretech and data services firm that provides agriculture insurance design and execution services, specializing in index-based insurance and is backed by top-tier VC investors who have invested more than $25 million in the business. Since 2015 we have provided climate insurance to 22 million smallholder farmers, 41% of which were women across 19 markets in Africa and Asia who pay an average of $6.8 per season to insure their crops. So far, we've unlocked over $2.22 billion of capital from local and international insurance markets for climate risks since we started in 2015 and paid out $40.8 million to our client farmers. Pula is a fast-paced company, constantly adapting to new opportunities and challenges. We are made up of a high-performance, multi-cultural team. We expect our team to value performance, results, and professionalism. At Pula, our culture is defined by our Obsession with results: We are responsible for our future and therefore we get things done! Ability to connect the Dots: We continuously identify different customer needs & business problems and build solutions that deliver value. Our Can-do Attitude! We dare to do things differently to make things work. Ability to have each other’s back: We look out for each other & we share high quality, timely feedback that makes us better. About Data Services Pula is building the digital infrastructure that enables more resilient, productive and inclusive agricultural systems across Africa. Our mission is to help governments, agribusinesses, financial institutions and development partners make better decisions through trusted agricultural data, digital public infrastructure and climate intelligence. Over the last decade, we have built one of the world's largest agricultural datasets through our work with millions of smallholder farmers across multiple markets. Today, we are transforming that experience into scalable data platforms, farmer registries, traceability systems, analytics and digital infrastructure that strengthen agricultural ecosystems while expanding financial inclusion and climate resilience. Insurance remains an important part of our ecosystem, but our long-term strategy positions Data Services as the engine that powers governments, value chains and institutions with the trusted data needed to improve productivity, manage climate risk and deliver services at scale. Joining Pula means helping shape one of Africa's leading agricultural data platforms while solving some of the continent's most complex food security and climate resilience challenges. What you will be doing As the Commercial Director, Data Services , you will lead the commercial growth of Pula's Data Services business across Africa. You will define and execute the commercial strategy that scales Pula's portfolio of data and digital solutions into long-term, sustainable revenue streams. Working collaboratively across Product, Delivery, Consulting, Insurance and Pula Re you will identify strategic opportunities, shape integrated client solutions, build executive relationships with governments and enterprise clients, and commercialise innovative data solutions that position Pula as the partner of choice for agricultural data and digital transformation. Success in this role will be measured not only by revenue growth, but by your ability to establish scalable commercial models, grow recurring revenue, deepen strategic partnerships and accelerate adoption of Pula's data products across priority markets. Key responsibilities Build and Lead a High-Performing Commercial Team for Data Services (50%) Team Development: Mentor and develop Senior Commercial Managers and Commercial Managers who sell data services and digital public infrastructure, building the consultative, technical, and multi-stakeholder skills that a data and platform sale calls for. Performance Excellence: Own the data services commercial target across your territory and lead the team to meet and exceed it across Pula's data lines: farmer registries and digital public infrastructure, data platforms and analytics, monitoring and evaluation, and traceability. Keep a strong focus on employee engagement, retention, and internal promotions. Inspiration and Motivation: Cultivate a culture of ambition and dedication, encouraging teams to go above and beyond in achieving Pula's objectives. Stakeholder and Deal Management (30%) High-Level Negotiation and Relationship Building: Maintain and deepen relationships with the senior stakeholders who own data and digital infrastructure: government leaders, ministries of agriculture, digital and national ID agencies, statistics offices, and development partners. Position Pula as the partner of choice for digital public infrastructure for farmers in the region. Structuring Data and Platform Deals: Lead the structuring of complex data services engagements, from registries and platforms to licensing and managed services, including the commercial model, data governance, and farmer consent these deals depend on. Market Insight and Assessment: Quickly assess a market's readiness for data services and its stakeholder landscape, identifying the core issues and opportunities in complex government and development-partner environments. Collaborative: Work closely with Pula's product, data, and delivery teams so that what the commercial team sells can be built and delivered. System Building and Process Enhancement (10%) System Compliance: Ensure all data services activities align with Pula's systems and processes, including how data products are scoped, priced, contracted, and delivered. Data Productization: Work with product and data teams to turn Pula's data assets into repeatable, priced products that the commercial team can sell consistently. Knowledge Management: Oversee the documentation and sharing of data services insights, so that commercial learnings feed Pula's organizational intelligence. Portfolio Management: Systematically manage the regional data services portfolio, building a consistent approach to pricing, packaging, and recurring data revenue. Strategic Innovation and Market Expansion (10%) Innovative Problem-Solving: Develop new data-led products and services, for example credit scoring, subsidy targeting, traceability, and climate and carbon measurement, that build on Pula's registries and data platforms. New Market Exploration: Lead entry into new territories for data services and digital public infrastructure, prioritising markets that are building this capability for the first What we look for Core Competencies Proven Leadership in B2G Data and Platform Sales: 10+ years leading commercial teams that sell complex data, analytics, or digital platform and infrastructure solutions to governments in a multi-country context. Data Commercialization: A track record building the commercial side of data: pricing, packaging, licensing, managed services, and recurring-revenue models, and turning data capability into revenue. Digital Public Infrastructure Fluency: Strong understanding of digital public infrastructure, including farmer registries, digital identity, interoperability, and data platforms, and how governments and development partners use them. Data Governance and Trust: A clear grasp of data privacy, consent, and governance, especially around farmer data, and the ability to structure engagements that earn and keep the trust of government and partners. Advanced Negotiation and Influence: Ability to build and maintain high-level relationships and navigate complex negotiations with senior government officials and development partners. Strategic Problem-Solving: Skilled at analysing high-stakes, multi-stakeholder situations and guiding teams to successful deal closure. Systems Orientation: Strong commitment to building, refining, and implementing the processes that make data services repeatable and scalable. Innovation and Growth Mindset: A creative thinker with a track record of launching new data products and pioneering entry into new markets. Behavioural Attributes Inspiring Leadership: Ability to foster a high-energy, growth-focused environment where teams are motivated to surpass goals. Big-Picture Vision: Skilled at viewing issues strategically, with a broad understanding of market trends, data ecosystems, and stakeholder dynamics. Accountable and Results-Oriented: High level of ownership, delivering on ambitious goals through a disciplined, results-driven approach. Resilience and Tenacity: A relentless pursuit of goals with the ability to overcome setbacks and persist in challenging environments. What Pula will bring to the table: Your work matters: At Pula, you’ll shape systems that give millions of smallholder farmers access to insurance for the first time. You’ll join a team that has already reached over 19 million farmers across Africa and Asia, and you’ll directly contribute to scaling this impact even further. Career development: You’ll be working in a high-performance environment with strong mentorship and leadership that values transparency, execution, and personal growth. As we enter our next phase of accelerated expansion, you’ll naturally gain opportunities to take on new responsibilities and grow your career. Global recognition: Backed by top global investors and foundations; Pula is a solid, well-funded organization. Our work is recognized globally (from winning the Singapore FinTech Festival Award to being featured in The Economist and TED Talks) and you’ll be part of a brand that is respected in the industry. Purpose with Rewards: Few opportunities combine career advancement with genuine purpose. At Pula, your work directly contributes to financial security for farmers in emerging markets, while also offering competitive pay, performance incentives, and an employee share option plan (ESOP) with equity upside. To learn more about Pula: TED Talk : Crop Insurance, an Idea Worth Seeding New York Times : He Grew up on a Farm. Now, He Helps Protect Them The Economist : The Poor, Who Most Need Insurance, Are Least Likely to Have It