Account Manager, Partner Strategy, Africa

Please Note: This role requires the ability to work on site 3 days per week per company policy.

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why we are recruiting

As a partnership organization and through the Business Engagement teams, the World Economic Forum engages the private sector to address industry, regional and systemic issues. Partners benefit from and contribute to the global knowledge base through working closely with the Forum to set the intellectual agenda of Forum gatherings, drive the insight agenda of its publications and steer the impact of its initiatives.

Structured geographically, the Regional Business Team is responsible for building and managing the world’s premier communities of business executives.

We are currently seeking an Account Manager, Africa, who will be tasked manage a portfolio of Partner accounts and engage relevant executives in the Forum’s events, initiatives and communities. The Account Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for assigned organizations; develop and implement engagement strategies that strengthen relationships with CEOs and C-suite executives and identify opportunities to strengthen the engagement with the Forum.

The Account Manager will interact with the Regional Head and across multiple teams ranging from Centres, Business Operations, other regions and industries, Government engagement among others. The person will report to Head of Business Engagement, Africa.

Main responsibilities

• Partner (Account) relationship management: Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior Partner representatives; lead regular engagement with Partners to understand their strategic priorities; collaborate with relevant internal stakeholders to deliver a seamless Partner experience. Engage partners in relevant industry work.
• Portfolio growth and account management: Monitor Partner engagement, business developments and overall account health to identify opportunities for partnership growth and expansion; proactively identify partnership risks and develop retention strategies in collaboration with the Head of Region/Industry to maximize long-term Partner value.
• Executive engagement and event strategy: Develop engagement strategies for Partners; shape executive agendas and identify opportunities for speaking roles and leadership interactions and ensure effective follow-up to maximize engagement outcomes.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with Industry, Regional, Centre, Event, Finance and Partner Development (sales) teams to coordinate Partner activities; provide strategic guidance to Account Associates on operational delivery and ensure high-quality execution across the Partner lifecycle.

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Partner engagement: Strong and trusted relationships with senior executives, reflected in sustained engagement across Forum activities.
• Partner retention: High retention rates and proactive management of at-risk accounts through effective engagement strategies.
• Strategic execution: Delivery of high-quality engagement plans and successful execution of Partner strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
• Collaboration and leadership: Effective coordination across internal teams, enabling a seamless Partner experience and consistent knowledge sharing.

Preferred Requirements and Experience

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Business, Economics, International Relations, Management or another relevant field.
• Knowledge and understanding of the business, economic and political landscape of Africa
• 5+ years of experience in account management, client relationship management, business development or a similar external-facing role
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with senior business executives and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to identify growth opportunities and develop long-term engagement strategies.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage confidently with C-suite executives.
• Strong organizational, project management and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple strategic accounts simultaneously.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary and multicultural teams while balancing strategic thinking with execution.
• Responsible, self-driven and adaptable, with a learning mindset and a strong commitment to delivering exceptional Partner experiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Salesforce (or other CRM platforms); experience leveraging AI-enabled productivity tools is an asset.

Why join us?

Join an independent and impartial organization with over 55 years of connecting leaders to make sense of global challenges and move the world forward together.