Jerome Michael Salaka
Dar es Salaam
Summary
Accomplished professional in digital banking and fintech, with a proven track record of leading strategic partnerships and driving revenue growth. Expertise in product management and relationship management, complemented by strong project management and business development capabilities.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head Sales & Growth
PALMPAY
01.2025 - Current
- Develop and execute sales strategies for Device Financing and Digital Lending
- Recruit, train and manage a high-performing sales team
- Collaborate with partners to co-sell credit products
- Conduct market research and support product development
- Track and analyse sales metrics to measure performance
- Ensure compliance with company policies and regulations
- Work with marketing to design campaigns for credit products
Head of Digital Banking Partnerships
PALMPAY
04.2023 - Current
- Develop and manage strategic partnerships for digital wallets, card business, merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and digital lending
- Lead negotiations and manage contracts with partners
- Oversee the Business Development, product and Partnership team, ensuring strategic alignment
- Identifying market opportunities, delivering tailored digital banking solutions
- Manage vendor relationships, ensuring quality service
- Led integration and deployment of the Merchant POS and USSD channels for Palmpay TZ
- Successfully led the development and launch of salary advance digital lending and device financing products
Head of Digital & Transactional Banking
UBA BANK TZ
02.2022 - 03.2023
- Developed strategies for alternative channels, card issuing, merchant acquiring, remittance, and agency banking
- Achieved the department's first positive monthly P&L, driving revenue growth
- Boosted deposit mobilization via prepaid card deposits through the agency network
- Led contract negotiations and managed projects for digital banking products
- Spearheaded sales performance across digital banking
Manager of Merchant Acquiring Business
EQUITY BANK TZ
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Developed sales strategies for card, POS merchant acquiring, and e-commerce
- Implemented cost-reduction initiatives by adjusting Merchant Discount Rates (MDR) and FX markup
- Enhanced merchant relationships, increasing activity levels and retention
- On-boarded e-commerce PSPs, growing revenue
- Led card sales across all Equity Bank branches
Zonal Relationship Manager - Merchant Acquiring & Agency Banking
CRDB BANK PLC
08.2019 - 12.2020
- Managed relationships with POS merchants, e-commerce clients, and agents in the region, providing effective support and improving client satisfaction
- Led recruitment efforts for new merchants and agents alongside a digital champions team
- Monitored and enhanced sales performance across branches, focusing on agents and merchant sales
- Managed merchant and agent charge-backs and dispute resolution
- Launched activation campaigns to drive increased merchant product usage within the region
- Boosted revenue through a strategic partnership with Zanzibar's Ministry of Health, facilitating online COVID-19 test payments
- Recognized as the 'Best Relationship Manager of the Year' for outstanding performance
Agency In-Charge
CRDB BANK PLC
01.2018 - 07.2019
- Supervised operations at the Zanzibar Airport Agency, ensuring a seamless service experience
- Managed merchant disputes, resolving issues efficiently
- Increased revenue through a strategic partnership with the Zanzibar Ministry of Finance, supporting POS and online payments for VISA entry fees
- Drove sales of merchant solutions, achieving sales targets
- Ensured accurate collection and transfer of government funds through e-commerce payment gateways and POS solutions to government treasury accounts
Bank Officer - Card Business
CRDB BANK PLC
06.2013 - 12.2017
- Processed Visa entry payments at AAKIA using Merchant POS machines, streamlining the payment process
- Provided ongoing support to POS merchants within the bank's portfolio
- Effectively managed disputes and charge-backs for POS merchants
- Expanded the bank's POS merchant network through successful recruitment efforts
- Increased revenue from POS merchant transactions and maintained high retention rates through relationship management
- Facilitated prompt transfer and reconciliation of funds collected through POS systems to government accounts
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Banking & Finance
Institute of Finance Management
Dar es Salaam01.2012
Advanced Certificate - Secondary Education ("A" Level)
Azania Secondary School
Dar es Salaam01.2009
Ordinary Certificate - Secondary Education ("O" Level)
Anne Marie Secondary School
Dar es Salaam01.2006
Skills
- Digital Banking & Fintech
- Product Management & Development
- Strategic Partnerships & Revenue Growth
- Merchant acquiring and card payment
- Business Development and Sales
- Credit Risk Management
- Project Management
- Relationship Management
- Team leadership
- Digital lending
Certification
- Executive Diploma in Consumer Lending Business, Udemy, 11/01/24
- Negotiation A-Z - Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator, Udemy, 11/01/24
- Professional Diploma in Digital Products Management, Udemy, 11/01/24
- Professional Diploma in Project Management, Udemy, 11/01/24
- Fintech and Digital Banking, Udemy, 10/01/24
Accomplishments
- Oversaw the launch of the merchant acquiring POS business for PalmPay Tanzania.
- Achieved the department's first positive monthly P&L at UBA.
- Exceeded the annual budget by 3.7% at Equity Bank.
- Established partnerships with Zanzibar's Ministry of Health for online COVID-19 test payment collections and renewed the contract with the Ministry of Finance for VISA entry fee collections for CRDB Bank PLC.
Languages
- Fluent in English
- Fluent in Swahili
References
- Albert Amon, Head of Merchant Acquiring, PalmPay, +255 717 811 948, albert.amon@palmpay-inc.com
- Rahim Msaki, Head of Risk & Compliance, PalmPay, +255 758 210 482, rahim.msaki@palmpay-inc.com
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 11/27/88
- Gender: Male
- Nationality: Tanzanian
Key Projects Managed
- PalmPay, Host-to-Host integration with Network International for POS and Online Merchant Acquiring., Internet banking payouts integration with NBC Bank., FlexiCashTZ digital lending app upgrade., L3 terminal certification with UPSL to enhance terminal operations., TMS integration with ITEX for the transmission of card transactions to UBA Bank.
- UBA Bank TZ, Enabled the Visa prepaid card to transact on agent POS., NIDA KYC integration for account opening in WhatsApp chat banking., IJournal and ICAM installation for ATM operations., TIPS integration on WhatsApp chat banking for instant transactions., USSD integration with Vodacom.
- Equity Bank, Merchant Loan Project: Prepared and completed the BRD to initiate the project.
Timeline
Head Sales & Growth
PALMPAY
01.2025 - Current
Head of Digital Banking Partnerships
PALMPAY
04.2023 - Current
Head of Digital & Transactional Banking
UBA BANK TZ
02.2022 - 03.2023
Manager of Merchant Acquiring Business
EQUITY BANK TZ
01.2021 - 01.2022
Zonal Relationship Manager - Merchant Acquiring & Agency Banking
CRDB BANK PLC
08.2019 - 12.2020
Agency In-Charge
CRDB BANK PLC
01.2018 - 07.2019
Bank Officer - Card Business
CRDB BANK PLC
06.2013 - 12.2017
Bachelor's Degree - Banking & Finance
Institute of Finance Management
Advanced Certificate - Secondary Education ("A" Level)
Azania Secondary School
Ordinary Certificate - Secondary Education ("O" Level)
Anne Marie Secondary School
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