Network Development Manager

About Thunes

Thunes is the Smart Superhighway for money movement around the world. Thunes’ proprietary Direct Global Network allows Members to make payments in real-time in over 130 countries and more than 80 currencies.

Thunes’ Network connects directly to over 7 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts worldwide, via more than 350 different payment methods, such as GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, MTN, Orange, JazzCash, Easypaisa, AliPay, WeChat Pay and many more.

Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network include gig economy giants like Uber and Deliveroo, super-apps like Grab and WeChat, MTOs, fintechs, PSPs and banks. Thunes’ Direct Global Network differentiates itself through its worldwide reach, in-house Smart Treasury Management Platform and Fortress Compliance Infrastructure, ensuring Members of the Network receive unrivalled speed, control, visibility, protection and cost efficiencies when making real-time payments globally.

Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes has offices in 12 locations, including Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, London, Manila, Nairobi, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco, Sao Paulo and Shanghai. For more information, visit: https://www.thunes.com/

Context of the role

Thunes is looking for a dynamic, high impact leader to drive the growth, health, and innovation of our Direct Global Network across MENA. The Network Development Manager is technically and financially savvy, creative, with strong personal vision, extremely strong domain expertise, and great people skills. 

As a key member of the Network team, you will be asked to wear many hats, including developing country and regional go-to-market strategies, cultivating network partners at all levels of the payments and financial services ecosystem, and developing a well-functioning payments network in MENA that drives volume across our global network, including:

Key Responsibilities 

• Strategic partnership management & execution: Strategically plan, execute, and manage end-to-end relationships with critical banking and network partners (FIs). This includes strategic road map development in the region and managing key accounts


• Commercial growth & network competitiveness: Continually drive revenue through cross and up-sell opportunities, in close collaboration with Go-To-Market and Account Management teams. Ensure the Thunes network is the most commercially attractive in the market, from transaction cost to FX, and work with FI partners to drive payment flows through joint go-to-market initiatives.


• Operational excellence & stakeholder coordination: Act as an owner to ensure all aspects of partnerships are working seamlessly. Work with internal and external stakeholders (including Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering, and Treasury) to ensure the Thunes network is operationally excellent, coordinate on partner strategy, and advance a holistic network strategy.


• Market knowledge: Understand and clearly articulate the payment-related nuances among the different markets in-scope (e.g. UAE vs Jordan etc.

Professional Experience/Qualifications 

• Must have a minimum of 3+ years in a payments scheme, Network Management, or related role


• Must be able to ‘talk shop’ with experienced payments professionals and build high-integrity relationships with experts in the field


• Must have a strong network across the payments industry across different markets in MENA


• Must have proven talent ‘closing’ relationships and growing a business


• Must have proven innovation experience including bringing new-to-industry products to market


• Must be both a curious student and a patient teacher


• Must have experience in a fast growing small organization


• Must have great communication skills


• Language fluency in an Arabic is required


• Must be based in Dubai, UAE

Package and Benefits

• Great compensation package, including performance‑based commission


• Medical insurance for you and your family


• Life insurance


• Mobile allowance


• Employee wellbeing & support program


• Learning & Development budget


• Work‑life balance (flexibility and hybrid working policy)


• Our team is global: you will work with 65+ different nationalities spread across 5 continents

Sounds like you?