Christine John

Strategic Partnerships and Business Development Lead with 12 years of progressive experience in developing and executing business growth and driving strategic initiatives, designing and delivering programs/projects that deliver impact at scale, and developing and securing funding for development projects in Africa (including key industry initiatives, multisectoral projectsMaternal Health, Emergency Rescue Operations, and Emergency Response).

Proven experience in securing new business through partnerships, proposals for grants, and cross-functional joint business plans (over $7M in funding in 9months), and deep knowledge of international development sector trends in Africa.

Strategic thinker who builds stakeholder relationships develops partnerships and manages complex relations with diverse stakeholders including Government partners, private sector organizations, NGOs, social ventures, and donors including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Merck & Co, USAID, FCDO, the EU, and UNFPA.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Business Development and Partnerships Lead – East & West Africa | Flare/Rescue.co Emergency Response

September 2021 – Present

Take lead in identifying, developing and implementing business development and strategic partnerships strategy and plans, to scale access to emergency and rescue services (ambulance, road assistance, and security services) across East and West Africa with the tech startup building next-gen emergency response. Generating revenue through creating solutions to different needs while creating impact.

Key Contributions:

• Creating and Leading regional partners engagements to create broader impact,managing relations while ensuring that we  are aligned and achieve set objectives,with NGO’s ,Donors,private sector ,governments  and multinationals  . 
• Collaborating across different organizations teams, Adapting and executing our solutions partnership strategies as we scale.
• Creating product road-maps from conception to launch, driving product direction, defining go-to-market strategy and leading design discussions
• Generating revenue through direct sales to insurances like UAP,Jubilee insurance ,financial institutions like Absa Bank,stanbic bank among others. NGO’s,private sector and government institutions including multinational organisations .
• Identifying and developing key strategic partnerships that present significant opportunities and areas of collaboration for flare in the region.
• Collaborate with relevant internal departments and ensure future solutions abd concepts are aligned to partners expectation as well as organisation strategy and objectives 
• Developing concept notes and project work plans, and secured funding and generate revenue through strategic partnerships accross the region. 
• Developed $30M worth of proposals through partner engagements and rapport building  to Merck & Co, Malteser International, DEG, BMZ, USAID, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Received 7M in funding to support ambulance services during medical emergencies for pregnant women, road traffic accidents, and other medical emergencies requiring use of ambulances.
• Building, strengthening, and sustaining dynamic partnerships with Government partners, insurance and financial sector organizations, and non-profit organizations to ensure lasting engagement and business growth.
• Supporting the development of sustainable business models and driving access to new markets including Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria over a nine-month period.

Project Lead – Health System Strengthening (HSS) | Amref Health Africa          September 2019 – August 2021

Promoted from Amref Flying Doctors to the non-profit arm of Amref - largest Africa-based international NGO currently running programmes in over 35 countries in Africa to increase sustainable health access). Provided strategic leadership in managing HSS projects in Kenya, as well as in resource mobilization, policy dialogues, networking and partnership development with social enterprises and private sector stakeholders.

Key Contributions:

• Managed five staff and $250, 000 in budgets, and developed project work plans and budgets.
• Led the planning and implementation of the following donor-funded projects:
• The multi-donor funded Wheels for Life Initiative (EU, FCDO, and UNFPA) to facilitate access to skilled care for pregnant mothers in urban and rural areas of Kenya during medical emergencies including COVID-19 curfews; collaborated with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance to launch a toll-free line and call center to boost the service.
• Hemafuse Sisu Project (an innovative medical device for auto transfusion of blood), adopted by 15 health facilities within 1.5 years of launch, and later scaled across East Africa (US$150K in revenues within a year of launch).
• A six-month emergency COVID-19 response programme funded by the EU.
• Supported policy formulation by collaborating with the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Services to develop a blood donation draft-policy, currently under review.
• Conducted due diligence on implementing partners/social enterprises on boarded for projects, including Sisu Global.
• Developed a partnership with the First Ladies Association and Beyond Zero to drive dialogue on auto-transfusion of critical cases, as well as policy dialogues with the Ministry of Health and County governments.
• Partnered with Damu-Sasa (an end-to-end blood services information management system) on installation of the system in 130 hospitals and across all regional blood transfusion centers in the country.
• Mapped potential donors, analyzed resource mobilization trends during the COVID-19 pandemic and developed concept notes and proposals, securing funding from the EU, UNFPA, and Safaricom, and a £250, 000 grant from FCDO for resilient health systems for COVID action.
• Prepared Terms of Reference (ToR) for recruitment of project consultants, as well as donor briefs, reports, and talking points for donor presentations, and facilitated weekly/bi-weekly conference calls to drive project implementation.
• Planned and organized the first ever Kenya Health Convention in March 2020 in partnership with the Ministry of Health, graced by the President of Kenya to market Kenya as a center for medical tourism in the region.
• Served as representation at stakeholder events and Technical Working Groups (TWG) such as the Kenya Healthcare Federation, and acted as Secretary to the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Services TWG.

Sales Executive - Corporate | Amref Flying Doctors Kenya        June 2017 – September 2019

Brought on board by the Air Ambulance Services provider to identify and drive healthcare-business growth, develop partnerships, and oversee customer service and experience.

Key Contributions:

• Exceeded sales targets to deliver 150% over tenure, and expanded customer portfolio through partnerships with international schools, parastatals, non-profits, and private companies.
• Partnered with insurance service providers to commercialize the evacuation cover.
• Boosted Universal Health Coverage’s (UHC) emergency services mandate by building partnerships with county governments for the adoption of the Maisha Kaunti cover, signing up 5 counties and generating KES 6M in revenues within 9 months of launch.
• Raised organizational profile and visibility by supporting marketing, communication, and public relations activities.
• Supported fundraising activities and built partnerships with sponsors such as Beyond Zero for CSR projects, and a golf tournament partnership for Fistula that mobilized KES 2.5M in a day.
• Built capacity of sales staff with training on customer experience.
• Drove process improvements as a safety champion and member of the committee that reviewed job groups in collaboration with Deloitte.
• Organized the first Quality Healthcare Awards to reward innovations and best practices in healthcare, in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

Senior Relationship Officer | Chase Bank (Currently SBM Bank)       February 2013 – November 2015

Led customer relationship management at the Machakos Branch to expand portfolio and share of wallet for personal banking products, and cross-sold other products and services to drive portfolio growth and add value to client relations.

Key Contributions:

• Oversaw a team of five sales representatives and up to KES 1.5M in budgets.
• Expanded revenue streams with new product launches that included cash-backed facilities for County assemblies, pre-approved credit cards, and pre-paid cards for junior/youth accounts.
• Surpassed sales targets to produce 699% in performance (2014-2015) on accounts opened and deposit mobilization as sole Relationship Officer at the Branch, enabling the branch to break even barely 6 months after opening.
• Managed a portfolio of 2, 000 customers, a KES 200M loan book with minimum risk of default by maintaining 99% of cash-backed facilities, and KES 200M in liabilities in Current Account Savings Account (CASA).
• Maintained the best and lowest cost of fund at 0.3.
• Served as service change champion in the Branch, coordinating reporting and implementing employee behavior change in line with organizational mission and vision.

Customer Experience Assistant | Bank of Africa                  August 2011 – February 2013

Managed customer relations at this Commercial Bank while guiding customers through account opening, and banking operations and transactions, and supervised three staff members.

Key Contributions:

• Efficiently handled customer complaints and queries to ensure timely resolution.
• Managed 1,500 retail accounts and expanded customer base by opening 50 to 100 accounts per month.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Certificate in Strategic Management - European Business University, Luxembourg (In Progress)

Certificate of Business Management - European Business University, Luxembourg (March 2022)

Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management – Kenyatta University (August 2007 – December 2011)

Professional Development:

• Negotiation & Project Management: Manage Mentor Program – Harvard University (March 2021) 
• Partnerships Accelerator 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals – UNDP (December 2019)
• Policy Advocacy – Business Advocacy Fund (October 2019)