He worked for businesses and economic agencies in Kyrgyzstan for 9 years from 1996 to 2005. During this time, he also worked as a lecturer and a professor at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University. He worked in development and investment for another 7 years until he entered into politics in 2012. On September 6, 2012, Otorbaev was appointed as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan by President Atambayev. Otorbaev became the Acting Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan on March 26, 2014, following the collapse of the parliamentary coalition and the resignation of Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev.