Director Academic Partnerships, Middle East

Informa Group Plc.; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic publishing firm is seeking a Director of Academic Partnerships, Middle East to drive content growth in the region. Responsibilities include establishing key partnerships with academics and funders, while providing valuable market feedback. Candidates should have a strong commercial focus and experience in partnerships, as well as knowledge of the Middle East publishing ecosystem. This position offers a balanced working model in Dubai, requiring attendance in-person three days a week.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering high performance both personally and commercially.
• Strong capability in assessing market conditions.
• Ability to adapt business priorities based on external factors.

Responsibilities

• Drive content growth in the Middle East for academic books and journals.
• Build partnerships with academics, funders, and leaders.
• Provide market feedback to company leadership.

Skills

Strong commercial focus

Experience in developing partnerships

Strategic issues in research sector

Managing content delivery

Networks in Middle East publishing

Ability to communicate effectively

Results-oriented management

Commercial understanding

Effective presentation skills

Job description

Director, Academic Partnerships, Middle East

Full-time

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Taylor & Francis Group produces high quality, peer reviewed books and journals. We produce unique, trusted content by expert authors, spreading knowledge and promoting discovery globally. We aim to broaden thinking and advance understanding, providing academics and professionals with a platform to share ideas and realise their individual potential.

Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge. We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you.

Responsible for delivering content growth in the Middle East across all content types(primarily academic books and journals) for Taylor & Francis. The Director, Academic Partnerships, Middle East will drive regional content acquisition and build partnerships with funders, senior academics and Key Opinion Leaders within the Middle East, to help position T&F as a market leader in terms of value and impact of research content, and to deliver content and revenue growth.

Closing date for applications: 26th January 2026

Applications are shortlisted on a rolling basis, and we will be interviewing alongside advertising. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity.

What you will be doing:

• Drive Researcher Services and Book Publishing content growth, KOL acquisition and influence in the Middle East; with responsibility for performance and objective attainment in line with strategic objectives set by the Vice President, Academic Partnerships, Asia.
• Establish, maintain and develop high-level relationships with key Middle East customer groups; researchers and research key opinion leaders, funders, societies and institutions, commercial, professional and academic as well as government and regulatory bodies
• Provide market feedback to the company leadership regarding competitive offerings and regional market trends, and generate product and services development ideas.
• Continually develop the T&F brand and profile, building increasing awareness through representing the company at events regionally as required.

What we are looking for:

• Strong commercial focus and experience in developing partnerships
• A firm grasp of strategic issues affecting the regional research sector
• A proven track record in developing, managing and implementing content delivery for a publishing business
• Significant networks and a proven knowledge of the Middle East publishing ecosystem.
• Strong capability in assessing market conditions, looking externally, and adapting business priorities dependent on macro and micro factors.
• The ability to communicate and form strong working relationships and networks effectively at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Results-oriented with the ability to manage from strategic development to detailed execution.
• A proven track record of delivering high performance both personally and commercially.
• Effective management of cost and revenue growth.
• Excellent commercial understanding and awareness.
• Extremely competent presenter (formally and informally), in both English and Arabic.

Location:

• Candidates must have the right to live and work in Dubai.

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of the local office to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office location 3 days per week.

Relocation support is not provided for this role.

We want all our candidates to shine in our recruitment process. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to ensure you are able to show us your best self. This could include having the application form in a different format, more time for questions, or anything else – please ask us, we are happy to be flexible! Please contact [e-mail]

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and contribute regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit-based factor.

If you have a disability, or face another barrier, and would like to request an adjustment to assist your participation in the hiring process and/or in the advertised position, please contact Ivy Ma. Your request will be reviewed and considered in the strictest confidence.

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers