Head of International Business Development – MEA

Zenith Technologies; Dubai; On-site; AED 450,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Zenith Technologies in Dubai, UAE is seeking a Head of International Business Development – MEA to drive strategic expansion across the Middle East and Africa, excluding the GCC. The role focuses on establishing a greenfield presence, engaging across government ministries, and pursuing multimillion-dollar opportunities.

Reporting to the Group CEO, you will shape the regional go-to-market, build in-market partnerships, manage end-to-end bids, and deliver sustained commercial outcomes in diverse

Qualifications

• 10+ years in senior sales leadership within Homeland Security, Security Technology, Defense, or government-facing sectors.
• Experience selling into government and institutional buyers across MEA outside the GCC.
• Proven track record closing multimillion-dollar government or institutional contracts.
• Market builder with ability to establish new government relationships.
• Strong professional network in security, defense and law enforcement within MEA.
• Arabic language proficiency preferred but not required.
• Master's degree in Business or Engineering; MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a regional go-to-market strategy for MEA (ex-GCC).
• Lead high-level engagements with Ministries of Interior, law enforcement, and homeland security.
• Identify and pursue opportunities outside core MEA remit as they arise.
• Manage full lifecycle: pipeline development, bids, negotiations, and closures.
• Build in-market channel relationships where direct presence is not yet warranted.
• Establish strategic alliances with system integrators and security partners.
• Deliver strong commercial outcomes with operational excellence and market credibility.
• Provide the Group CEO with regular pipeline and market intelligence reporting.

Skills

Senior sales leadership

Government contracting sales

MEA market expansion

Strategic partnerships

Pipeline development

Education

Master's degree in Business or Engineering

MBA preferred

Job description

Location: Dubai, UAE (On-site)|Start Date: Immediate

About Zenith

Zenith, founded in Melbourne and established across Australasia and the Middle East, is a recognized leader in Homeland Security, Intelligence Systems, and Advanced Security Technologies.

For over 18 years, Zenith has partnered with governments, ministries of interior, defense organizations, and elite law enforcement agencies to deliver end-to‑end mission‑critical solutions that fuse physical, digital, and cyber domains. Our solutions are engineered entirely in‑house, giving us unmatched flexibility to innovate, customize, and deliver at scale.

Zenith's portfolio reflects a track record of world‑first innovations and proprietary platforms that transform how governments and agencies secure their nations. Key domains include:

• Intelligent Mobility & Enforcement Systems — including the world's first AI‑powered Intelligent Lightbar, combining ANPR, live data analytics, communications, and edge AI for real‑time enforcement and situational command.
• Next‑Generation ANPR & Video Analytics — advanced fixed, mobile, and covert platforms enabling real‑time vehicle intelligence, threat detection, and multi‑domain data correlation.
• AI‑Powered Data Fusion & Analytics — proprietary platforms that ingest and integrate structured and unstructured data streams, delivering actionable intelligence and predictive insights to decision‑makers at speed.
• Open‑Source Intelligence (OSINT) & Media Monitoring — solutions for live monitoring, deep‑data correlation, and AI‑enhanced threat intelligence across open sources, social media, and digital ecosystems, including Arabic‑language coverage.
• Command & Control Solutions — scalable, integrated C4i platforms enabling strategic oversight, rapid response, and mission‑critical decision‑making across multiple agencies.
• Cyber‑Physical Security Integration — bridging digital and physical domains to deliver end‑to‑end national security resilience against emerging threats.

Zenith's unique strength lies in IP ownership and in‑house R&D, enabling us to deploy fully integrated ecosystems rather than fragmented systems — a decisive advantage in the Homeland Security, National Resilience, and Law Enforcement sectors.

The Role

Zenith is seeking a Head of International Business Development – MEA to drive strategic expansion across the Middle East and Africa, excluding the GCC. The mandate covers established and emerging markets across the Levant, North Africa, and Sub‑Saharan Africa, with an interim remit to pursue qualifying international opportunities as they arise outside the core region.

Reporting directly to the Group CEO, this executive will lead Zenith's market entry, government engagement, and multimillion‑dollar program development across a highly diverse set of security environments — from mature procurement markets to emerging, first‑mover territories.

This is a builder's mandate. The successful candidate will be establishing Zenith's presence and pipeline in markets largely new to the company, not managing an inherited book.

Key Accountabilities

• Define and execute a regional go‑to‑market strategy for MEA (ex‑GCC), sequencing market entry by opportunity size, procurement maturity, and relationship access.
• Lead high‑level engagements with Ministries of Interior, law enforcement, and homeland security agencies across target MEA markets.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue international opportunities outside the core MEA remit as they arise, in coordination with the Group CEO.
• Manage full lifecycle: pipeline development, bid and proposal management, high‑stakes negotiation, and closure of complex government and institutional contracts.
• Build and manage in‑market channel and agent relationships where direct presence is not yet warranted.
• Establish and deepen strategic alliances with system integrators and security partners across target territories.
• Deliver strong commercial outcomes while ensuring operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and market credibility as Zenith's first mover in new territories.
• Provide the Group CEO with regular, structured pipeline and market intelligence reporting.

Candidate Profile

• 10+ years in senior sales leadership within Homeland Security, Security Technology, Defense, or related government‑facing sectors.
• Demonstrable experience selling into government and institutional buyers across MEA markets outside the GCC (Levant, North Africa, and/or Sub‑Saharan Africa).
• Proven track record structuring and closing multimillion‑dollar government or institutional contracts in emerging or non‑GCC markets.
• Comfortable operating as a market builder — establishing new government relationships and navigating unfamiliar procurement environments without an existing playbook.
• Strong professional network across security, defense, and law enforcement communities in the target region.
• Arabic language proficiency preferred but not required.
• Master's degree (Business or Engineering); MBA preferred.

What Zenith Offers

This is a high‑impact executive mandate within one of the most respected innovation‑driven players in the homeland security sector. Zenith offers:

• Ownership of a greenfield regional mandate with direct CEO access and decision‑making latitude.
• A platform to operate at the intersection of AI, intelligence, and homeland security innovation across some of the world's fastest‑growing and least‑contested security markets.