Strategic Partnerships Lead — UAE Payments & Banking

Ant Group; Abu Dhabi, Dubai; On-site; AED 279,000 - 446,000; Full time

Job summary

Ant International is seeking a UAE-based FIBD and BD expert to strengthen relationships with local banks and payment partners. You will leverage deep knowledge of the Saudi payments market to support growth among international travellers, including pilgrims, with a focus on Mada and Saudi Payments ecosystems.

In this role you will own end-to-end launches, coordinate cross-functional teams, and translate market insights into go-to-market priorities and pricing recommendations while navigating

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics or related field.
• 3–6 years of business development, partnerships or commercial experience in payments/fintech within Saudi Arabia.
• Close relationships with major Saudi banks and ability to open doors.
• Arabic native speaker with fluent English (mandatory).
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration; ability to drive complex projects end-to-end.
• High ownership and resilience in seasonal peak periods (Ramadan/Hajj).

Responsibilities

• Build and deepen long-term relationships with senior stakeholders at banks, acquirers, PSPs and payment gateways.
• Lead end-to-end launch and expansion projects with cross-functional teams including Product, Tech, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Ops.
• Provide on-the-ground market insights on Saudi payments landscape and pilgrimage-related payment behaviours.
• Drive merchant adoption of Alipay+ and coordinate training to ensure acceptance at point of sale.

Skills

Relationship management

Payments/fintech

Partnerships

Project coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Arabic/English bilingual

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Ant International is seeking a UAE-based FIBD and BD expert to strengthen relationships with local banks and payment partners. You will leverage deep knowledge of the Saudi payments market to support growth among international travellers, including pilgrims, with a focus on Mada and Saudi Payments ecosystems.

In this role you will own end-to-end launches, coordinate cross-functional teams, and translate market insights into go-to-market priorities and pricing recommendations while navigating