MENA Business Development Manager

Shell; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Remote work

Competitive salary

Parental leave

Diversity & inclusion

Training programs

Job summary

Shell is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to support the Europe, East & Derivatives Crude Trading teams within Shell Trading & Supply. The role focuses on building opportunities in the MENA region, aligning with the EED strategy to defend, enable and grow trading value.

Based in London with regular travel to the Middle East, the role requires Arabic language skills and a track record of delivering origination projects, complex commercial agreements and cross‑functional

Qualifications

• Relevant Business Development experience with delivery of origination projects.
• Experience in trading or related markets and knowledge of logistics is helpful.
• Ability to structure financing transactions (including M&A) desirable.

Responsibilities

• Identify and deliver new Crude Trading opportunities in line with the EED strategy.
• Develop key customer relationships aligned with EED Trading desks.
• Create solutions addressing risks including credit, price risk, HSSE, and reputation.
• Negotiate complex commercial agreements to maximise trading value.
• Project manage new development opportunities and lead project teams.
• Support trading desks in regional opportunities and know-how transfer.
• Collaborate with Shell functions to secure approvals and implement deals.
• Engage with Upstream, Downstream, and other Shell units to realise value.

Skills

Arabic speaker

Business development

Negotiation

Relationship building

Financial acumen

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Strategic thinking

Job description

, United Kingdom

Job Family Group:

Trading Jobs

Worker Type:

Regular

Posting Start Date:

September 3, 2026

Business Unit:

Trading and Supply

Experience Level:

Experienced Professionals

Job Description:

What’s the role?

The Business Development Manager role will support the delivery of the Europe, East & Derivatives (EED) Crude Trading teams’ strategy within Shell Trading & Supply (T&S), with a particular focus on business development activities for the MENA region. The role will align with the EED strategy to “Defend” associated trading value with Shell Group assets and third-party contracts, “Enable” the optimisation of Shell assets, systems and expertise to provide better trading opportunities and “Grow” the number of profitable barrels the trading teams can offtake or supply through both equity and third-party deals. The role will be carried out in proximity with the Trading desks, Regional Business Development (BD) Managers, Regional Team Leaders (RTLs), GMs and VPs as well as the respective equivalents in other Commercial and Finance organisations within the Shell Group.

In achieving these aims it is intended to maximise the use of cross-business relationships within Shell for the benefit of Trading and the Shell Group. The team therefore works closely with Products Trading, Shell Energy, Upstream, Downstream, Strategy & Portfolio, RES, P&T.

What you’ll be doing

• Identify, originate, and deliver new business opportunities for Crude Trading in line with the EED Trading desk strategy and sponsorship, undertaking appropriate research and analysis. This will include the acquisition of term offtake agreements for crude oil with independent producers, national and regional oil companies. In addition, it will include the development of term crude supply agreements with refineries in the MENA region, which may involve crude for product swaps or processing deals as well as potential storage and logistics opportunities
• Develop and maintain key customer and business relationships that are complimentary to those held by the EED Trading desks
• Create innovative solutions to meet customer requirements while taking due account of all risks including credit, price risk, HSSE and Group reputation
• Negotiation of substantive and complex commercial agreements to maximise trading value and provide customer solutions around financing, hedging and M&A
• Project manage new development opportunities and lead project teams driving for efficient and successful delivery. Partner with and support the trading desks in the implementation of completed projects
• Support the Crude Trading desks’ activities (on a long-term through to a day-to-day basis) in countries within the region where there are clear overall advantages in the Business Development Manager providing this service and playing this role
• Support the wider BD team, sharing experiences and learnings around key projects and providing strategic input into the desks and wider T&S and Shell organisations
• Work with appropriate functions to obtain necessary corporate approvals including New Business Proposals, PCNs and Group Investment Proposals, keeping all stakeholders (including senior leaders) informed. Ensure that projects/deals are properly implemented
• Work with other Shell Businesses (Upstream, SGSI & Downstream, Group Carbon) to ensure that Trading value is identified & realised to enhance the overall Shell value within Portfolio, NBD and A&D activities

Note: This role covers the Middle East region and requires close engagement with customers across the market. While being based in London, the position involves regular travel to the Middle East to develop and strengthen business opportunities, maintain customer proximity, and build strategic relationships across the region.

We would also consider candidates currently based in the Middle East who are willing to relocate to London and can demonstrate both regional market knowledge and the ability to build effective relationships with the London-based trading teams and support functions.

What you bring

• Arabic speaker is required
• Relevant Business Development experience (within or outside of Trading) and evidence of wide delivery and implementation of successful origination projects
• Experience of or within a trading, environment and knowledge of the relevant markets and logistics are helpful
• Experience of originating and structuring financing transactions (including M&A) is desirable
• A proven willingness to learn quickly, demonstrate curiosity and develop an understanding of Trading
• Highly numerate and able to grasp new concepts quickly
• Strong interpersonal skills, excellent communication and influencing abilities. Able to interact with all organisational levels
• Ability to build support and consensus across organizational interfaces. Complimented by a strong Shell network
• Experienced negotiator, able to handle multiple party negotiations, with evidence of commercial acumen and delivery, especially in negotiating trading contracts, financing agreements and/or equity/M&A deals
• Resilience in dealing with setbacks
• Ability to work with a large range of conflicting priorities– at any one time there may be up to a dozen projects at different stages of maturity to cope with

What we offer

You bring your skills and experience to Shell and in return you work with talented, committed people on one of the most important challenges facing our planet. You’ll have the opportunity to develop the skills you need to grow in an environment where we value honesty, integrity, and respect for one another. You’ll be able to balance your priorities as you become the best version of yourself.

• Progress as a person as we work on the energy transition together.
• Continuously grow the transferable skills you need to get ahead.
• Work at the forefront of technology, trends, and practices.
• Collaborate with experienced colleagues with unique expertise.
• Achieve your balance in a values-led culture that encourages you to be the best version of yourself.
• Benefit from flexible working hours, and the possibility of remote/mobile working.
• Perform at your best with a competitive starting salary and annual performance related salary increase – our pay and benefits packages are considered to be among the best in the world.
• Take advantage of paid parental leave, including for non-birthing parents.
• Join an organisation working to become one of the most diverse and inclusive in the world. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation, and life experiences to apply.
• Grow as you progress through diverse career opportunities in national and
• international teams.
• Gain access to a wide range of training and development programmes.

We’d like you to know that Shell has a bold goal: to become one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive companies. You can get to know more about how we’re working towards that goal, click here.

Shell in The United Kingdom

Shell UK remains one of the North Sea’s biggest producers, supplying around 10% of the UK’s total oil and gas needs. But perhaps the most recognisable face of Shell in the UK is our network of over 1,000 Shell-branded service stations.

In the years ahead, as the UK looks to strengthen energy security and deliver its 2050 net-zero goal, Shell UK aims to play a crucial role.We aimto be a major investor in the UK energy system by helping our customers decarbonise with a focus on transport and industry.

DISCLAIMER:

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