Head of Business Development

Confidential; Islamabad; On-site; PKR 4,800,000 - 8,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Performance incentives

Job summary

Confidential is seeking a senior business development leader to drive market expansion in Pakistan and international markets. You will shape the strategy, build strategic partnerships and nurture a robust pipeline of opportunities with enterprise clients.

Ideal candidates bring 12+ years in BD, proven success entering new markets, and the ability to engage C-level executives, manage tenders, and lead cross-functional teams across partners and channels.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in business development or growth roles with leadership experience.
• IT industry experience (software, IT services, digital transformation, cloud) preferred.
• Proven record of entering new markets and building strategic partnerships.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management at senior levels.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the business development strategy aligned with growth goals.
• Lead market-entry efforts in Pakistan and international markets.
• Identify high-potential markets, client segments and service lines.
• Manage partnerships, alliances and channel programs end-to-end.
• Oversee bids, RFPs and complex B2B proposals with cross-functional teams.
• Engage C-level decision-makers and drive long-term revenue streams.

Skills

Strategic planning

Partnership management

Consultative selling

Contract negotiation

CRM systems

Leadership

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science or related

MBA or equivalent postgraduate

Job description

• Our client is a well-established technology solutions company serving enterprise clients in Pakistan and international markets.
• The company delivers software, digital solutions and IT services that help organizations solve complex business challenges.

Role Purpose

• Identify and open new markets, build strategic partnerships, and create a strong, sustainable pipeline of opportunities.
• Lead market-entry efforts in Pakistan and international markets, and turn new relationships into long-term revenue streams.
• The ideal candidate is a strategic, well-networked leader who moves comfortably between strategy and execution.
• Experience in the IT industry (software, IT services, digital transformation or system integration) is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and own the business development strategy in line with the organization's growth goals.
• Identify the markets, industries, client segments and service lines with the strongest growth potential.
• Prepare annual and quarterly business development plans with clear targets, budgets and milestones.
• Advise executive leadership on growth opportunities, investments and go-to-market options.

Market Development and Expansion

• Lead entry into new geographies through direct, partner-led and channel-led models.
• Conduct market research and feasibility studies covering market size, competition, regulation and pricing.
• Build the organization's brand and presence in target markets through networking and thought leadership.
• Represent the organization at industry conferences, exhibitions, client forums and government events.

Partnerships, Alliances and Channels

• Identify, negotiate and manage strategic alliances with technology vendors, OEMs, system integrators and local partners.
• Set up and manage channel partner and reseller programs, covering onboarding, enablement and performance reviews.
• Structure joint go-to-market plans and co-selling arrangements with partners.
• Maintain strong long-term relationships with partner leadership teams.

Pipeline Generation and Deal Origination

• Generate, qualify and develop a healthy pipeline of new business opportunities.
• Engage C-level and senior decision-makers to understand business needs and position the right solutions.
• Hand over qualified opportunities to the sales and delivery teams, and support them through to closure.
• Personally drive strategic, high-value pursuits where needed.

Bids, Tenders and Proposals

• Oversee responses to tenders, RFPs, RFIs and expressions of interest.
• Work with the technical, delivery, finance and legal teams to build winning, compliant proposals.
• Develop pricing strategies and commercial models that balance competitiveness with profitability.
• Maintain a bid library and a lessons-learned process to improve win rates over time.
• Build, lead and mentor a high-performing business development team.
• Set individual targets, review performance, and provide regular coaching and feedback.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Reporting and Governance

• Maintain accurate pipeline data and forecasts in the CRM.
• Report on pipeline, market-entry progress, partnership performance and risks to senior leadership.
• Ensure all business development activities comply with company policies, ethics and local regulations.

Key Performance Indicators

• Pipeline: Value and quality of new qualified pipeline generated per quarter.
• New Business: Revenue and number of new clients won from new markets or segments.
• Market Entry: Progress against market-entry milestones for target regions.
• Partnerships: Number of active partnerships and partner-sourced revenue.
• Bids: Tender/RFP win rate and on-time submission rate.
• Team: Team target achievement, retention and capability growth.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science or a related field.
• MBA or an equivalent postgraduate qualification is strongly preferred.

Experience

• 12+ years in business development, sales or growth roles, including at least 5 years in a leadership position.
• IT industry experience is highly preferred: software, SaaS, IT services, digital transformation, cloud or system integration.
• Proven record of entering new markets or building new business lines from the ground up.
• Demonstrated success building and managing strategic partnerships, alliances or channel networks.
• Hands-on experience leading tenders, RFPs and complex B2B proposals.
• Experience selling to enterprise, government or large corporate clients.

Preferred

• An established professional network in the Middle East and other international markets.
• Experience with clients in telecom, banking, government or large enterprises.
• Experience working as a partner of global technology vendors (e.g. Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, ServiceNow, AWS).
• Experience expanding a business into new countries.

Skills and Competencies

Functional and Technical

• Strategic planning and market analysis.
• Partnership and alliance management.
• Consultative, solution-based selling.
• Commercial structuring, pricing and contract negotiation.
• Proposal and tender management.
• Strong working knowledge of CRM tools and pipeline management.
• Understanding of IT solutions, services and delivery models.

Leadership and Behavioral

• Strategic thinker with a strong focus on execution.
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills in English.
• Strong relationship builder with high credibility at senior levels.
• Self-driven, resilient and comfortable with ambiguity.
• Team leader who coaches, develops and holds people accountable.
• High standards of integrity and professional ethics.

Key Working Relationships

• Internal:CEO/MD
• Sales and Account Management teams
• Delivery, Technical and Pre-sales teams
• Finance and Legal
• Marketing
• External:Prospective and existing clients (C-level and senior management)
• Technology vendors and OEMs
• Channel partners, resellers and system integrators
• Industry bodies, chambers of commerce and government entities
• Consultants and advisors in target markets

Working Conditions

• Based in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Regular domestic and international travel
• Flexibility to work across time zones to support international clients and partners.

What We Offer

• A competitive compensation package with performance-linked incentives.
• A senior leadership role with direct visibility to executive management.
• The opportunity to shape the growth strategy of an established technology business.
• Exposure to large-scale projects in Pakistan and international markets.
• Health insurance and other benefits in line with company policy.
• A collaborative, professional culture that values initiative and results.