Regional Business Development Director, MENA/SSA

British Council; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cultural organization seeks a Regional Business Development Director for MENA/SSA to drive growth for English and Exams. The successful candidate will lead teams, develop B2B strategies, and manage stakeholder relationships. Candidates should have extensive experience in business development, senior management, and a degree in a related field. This role is critical for expanding the organization's impact across the region.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing teams in a global organization.
• Significant experience in senior stakeholder management.
• Experience delivering on business targets.
• Experience of strategic and business plan development.
• Experience managing regional or cross-border teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional growth strategy for English and Exams.
• Develop and implement B2B Go-To-Market strategies.
• Support regional B2B sales roles to achieve targets.
• Partner with stakeholders across functions for strategic alignment.
• Drive collaboration across countries for maximizing partnership value.

Skills

Commercial & business development

Account & partnership management

Managing people

Sales management

CRM

Education

Degree in Business and/or Marketing & Sales

Tools

Salesforce or similar CRM

Job description

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Job Title: Regional Business Development Director, MENA/SSA

Role purpose

The Regional Business Development Director will lead the regional growth strategy for English and Exams (E&E) and manage business development and account management teams in individual countries. As a senior role in the Sales and Partnerships team, reporting to the Global Sales Director and working with the regional E&E leadership team, this role defines and delivers Go-To-Market strategies to grow English, professional, migration, and education products. The postholder will implement new sales and business development models, embedding technology, processes, and collaboration across sales, account management, and customer success, while driving efficiency and sustainable growth within a matrix structure.

Role Accountabilities

Leadership & Management

• Work as part of the regional English and Exams leadership team to contribute to regional B2B and English strategies with Country Directors and the Global Sales Director, embedding the B2B Sales & Account Management operating model to drive efficiency, alignment, and business targets.
• Partner with global sales, product, and enablement teams to standardise processes, tools, and training, ensuring sales teams have the right resources while promoting role clarity, accountability, and a high-performance culture.

Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement regional and country-level B2B Go-To-Market strategies with Marketing and E&E business leads, contributing to business planning to guide investment, target setting, and income growth.
• Use global systems, data, and KPIs to manage performance, productivity while strengthening customer insight and supporting better business planning.

Business Development & Account Management

• Support regional B2B sales roles to achieve targets, while ensuring effective account management to protect and grow partner revenue.
• Drive collaboration across countries and functions to maximise value from B2B partnerships, aligned with English, IELTS, Global Assessments, and Education Services strategies.
• Embed the B2B sales targeting operating model and provide data-driven insight to improve account management, retention, income growth, and business performance.

Project Management

• Work with the Global Sales Director, capability project teams to embed the B2B sales operating model across the region and lead change management, including roles, structures, technologies, and new ways of working, in consultation with regional and country leads.
• Develop Go-To-Market plans for each country in the region.

Internal Relationships & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with stakeholders across functions and business units to ensure B2B sales and business development strategies align with overall business and financial plans.

Essential Core & Role Competencies

Please ensure your CV clearly demonstrates the following cores and role competencies.

• Commercial & business development
• Account & partnership management
• Managing people
• Sales management
• CRM

Qualifications and Experience

Qualification

• Desirables: Degree in Business and/or Marketing & Sales area or equivalent qualification from relevant external professional organisations e.g. CIM, Melcrum, GCN, CIPR, WOMMA etc. (or equivalent experience in relevant discipline)

Experience

Essentials

• Extensive experience of managing teams in a global organization, with accountability for sales and/ or business development
• Significant experience of senior stakeholder management
• Significant experience of delivering on business targets
• Experience of strategic and business plan development
• Experience of managing regional or cross-border teams

Desirables

• Solution-sales experience in large sectors (e.g. financial services, media, pharmaceuticals tourism, government sector, and ideally education)
• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM

Important Information

• Language requirement: English level at C2 speaking and writing
• British Council Pay band: SMP/9
• Department: English and Exams
• Working location: KSA or Kuwait
• Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country:

+ This role is open to all applicants including those who need to relocate to undertake the role; however, relocation assistance is not provided.

+ Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country.

+ Candidates who do not have a natural right to work in the country will be provided with immigration clearance and visa support as set out by the Local Government. Please note visa approvals are beyond the British Council's control so any job offer will be subject to securing the required right to work

• Closing Date: Wednesday, 07th Jan 2026 (23:59 ICT)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [HIDDEN TEXT]