Strategy and Corporate Development – Manager

Abdul Latif Jameel Company; South Africa; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Abdul Latif Jameel seeks a seasoned Manager for Strategy and Corporate Development in its Mobility Sector, based in South Africa or Morocco. You will drive strategic initiatives, build robust business cases, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver value across Africa and the Middle East.

Strong consulting DNA and automotive exposure are essential. You will report to the Senior General Manager, Mobility Strategy and Corporate Development (South Africa).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in corporate strategy, business development or management consulting.
• Experience in the automotive industry, ideally distribution of cars.
• Strong project management, strategic planning and financial modelling abilities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; proficient with Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic plans to achieve corporate goals and objectives.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual strategy planning cycles with SBUs.
• Conduct market analysis to identify growth opportunities and risks.
• Evaluate mergers, acquisitions and partnerships; support due diligence processes.
• Lead cross-functional teams and secure buy-in from stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Corporate strategy

Business development

Project management

Financial modelling

Advanced presentation design

Stakeholder engagement

Communication excellence

Team leadership

Excel / PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

AI tools

Job description

Abdul Latif Jameel is a diversified conglomerate founded in Saudi Arabia in 1945, operating across six strategic business sectors: Mobility, Financial Services, Energy & Environment, Health, Diversified, and Investment. With a family of more than 11,000 employees in over 30 countries across six continents, our people are at the centre of all we do.

Our global Mobility operations span key markets across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific, reflecting the international reach and diversity of our business. The role will primarily support the Mobility business across Africa and the Middle East, with flexibility to support strategic initiatives and corporate development activities across other regions as required.

About the role

Abdul Latif Jameel is seeking an exceptional, experienced and dynamic Manager for our Strategy and Corporate Development team in its Mobility Sector, to be based in South Africa or Morocco.

This role is integral to driving strategic initiatives and fostering corporate growth through meticulous planning, rigorous analysis, and execution of key projects. The person will be part of the team that helps to chart and drive the medium to long term direction of the Mobility business in Abdul Latif Jameel. S/he will be reporting to the Senior General Manager, Mobility Strategy and Corporate Development (based in South Africa).

The ideal candidate

• Will be expected to own and drive assigned strategic projects and corporate development initiatives, with guidance and supervision from a more senior member of the team.
• Must have a hands‑on and detail-oriented behaviour, “go‑get” and “from scratch to finish” way of working; from researching, performing analysis, to timeously driving projects and people, as well as crafting, presenting, securing buy‑in of strategies from business unit leaders or driving business opportunities or corporate development topics.
• Must have proven skills in communicating clearly, articulating complex ideas or concepts – both orally and by presentation. In particular, skills in crafting impactful (both visually and in content) presentation slides are a must have.
• Will be a strategic thinker with experience in corporate strategy, business development, and project management. Consulting and analytical toolkit from previous Corporate Strategy or consulting experience is a basic requirement – but is not enough.
• Must navigate both established and nascent organizational environments, securing buy‑in from key stakeholders, and establishing and maintaining robust internal and external relationships. Proven abilities in EQ and RQ with diverse stakeholder groups are a must.
• Will need to possess background in Automotive and Mobility industry (ideally in the distribution segment). Other experience in other industry welcome but not a must.

As such, the ideal candidate should be an all‑rounder, who excels not only acute analytical skills but knowledge or exposure in the Automotive industry

Key Responsibilities

(not exhaustive):

Strategic Planning and Execution

• Participate in development and implementation of comprehensive strategic plans to achieve corporate goals and objectives.
• Help manage monthly, quarterly and annual strategy planning cycle, working with SBUs to develop and refine business strategies.
• Conduct market analysis to identify growth opportunities, potential risks and implications for the business.
• Evaluate new business ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships where applicable.
• Collaborate with business and functional teams to align strategic initiatives with overall company vision and mission.

Corporate Development

• Assess potential business and growth opportunities within the assigned scope.
• Contribute to the process (due diligence etc.) for potential acquisitions and partnerships with the Corporate M&A and Business teams.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including investors, partners, and industry experts to support corporate development activities.

Financial Analysis and Reporting

• Conduct detailed financial analysis to support strategic decision‑making.
• Prepare comprehensive business cases, financial models, and investment proposals.
• Monitor and report on the performance of strategic initiatives and corporate development projects.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead cross‑functional project teams and workstreams, providing direction and ensuring timely delivery of agreed objectives.
• Foster a collaborative and high‑performance culture within the team.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to nurturing relationships and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. government, consulting, experts, etc.) to ensure alignment and buy‑in for strategic initiatives.

Organizational Navigation and Relationship Management

• Secure buy‑in from key decision‑makers for strategic initiatives.
• Establish and maintain strong internal and external relationships to support corporate development efforts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related field
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in corporate strategy, business development, or management consulting or equivalent
• Experience in automotive industry, ideally in distribution of cars
• Exposure in successful project management and strategic planning
• Experience in financial modelling and analysis
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
• Skills in clear, clean and state of art slide design to ensure Powerpoint decks are impactful
• Proficiency in using and leveraging AI tools
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment with a strong emphasis on collaboration and innovation

You will be a great match if you

• Are brilliant in IQ, RQ and EQ, with resilience and adaptability to all styles and cultures. These are equally important; the role requires high level of interaction with the whole company and for example, (very) high IQ with low EQ / RQ candidates will not be set up for success as the role require to establish sound interpersonal relationships with leaders, experts, decision makers etc.
• Are able to work under pressure, tight timelines, changing deadlines i.e. to thrive in ambiguous and complex situations and be exceptionally responsive to any request from Management
• Are not afraid and are able to “get your hands dirty and go the extra‑mile”
• Possess the ability to communicate in an effective and efficient manner, both verbally and through written/presentation means
• Are able to provide out‑of‑the‑box insights and views
• Demonstrate the capability to quickly grasp and comprehend new information and knowledge, pertinent to strategy and investment decision‑making
• Excel at analytical work but also at converting data into actionable insights and easily digestible formats for the business, showcasing strong business acumen
• Function effectively as a team player, comfortable working across various roles and functions
• Exhibit very strong attention to detail with exceptional organizational, planning, and coordination skills