Senior Director, Business Development, MEA

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement Circle's business development strategy throughout Africa.

• Identify significant opportunities to enhance the adoption of Circle's payment solutions.

• Oversee negotiations and the structuring of deals for strategic alliances with PSPs, fintechs, mobile money providers, and payment enterprises.

• Create and validate commercial models, encompassing financial modeling and forecasting.

• Utilize modern analytics and AI-assisted modeling to refine scenario planning and deal assessment.

• Develop and execute go-to-market strategies from initial discussions to finalized agreements.

• Supply market intelligence and feedback on competitive trends to leadership.

• Manage post-close relationships with strategic partners across MEA, serving as their primary Circle contact.

• Create and implement joint business plans featuring performance milestones, KPIs, and growth objectives.

• Promote partner activation, onboarding, integration, and revenue acceleration.

• Conduct regular business reviews and pinpoint growth opportunities within existing accounts.

• Collaborate with product, compliance, legal, and marketing teams to address issues and prioritize partner support.

• Build and cultivate a tiered partner ecosystem throughout MEA.

• Monitor and report partner performance metrics utilizing CRM and analytics tools.

• Leverage AI-augmented CRM capabilities and analytics to enhance forecasting, prioritization, and partner insights.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 13 years of experience in business development and/or partner management in financial services, fintech, or digital assets.

• Proven track record in the MEA region.

• Demonstrated success in closing complex, high-value deals and managing and expanding strategic partner relationships after closure.

• Profound knowledge of MEA's financial ecosystem, including mobile money, banking infrastructure, cross-border payments, and emerging fintech trends.

• Extensive network of industry connections with leading financial institutions, fintechs, and enterprise partners across the region.

• Proven expertise in developing joint business plans, managing partner performance, and achieving measurable revenue results through partnerships.

• Strong understanding of the digital assets and cryptocurrency sector.

• Practical proficiency with modern AI tools and workflows, including generative AI and large language models.

• Capability to create effective prompts and validate model outputs.

• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and analytics workflows, including predictive forecasting, cohort analysis, and model-driven segmentation.

• Ability to collaborate with data teams to operationalize insights.

• Cross-cultural competence and ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and geographies.

• Entrepreneurial mindset suitable for a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the creation and delivery of presentations.

• Proficiency in business-level English is required.

• Knowledge of Arabic or French is an advantage.

🏝️ Benefits

• Flexible work environment.

• Commitment to an inclusive financial future and equal opportunity employment.

• Interview accommodations or assistance for disabilities.