Head of Business Development

Head of Business Development - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ABOUT CIC

CIC builds and connects thriving innovation communities around the world and creates spaces where startups, scale‑ups, corporations, and public institutions come together to overcome challenges and grow.

Founded in 1999, CIC was one of the first companies to offer flexible office space and coworking options, providing a platform for the world’s most impactful entrepreneurs to innovate better and faster.

CIC manages a global network of innovation‑focused work spaces, laboratories, and event spaces across North America, Europe, and Asia. Beyond our spaces, CIC develops innovation‑focused programming, builds and enables industry clusters, and offers consulting services to help public and private sector partners foster innovation ecosystems.

Over the years, CIC has supported multiple startups, scale‑ups, corporations, and public entities across a wide variety of industries and sectors.

We invite you to explore our opportunities and learn more about our teams here.

CIC Catalyst activates extraordinary innovation environments to build a better future. We provide high‑touch services to corporations, municipalities, and academic institutions to aid disruptive thinking, develop new concepts, instill an innovative mindset, and deliver strategic growth plans for innovation districts. We drive venture and idea creation, leveraging the power of proximity to connect diverse partners and foster collaborative, future‑focused outcomes.

We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial Head of Business Development to establish and significantly grow CIC Catalyst’s presence and revenue stream across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with an immediate focus on high‑potential markets like Saudi Arabia. This is a crucial role designed to professionalize our market penetration efforts, moving beyond reliance on part‑time resources and periodic travel to drive substantial new business growth.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Strategic Revenue Generation:
  Define and execute a regional strategy to generate new revenue opportunities for all CIC Catalyst services, including Captains, Des Con (Design Consulting), and Expansion teams.
• Market Leadership and Presence:
  Serve as the dedicated, full‑time representative for CIC in the region, actively building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including government entities (e.g. NTDP and Wadi Jeddah) and private sector partners.
• Pipeline Management:
  Manage the full Business Development lifecycle, from initial lead generation and qualification to proposal development and contract negotiation, ensuring a strong, consistent pipeline of business opportunities.
• Immediate Opportunity Capture:
  Focus efforts on converting immediate high‑value opportunities and other contracts requiring local team deployment.
• Staffing & Support:
  Work closely with the global team to anticipate staffing needs and work with the Partners and Director of Strategy to allocate resources for secured contracts.
• Risk Mitigation:
  Proactively ensure the company is viewed as a strategic, long‑term partner in the MENA region by maintaining a strong, local presence and commitment.

We like to employ service‑minded people who are dependable and able to work independently. More specifically, we are looking for someone who possesses the following characteristics:

• A strong communicator. You’re a balanced and comfortable presence around all people, with a proven record of professional success, and some hard‑won lessons only challenging situations or failure can teach. You communicate effectively with team members and clients alike, including under pressure. You’re comfortable reaching out proactively to ensure expectations are shared and met, and comfortable speaking in front of large groups.
  
  You have the ability to translate business goals into program delivery and services.
• Naturally drawn to a "start‑up" environment, and eager for work that requires you to be independent, strategic, and proactive. You have experience and ease working with companies of various sizes, cultures, and native…