Business Development & Client Relations Specialist

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Business Development & Client Relations Specialist to join KAUST Academy’s team. In this pivotal role, you will play a key part in expanding the Academy’s reach by identifying and engaging new customers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fostering long-term client relationships, and collaborating with the Academic team to design customized training solutions. Your responsibilities will encompass driving customer acquisition, managing the Etimad platform processes, developing go-to-market strategies, and ensuring KAUST Academy’s offerings are effectively communicated to prospective clients in both government and private sectors. This position requires a strategic approach to aligning KAUST Academy’s programs with the Kingdom’s workforce development priorities under Vision 2030, while also monitoring market trends to provide actionable insights for strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will be responsible for the following core functions:

• Customer Acquisition & Market Development:
  • Identify and prospect new customers across government entities, semi-government organizations, and private sector companies that align with KAUST Academy’s training and development programs.
  • Develop and deliver professional pitch presentations to articulate KAUST Academy’s program offerings and uncover new business opportunities with prospective clients.
  • Create and maintain a robust go-to-market strategy for KAUST Academy’s services, including the establishment of yearly business development targets to drive growth.
• Customer Relationship Management & Needs Analysis:
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for customer inquiries via the Academy’s dedicated information email inbox, ensuring timely and professional responses to all communications.
  • Analyze customer training needs and collaborate closely with the Academic team to develop tailored training programs and solutions, presenting these proposals back to customers for approval and commitment.
  • Build and maintain a comprehensive customer relationship database to track interactions, pipeline progress, and follow-up activities to ensure no opportunity is overlooked.
• Etimad & Procurement Platform Management:
  • Oversee all Etimad platform processes on behalf of KAUST Academy, including supplier registration, tender submissions, and adherence to government procurement requirements.
  • Monitor upcoming government tenders relevant to KAUST Academy’s service offerings and coordinate bid preparation activities to maximize success.
• Market Intelligence & Reporting:
  • Conduct in-depth research on market trends, industry developments, and competitor activities to inform KAUST Academy’s strategic positioning in the Saudi training and education market.
  • Provide regular reports to management on business development pipeline performance, customer engagement activities, and progress against yearly targets to support data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications & Skills

To excel in this role, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, or a related field is required.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 4 years of experience in business development, client relations, or sales roles, with a preference for candidates with prior experience in the education, training, or professional services sector.
  • Familiarity with Saudi government procurement platforms, such as Etimad, is highly advantageous.
• Required Skills:
  • Business Development: Proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities, build client pipelines, and establish relationships with stakeholders across both public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia.
  • Communication & Presentation: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop compelling pitch presentations, articulate complex program offerings clearly, and maintain professional client correspondence in both Arabic and English.
  • Training Solutions Knowledge: Capacity to understand customer training needs, collaborate with academic teams to shape program solutions, and effectively communicate the value of learning offerings to clients.
  • Target-Driven & Results-Oriented: A proactive and disciplined approach to achieving defined yearly business development targets, with a strong focus on delivering measurable results.

If you are a motivated professional with a passion for driving growth and building lasting client relationships, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity to contribute to KAUST Academy’s mission of advancing workforce development in the Kingdom.