Country Manager Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Reporting to: Group CEO / Group Executive Leadership
Role Overview
The Country Manager - Saudi Arabia will lead the establishment, growth, and long-term success of the Group's business in KSA. This is a senior leadership role with full country ownership, responsible for translating group strategy into a localized, scalable, and commercially successful operation.
The role requires a strong business builder - someone who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, understands marketplace and retail-driven business models, and can navigate the complexities of the Saudi market. The Country Manager will represent the company at a country level, drive commercial performance, build high-performing teams, and ensure operational, regulatory, and cultural alignment.
This role is ideal for an entrepreneurial leader who thrives in growth-stage environments and enjoys building businesses from the ground up.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategy & Market Development
- Develop and execute the country strategy aligned with group objectives, adapted to Saudi market realities.
- Identify growth opportunities across marketplace platforms, retail, digital, and multi-vertical business lines.
- Lead market entry, expansion, and localization initiatives, ensuring strong productmarket fit.
- Continuously assess market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscape to inform strategic decisions.
2. Commercial & Business Performance
- Own full P&L responsibility for the Saudi operation, driving revenue growth and cost efficiency.
- Build and scale commercial channels, partnerships, and key accounts.
- Lead pricing, go-to-market strategies, and revenue diversification initiatives.
- Establish strong relationships with strategic partners, landlords, suppliers, and ecosystem stakeholders.
3. Operations & Execution
- Set up and stabilize end-to-end country operations, including sales, operations, marketing, finance, and administration.
- Establish operational frameworks, KPIs, and reporting structures to support scalability and governance.
- Ensure seamless coordination with group shared services and cross-country teams.
- Drive operational excellence while maintaining agility in a fast-changing environment.
4. People Leadership & Culture
- Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing, cross-functional leadership team in KSA.
- Hire, develop, and retain top local and regional talent aligned with company values and culture.
- Foster a performance-driven, accountable, and collaborative work environment.
- Act as a culture carrier, embedding group values while respecting local business norms.
5. Compliance, Governance & Stakeholder Management
- Ensure full compliance with Saudi labor law, commercial regulations, and licensing requirements.
- Manage relationships with regulators, government entities, and external advisors.
- Act as the senior representative of the company in Saudi Arabia with internal and external stakeholders.
- Uphold strong governance, risk management, and ethical business practices.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- Proven experience as a Country Manager, General Manager, Business Head, or equivalent senior leadership role, preferably in KSA or GCC.
- Demonstrated success in building and scaling businesses, ideally within marketplace platforms, retail, digital businesses, or multi-vertical groups.
- Deep understanding of the Saudi Arabian market, including consumer behavior, partnerships, regulatory landscape, and local business culture.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing P&L, growth strategies, and operational scaling.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams across sales, operations, marketing, finance, and administration.
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, or a related field; MBA or equivalent is a strong advantage.
- Fluency in English is required; Arabic is a strong advantage.
Leadership & Behavioral Competencies
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into practical execution.
- Strong people leader who builds trust, empowers teams, and drives performance.
- Highly adaptable, resilient, and comfortable operating in ambiguity and growth-stage environments.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, able to represent the company at senior levels.
- Culturally aware, with the ability to navigate and respect Saudi business norms and practices.
What Success Looks Like in the First 12 Months
- A fully established and compliant Saudi entity with stable operations and governance.
- Strong initial market presence with clear traction across key business verticals.
- A capable, engaged local leadership team in place.
- Sustainable revenue growth is supported by solid partnerships and operational discipline.
- Clear roadmap for scale aligned with group strategy and long-term growth objectives.
