Country Programme Lead – Saudi Arabia
Location: Saudi Arabia
Type: Full-time
About Us
CFTE is a global education and capability-building organisation focused on the impact of AI, technology, and innovation on individuals, organisations, and governments. We work with leading institutions across financial services, the public sector, and higher education to design and deliver high-impact programmes that prepare professionals and leaders for the future of work.
CFTE operates as an entrepreneurial organisation with global reach, leveraging technology, data, and lean teams to deliver programmes at scale. We work at the intersection of innovation, institutions, and execution.
Role Summary
We are looking for a Country Programme Lead to take ownership of CFTE's programme delivery and expansion in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is one of the most significant and fast-moving markets for AI capability building globally, and this role sits at the centre of that.
This is a senior, execution-focused role for someone who combines discipline with pace. You will be responsible for ensuring CFTE's programmes are delivered reliably and professionally across government bodies, financial institutions, and national initiatives, while helping scale delivery capacity in an environment where ambition and speed are both high.
This is not a corporate role with large teams or slow decision cycles. It is a hands-on leadership role where technology, structure, and judgement are used to move quickly without losing credibility.
What You'll Do
- Own the end-to-end delivery of CFTE programmes in Saudi Arabia, ensuring consistent quality and smooth execution across government, institutional, and enterprise clients.
- Act as the primary local point of contact for programme-related engagement with partners, clients, and instructors.
- Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders across the Saudi ecosystem including government bodies, Vision 2030 aligned institutions, financial sector organisations, and national academies.
- Support the growth and coordination of CFTE's instructor and expert community to meet increasing delivery needs in the region.
- Work closely with CFTE's central team to translate programme commitments into executable delivery plans.
- Build and improve lightweight operational processes that support reliable delivery at scale, using technology and AI tools wherever possible.
- Represent CFTE professionally in local stakeholder interactions, balancing speed, rigour, and long-term trust.
- Provide clear, concise visibility on programme progress, risks, and delivery capacity to senior leadership.
What You'll Bring
- Experience scaling programmes, operations, or delivery in an entrepreneurial, fast-growing, or transformation-driven organisation.
- Genuine familiarity with the Saudi market. You understand how institutions operate, how decisions are made, and how to build trust with senior stakeholders in the Kingdom.
- Comfort working with government bodies, regulators, or large institutions without adopting slow or bureaucratic behaviours.
- Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders and external contributors in parallel.
- A track record of using tools, systems, or AI to increase leverage and reduce manual effort.
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with high attention to detail.
- Arabic language proficiency is a strong advantage.
You are likely to be:
- Entrepreneurial, accountable, and biased towards action.
- Disciplined and structured, without being rigid or slow.
- Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information.
- Credible and calm in institutional and government environments.
- Motivated by ownership, learning, and impact rather than hierarchy.
Why Join Us:
- Take real ownership of CFTE's activities in Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most ambitious and best-resourced markets for AI and future skills development.
- Work in a small, high-trust team that moves quickly and expects high standards.
- Help scale impactful programmes for governments, Vision 2030 aligned institutions, and senior leaders across the Kingdom.
- Operate at the intersection of technology, execution, and real-world impact in a market that is moving fast and investing heavily.
