Country Manager Saudi Arabia

Who we are and what we do

At Hachette Learning (formerly Hodder Education), there’s one thing we’re certain about. No two students learn the same way. That’s why our approach to teaching begins by recognising the needs of individuals first. Our mission is to enable every learner to fulfil their unique potential by empowering those who teach them. From our expert teaching and learning resources to our digital educational tools that make learning easier and more accessible for all, we provide solutions designed to maximise the impact of learning for every teacher, parent and student.

Aligned with our parent company, Hachette Livre, founded in 1826, we’re proud to deliver high-quality learning solutions on a global scale. We make it easier for everyone to unlock a new world of learning.

Hachette Learning is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 10 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.

What you'll be doing

We are looking for a motivated and experienced Sales Manager to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will be responsible for managing the following activities:

Sales & Business Development:

Meet or exceed the regional sales budget and forecast.

Identify new markets and customers to drive sales growth and increase market share.

Analyse sales figures weekly with the Regional Manager to adapt and refine sales strategies.

Focus on key opportunities within the KSA market, including engagement with the Ministry of Education and other key stakeholders.

Account & Relationship Management:

Conduct regular travel to schools and distributors across the region.

Work with distributors and booksellers to ensure promotion of the complete product portfolio (backlist and frontlist).

Develop and maintain a strong database of customer contacts and leads.

Operational Execution:

Manage the end-to-end ordering process, from quotation to delivery, keeping customers informed.

Organize regional sales trips within the allocated travel budget.

Assist with customer onboarding for digital services.

Coordinate budgets and schedules for in-market training sessions.

Reporting & Strategy:

Compile and submit regular trip and activity reports.

Provide feedback on sales forecasts, order pipeline, and publishing opportunities to the International Sales Manager.

Provide feedback on operational processes to inform future working practices in the region.

Who we are looking for

Skills/Knowledge:

• Prior work experience in the KSA market or the broader GCC region, with an understanding of local business culture and practices
• Background in educational publishing, EdTech, learning services, or related sectors selling to institutional buyers
• Experience selling a broad product portfolio (e.g., "backlist and frontlist" titles, digital/physical bundles)
• Familiarity with MOE approval processes, specifically within the KSA Ministry of Education framework
• Ability to develop and refine territory plans based on market analysis
• Experience working within and managing allocated travel and promotional budgets
• proficiency in preparing formal reports and providing strategic feedback to senior management
• A consultative sales approach

KPIs

1. Achievement of sales revenue targets.
2. Revenue growth from new market segments and customer acquisitions.
3. Year-over-year growth in sales volume from existing distributor and key account partnerships.
4. Number of qualified new leads added to the CRM database.
5. Average order fulfilment cycle time (quote to delivery).
6. Conversion rate of key strategic opportunities, particularly Ministry of Education (MoE) approvals or contracts.
7. Timeliness and completeness of activity reports

Need to be

• Strong communicator (essential)
• A collaborative team player (essential)
• Solid commercial foundations (essential)
• Proactive and delivery orientated (essential)
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively (essential)
• Ability to manage a varied workload (essential)
• Ability to manage and plan the sales trips effectively

What we offer

Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:

• Generous annual leave allowance increasing with service
• Private medical insurance
• Generous pension schemes
• 2 community days per year
• Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
• Wide-ranging training library
• Development programmes (including mentoring)
• Up to 70% off book purchases
• A charity bookshelf
• 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing and religious networks

The role will be based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a blend of field sales visits (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.

Our commitment

Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds.

If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend your interview, please let us know.