Strategy & Business Development Director - Retail | Saudi Arabia

We are seeking a dedicated and meticulous Strategy & Business Development Director for a prominent and leading retail company in Saudi Arabia, renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovation.

The Strategy & Business Development Director will lead the design, structuring, and articulation of corporate and business strategies by identifying growth opportunities, evaluating strategic options, and supporting long-term value creation. The role emphasizes strategic thinking, market intelligence, business modeling, and executive-level advisory, ensuring the company’s strategic agenda is clear, coherent, and data-driven.

Work location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the development of corporate and business-level strategies, including long-term growth roadmaps and strategic priorities.
• Identify, assess, and structure strategic growth opportunities across products, brands, channels, and markets.
• Conduct deep market, consumer, and competitive analyses to inform strategic decisions related to expansion, portfolio optimization, and positioning.
• Design and recommend strategic initiatives to enhance commercial performance, operational effectiveness, and customer value without direct involvement in execution.
• Act as a strategic partner to Sales, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and Product teams by providing direction, frameworks, and strategic guidance, while execution remains with respective functions.
• Provide strategic input and insights for new product, brand, and category development based on trends, data, and market intelligence.
• Evaluate opportunities related to market entry, store expansion, partnerships, acquisitions, and new business models at a strategic level.
• Develop business cases, financial models, and scenario analyses to support investment and transformation decisions.
• Lead cross-functional strategic studies and planning exercises, ensuring alignment at leadership level without managing day-to-day project execution.
• Track strategic KPIs and outcomes, delivering insightful recommendations to executive leadership and board-level stakeholders.
• Prepare high-quality strategy decks, reports, and presentations for senior management and key decision-makers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

We are Looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Strategy, Marketing, Finance, or a related field
• MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification is strongly preferred
• 10–15 years of experience in strategy, corporate development, business planning, or advisory-focused leadership roles
• Proven track record in strategy formulation, strategic planning, and business evaluation (rather than hands-on execution)
• Prior exposure to retail, luxury, beauty, or fragrance sectors is highly preferred
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and financial modeling capabilities
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and executive stakeholder management skills
• Experience in GCC markets, particularly Saudi Arabia, is preferred