Business Development Director, MEA

Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values: Multistakeholder, Mindfulness, Driven by Excellence, and High Integrity. Circlers are consistently evolving in a remote world where strength in numbers fuels team success. We have built a flexible and diverse work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.

Circle is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Business Development Director to join our Middle East and Africa team. The role will be based in Dubai and the ideal candidate will have a proven track record of identifying, negotiating, closing, and delivering complex deals in a highly competitive environment.

What You’ll Work On

1. Identify and evaluate potential business and partnership opportunities for Circle's products and services.
2. Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government entities, financial institutions, and other industry participants in the private sector.
3. Work closely with Circle's product and marketing teams to tailor Circle's offerings to the needs of clients and partners in emerging markets.
4. Lead negotiations and deal structuring with potential partners and prospects.
5. Financial modelling and forecasting projections on prospective business opportunities and partnerships.
6. Provide market intelligence and feedback to Circle's leadership team to inform product and business strategy.
7. Develop partnership strategies focused on driving adoption of Circle’s existing products and identifying opportunities to validate beta products.
8. Work with product to validate market assumptions, build go-to-market plans, and ultimately strike deals with leading ecosystem businesses.
9. Report sales activity in our CRM systems while ensuring the maintenance of accurate records of all sales activities to ensure accurate reporting and tracking of client accounts.

You Will Aspire To Our Four Core Values

1. Multi Stakeholder - you have dedication and commitment to our customers, shareholders, employees, families, and local communities.
2. Mindful - you seek to be respectful, an active listener, and to pay attention to detail.
3. Driven by Excellence - you are driven by our mission and our passion for customer success, relentlessly pursuing excellence and not tolerating mediocrity.
4. High Integrity - you seek open and honest communication, holding yourself to very high moral and ethical standards.

What you'll bring to this role:

1. 15+ years of experience in business development and sales in financial services and/or digital assets. Strong understanding of the financial services landscape, including regulatory frameworks, industry trends, and market dynamics.
2. Good understanding of the regional fintech and cryptocurrency sector, including key players, products, and trends.
3. Understanding of cultural differences and ability to work effectively across cultures and geographies.
4. Proven track record of building strong relationships with key stakeholders, negotiating successful business deals, and strategic partnerships.
5. Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
6. Business Level of English. Arabic is a plus.

Skills

1. Excellent communicator with strong written communication skills and ability to negotiate and close complex deals effectively.
2. Self-driven and comfortable with independent work and project management.
3. Experience with financial modelling and developing projections on potential partnership opportunities.
4. Strategic thinking: Ability to develop and execute a strategic business development plan.
5. Ability to create and deliver presentations tailored to the audience's needs and varying levels.
6. Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including product, marketing, compliance, and legal teams to ensure successful execution of business development initiatives.

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages. Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Circle. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.