Senior Director, Business Development, MEA

Circle is a financial technology company at the epicenter of the emerging internet of money, where value can finally travel like other digital data globally, nearly instantly and less expensively than legacy settlement systems. This ground-breaking new internet layer opens up previously unimaginable possibilities for payments, commerce and markets that can help raise global economic prosperity and enhance inclusion. Our infrastructure including USDC, a blockchain-based dollar helps businesses, institutions and developers harness these breakthroughs and capitalize on this major turning point in the evolution of money and technology.

What Youll Be Part Of

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.

What Youll Be Responsible For

Circle is seeking a highly motivated and accomplished Senior Director of Business Development to lead our expansion efforts across Africa. Based in Dubai, with extensive travel across the region, this role requires a strategic dealmaker with deep expertise in payments, fintech, and digital assets, who can identify, negotiate, and execute high-value, complex partnerships across public and private sectors.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping Circle's footprint in Africa by leading business negotiations, structuring transformative deals, and developing go-to-market strategies that drive adoption of Circle's payment solutions. The ideal candidate thrives in high-stakes environments, can navigate regulatory landscapes, and has a proven track record of closing large-scale deals with financial institutions, enterprises, and government entities.

What Youll Work On

• Develop and execute Circle's business development strategy across Africa, identifying high-impact opportunities to drive the adoption of our payment solutions.
• Lead negotiations and deal structuring for strategic partnerships with banks, fintechs, mobile money providers, large enterprises, and government entities.
• Manage complex, multi-stakeholder relationships with C-suite executives, regulators, and key decision-makers across sectors.
• Drive regulatory engagement, working closely with policymakers and industry leaders to shape the evolving fintech and digital assets landscape in Africa.
• Develop and validate commercial models for new business opportunities, conducting financial analysis and forecasting to support strategic decision-making.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, compliance, and legal teams to tailor Circle's offerings to the unique needs of emerging markets.
• Build and lead go-to-market strategies that drive adoption of Circle's products, ensuring successful execution of deals from initial discussions through implementation.
• Track, report, and optimize business development efforts, leveraging CRM tools to monitor deal flow, pipeline progress, and key success metrics.

You Will Aspire To Our Four Core Values

• Multistakeholder - you have dedication and commitment to our customers, shareholders, employees and families and local communities.
• Mindful - you seek to be respectful, an active listener and to pay attention to detail.
• Driven by Excellence - you are driven by our mission and our passion for customer success which means you relentlessly pursue excellence, that you do not tolerate mediocrity and you work intensely to achieve your goals.
• High Integrity - you seek open and honest communication, and you hold yourself to very high moral and ethical standards. You reject manipulation, dishonesty and intolerance.

What Youll Bring To Circle

• 15+ years of business development experience, with a strong track record of leading complex, high-value deals in payments, fintech, or financial services across Africa.
• Exceptional negotiation skills, with the ability to structure and close multi-million-dollar deals in highly competitive and regulated environments.
• Deep understanding of Africa's financial ecosystem, including mobile money, banking infrastructure, cross-border payments, and emerging fintech trends.
• Experience engaging with regulators, central banks, and government entities to drive business growth while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.
• A strong network of industry relationships with leading financial institutions, fintechs, and enterprise partners across Africa.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Passion for digital assets, blockchain technology, and the future of financial infrastructure.

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.

Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to [HIDDEN TEXT] for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.