We are seeking a highly accomplished and commercially driven Sales Director with a minimum of 20 years of proven experience in the GCC market, capable of leading strategic sales, business development, market expansion, and revenue growth across the region.
The ideal candidate will bring a strong track record in water and wastewater treatment, EPC, O&M, electromechanical works, industrial utilities, infrastructure, or related engineering sectors, with demonstrated success in securing high-value projects, developing strategic partnerships, and converting opportunities into profitable business outcomes.
This role requires a senior leader with strong market presence, client access, commercial discipline, strategic thinking, leadership capability, and negotiation strength, capable of driving growth across government, semi-government, industrial, municipal, utility, and private sector markets in the GCC.
1. Key Responsibilities (Not Limited To)
The Sales Director shall be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
Strategic Sales & Business Growth
· Develop and execute the company’s GCC sales and business development strategy aligned with revenue and profitability targets.
· Build and maintain a strong pipeline of opportunities across EPC, design-build, O&M, retrofit, rehabilitation, BOOT/BOT, and technology-led projects.
· Identify, pursue, and secure new business opportunities in the water, wastewater, desalination, TSE, industrial treatment, pumping stations, STP/WWTP, and related infrastructure sectors.
· Drive market penetration in UAE, KSA, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other relevant GCC territories.
Client & Market Development
· Establish and maintain high-level relationships with:
o Government and semi-government entities
o Municipalities and utility authorities
o Industrial clients and developers
o Consultants / PMCs / EPC contractors
o Technology partners / OEMs / strategic investors
· Lead prequalification, vendor registration, tender intelligence, and opportunity tracking.
· Position the company early in the project cycle through consultants, specifiers, and decision-makers.
Commercial Leadership & Opportunity Conversion
· Lead opportunity qualification based on technical fit, commercial viability, risk profile, payment terms, and strategic value.
· Develop bid / no-bid strategies and support pursuit planning for high-value projects.
· Lead pricing strategy, scope positioning, partner strategy, and commercial negotiations.
· Support or lead consortium / JV / agency / strategic alliance discussions where required.
· Ensure opportunities pursued are aligned with company capability, risk appetite, and profitability objectives.
Tendering & Proposal Strategy
· Work closely with proposals, engineering, procurement, project, and finance teams to ensure technically competitive and commercially sound submissions.
· Oversee and guide:
o EOIs / prequalification submissions
o Budgetary and firm proposals
o Technical-commercial offers
o Clarification responses
o Deviation sheets
o Post-tender negotiations
· Ensure strong control over commercial exposure, exclusions, qualifications, and contractual risk.
Leadership & Governance
· Lead, mentor, and structure the sales / business development team with clear KPIs, KRAs, accountability, and reporting discipline.
· Drive a culture of market intelligence, proactive follow-up, commercial ownership, and forecast accuracy.
· Maintain and present structured reports on:
o Pipeline value and quality
o Order intake
o Conversion ratio
o Margin outlook
o Strategic accounts
o Market trends and competitor activity
2. Core Experience Required
The candidate must possess substantial and demonstrable GCC market experience, including but not limited to:
· Minimum 20 years of progressive experience in the GCC in sales, business development, commercial leadership, or strategic account management.
· Proven experience in one or more of the following sectors:
o Water & wastewater treatment
o Desalination / RO / UF / STP / WWTP / TSE
o EPC / electromechanical contracting
o Industrial process utilities
o Infrastructure / utility projects
o O&M / lifecycle service contracts
o Environmental engineering / treatment solutions
· Strong working knowledge of:
o GCC procurement and tendering processes
o Government / semi-government opportunity cycles
o Prequalification and vendor registration systems
o Consultant-driven specifications and early-stage positioning
o Contractual and commercial negotiation in engineering projects
· Proven exposure to:
o Government and semi-government clients
o Municipalities and utility authorities
o Industrial and infrastructure clients
o Consultants / PMC firms
o EPC contractors and developers
o OEMs and technology providers
3. Proof of References & Demonstrated Success (Mandatory)
Applicants must be able to provide clear evidence of performance and market credibility, including but not limited to:
· Verifiable references from previous employers, clients, consultants, or strategic partners within the GCC.
· Demonstrated track record of:
o Securing and closing high-value projects in the GCC
o Generating measurable annual order intake / revenue growth
o Developing new markets, clients, or sectors
o Winning direct awards, negotiated contracts, or major tenders
o Establishing successful strategic partnerships / JVs / agency relationships
· Ability to present a portfolio / list of major projects or contracts influenced, originated, or closed by the candidate.
· Evidence of strong network access and relationship strength across relevant GCC stakeholders.
· Proven success in building and converting a healthy opportunity pipeline into awarded business.
Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate tangible commercial achievements, supported by references, project history, and measurable contribution to business growth.
4. Skills & Competencies
The ideal candidate should possess the following skills and attributes:
· Strong strategic sales and business development capability
· Deep GCC market intelligence and network
· Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management
· Strong commercial acumen and margin awareness
· High-level negotiation and deal-closing ability
· Ability to structure and lead consortium / JV / partnership discussions
· Strong technical-commercial understanding of engineering / EPC opportunities
· Excellent communication, presentation, and executive engagement skills
· Strong leadership and team development capability
· Sound understanding of contractual risk, scope boundaries, exclusions, and commercial protection
· Strong reporting, pipeline management, and forecasting discipline
· Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple strategic pursuits, and deliver results
5. Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
· Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business, Marketing, or a related field
(Engineering background strongly preferred for technical sectors.)
Preferred Qualifications
· MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification in business / management is an advantage.
· Additional certifications in:
o Sales leadership
o Commercial / contract management
o Business strategy
o Key account management
o Negotiation or project commercial management
6. Preferred Candidate Profile
Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate:
· Existing and active GCC network that can be immediately leveraged
· Strong exposure to UAE and KSA markets, with added advantage for Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait
· Experience with water / wastewater / desalination / EPC / O&M projects
· Ability to engage confidently at C-level / board level / authority level
· Strong personal credibility, professionalism, and market respect
· A disciplined, result-oriented, and commercially mature leadership style
7. Key Performance Expectations
The Sales Director will be expected to deliver, at a minimum:
· Strong annual order intake growth
· Expansion of qualified opportunity pipeline
· Improved conversion of targeted opportunities
· Growth in strategic accounts and client access
· Better market visibility and partner positioning
· Commercially disciplined pursuits with controlled risk exposure
· Stronger sales governance, reporting, and team performance