Strategic Planning Director Saudi Arabia

Job Description

Reports to: Managing Director Saudi Arabia
Location: Riyadh KSA

Role Purpose

The Strategic Projects Realization Director is a critically important role that enables the MD KSA to work most effectively with internal and external stakeholders and to fulfill commitments to customers partners and the leadership team. This is not an administrative role it is a highly strategic and facilitative position that requires strong strategic thinking exceptional judgment discretion and a hands-on approach to driving execution.

He/she serves as an integrator operator and orchestratorshaping the KSA strategy and 35-year roadmap translating it into a governed portfolio of programs and ensuring timely decisions risk management and measurable value creation in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.

Strategy & Operating Rhythm

• Own and lead the Saudi strategy and 35-year roadmap aligned to Vision 2030 outcomes and national priorities.

• Synchronize functional/unit strategies with the KSA enterprise strategy; embed clear OKRs KPIs and outcome measures.

• Design and run the operational calendar for strategy execution (e.g. territory action plan (TAP) reviews Profit Plan/Forecasting Day S&OP Scorecard cadence).

• Drive cross-functional interlocks; cascade strategy into quarterly/annual plans with milestones accountabilities and dependencies.

• Track execution health and risks; trigger early interventions; ensure escalations/decisions happen at the right level and speed.

• Leverage the MDs time for maximum impactoptimize for decision quality and content not logistics.

• Prepare and facilitate Leadership Team meetings KSA Business Reviews Brand Reviews (templates discussion framing attendees & actions) Town Halls and Cycle Meetings.

• Validate pre-reads decision memos and post-meeting actions; hold owners accountable for timely follow-through.

Orchestration of Strategic Projects

• Lead coordination of priority projects and commitments involving the Managing Director and their direct reports.

• Actively partners with Regional Business Development to ensure projects are progressing according to management and stakeholder expectations.

• Ensure alignment across global regional and market stakeholders; propose mitigation actions when alignment is lacking.

• Deep-dive into a select portfolio of high-impact initiatives while maintaining a broad understanding of all projects under the MDs remit.

• Apply tact diplomacy and persistence to navigate complex cross-functional dynamics.

• Facilitate escalations and trade-offs across functions (Medical Commercial Manufacturing Market Access Legal/Compliance Finance Supply Chain Business Development).

• Actively manage enterprise risks and opportunities.

• Partner with HR to drive engagement and culture-building initiatives.

• Serve as single point of contact (SPOC) for regionally initiated projects coordinate with all relevant stakeholders.

Enterprise Program Delivery & Governance

• Maintain a coherent KSA enterprise portfolio with investment criteria stage gates benefit tracking and RAG status.

• Build and continuously improve the governance risk and planning infrastructure to run major programs in a controlled and compliant way.

Ecosystem & Alliances (KSA)

• Support external affairs in the interface with MOH SFDA MISA LCGPA NUPCO PIF/Lifera and other relevant stakeholders.

• Unlock incentives approvals and long-term offtakes; align to local content and procurement mechanisms.

• Structure and negotiate MoUs offtake agreements tech transfer contracts and JV frameworks; ensure commercial viability and regulatory fit.

Value Creation & Reporting

• Quantify and report local value: local manufacturing depth supplier development tech transfer milestones workforce/Saudization and supply resilience KPIs.

• Build executive dashboards (e.g. Portfolio RAG Risk heatmaps Local Content % Tender eligibility Cash & Capex) and present to Country Leadership EEMEA/Global BD and external steering bodies.

• Track and communicate benefits realized vs. plan (e.g. NPV/IRR time-to-impact cost-to-serve access/tender wins).

Market Intelligence & Foresight

• -Lead localization and new product launches strategy across working with BUDs and cross functional leaders to deliver timely high impact responses.

• Propose innovative partnership models to secure long-term competitive advantage.

• Maintain a forward-looking signals deck to inform MD and LT decision-making.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelors degree in business Economics Engineering Pharmacy/Sciences or related field; MBA or relevant Masters preferred.

• 1015 years in strategy/PMO/enterprise program management corporate development or government partnerships; healthcare or biopharma experience strongly preferred.

• Proven experience working with KSA authorities (e.g. MOH SFDA MISA LCGPA NUPCO PIF/Lifera) and navigating approvals incentives and procurement/local content frameworks.

• Business development experience with a track record of structuring/negotiating MoUs offtakes JV frameworks and tech-transfer agreements.

• Strong financial acumen (business cases NPV/IRR scenario/portfolio analysis).

• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional delivery in complex regulated environments with strict governance/compliance requirements.

• Ability to quickly develop strong relationships across global regional and local functions.

• Fluent English: Arabic fluency strongly preferred.

Technical & Functional Competencies

• Strategic leadership

• Program/Project Management

• Deep knowledge of Saudi healthcare and regulatory environment

• Business development commercial modeling deal structuring and negotiation.

• Data visualization & reporting advanced Excel/PowerPoint.

• Executive communication Stakeholder engagement and decision framing.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• Strategic Planning Enterprise mindset; ability to orchestrate across various functions internally and externally

• Emotional Intelligence: High judgment integrity and discretion; resilient under pressure.

• Influence: Tactful influencer with strong diplomacy and stakeholder management.

• Execution Excellence: Bias to action; escalates and resolves issues at the right level with urgency.

• Coaching & Development: Talent developer and culture builder.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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