Business Development Manager

Identify and develop public sector advisory opportunities in the GCC.

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Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

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Overview

Identify and develop public sector advisory opportunities in the GCC.

You have:

  • 5-7+ years’ experience in business development, proposal management, or government advisory within a consulting, donor, or public-sector environment.
  • Demonstrated success in public procurement, winning and onboarding public-sector advisory projects in the GCC.
  • Proven understanding of government procurement systems (e.g. Etimad and other regional portals) and bid submission requirements.
  • Fluent in written and spoken English and Arabic.
  • Strong grasp of market trends, competitive dynamics, and policy priorities shaping government reform and transformation across the GCC.
  • Exceptional written communication and proposal development skills, with an exceptional attention to detail.
  • Excellent relationship management skills, confident engaging senior government stakeholders and external partners.
  • Highly organised and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple bids and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Proficient in using CRM or pipeline tracking systems, and comfortable coordinating inputs across multidisciplinary teams.

We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us.

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere.

We are a global team of over 800 changemakers, operating in more than 40 countries, across five continents. We are political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages. We are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference.

In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.

Role Summary

Key Responsibilities

Business Development and Stakeholder Engagement, and Market Intelligence

  • Identify, qualify, and develop public sector advisory opportunities across the GCC.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with procurement officials, client teams, and delivery partners.
  • Maintain an up-to-date opportunity pipeline and support leadership visibility on bid status and regional trends.
  • Monitor procurement portals (e.g. Etimad and others) and coordinate early engagement to shape opportunities.
  • Provide input to business development strategies and growth plans for the GCC region.
  • Conduct market and competitor analysis to inform pricing, positioning, and strategic decision-making.

Proposal & Bid Coordination

  • Lead and coordinate high-quality proposal submissions, ensuring compliance and alignment with client requirements.
  • Work across internal teams (technical, legal, finance) to produce concise, well-structured bids, as well as support contract negotiations, compliance, and onboarding processes.
  • Champion business development best practices - knowledge management, proposal libraries, as well as maintaining and updating standardised templates, profiles, and case studies.

Person Specification

Experience & Knowledge

  • 5-7+ years’ experience in business development, proposal management, or government advisory within a consulting, donor, or public-sector environment.
  • Demonstrated success in public procurement, winning and onboarding public-sector advisory projects in the GCC.
  • Proven understanding of government procurement systems (e.g. Etimad and other regional portals) and bid submission requirements.
  • Experience working with or alongside government ministries, sovereign entities, or multilateral institutions.
  • Strong grasp of market trends, competitive dynamics, and policy priorities shaping government reform and transformation across the GCC.

Skills & Capabilities

  • Exceptional written communication and proposal development skills, with an exceptional attention to detail.
  • Excellent relationship management skills, confident engaging senior government stakeholders and external partners.
  • Highly organised and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple bids and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Strong commercial and analytical acumen, with sound judgement on opportunity suitability, alignment with strategy, and resource availability.
  • Proficient in using CRM or pipeline tracking systems, and comfortable coordinating inputs across multidisciplinary teams.
  • Fluent in written and spoken English and Arabic.

Closing Date:

Potential interview questions

Can you share an example of a successful public procurement project you managed? This question assesses your experience and success in managing procurement projects. Discuss the specific project, your role, the challenges faced, and the outcomes.
How do you prioritize and manage multiple bids simultaneously? The interviewer wants to understand your organizational skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies would you employ to engage senior government stakeholders? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you describe your approach to market and competitor analysis? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Tell us about a time you faced a significant challenge in proposal development. How did you overcome it? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you ensure compliance with client requirements in proposals? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What tools do you use for tracking sales opportunities? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What recent trends in government reform do you believe are most impactful in the GCC? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 8 months ago - Updated 5 months ago - Source: institute.global