Director, Marketing Services, KSA

About the role:
The company is looking for an experienced client leader to support the growth and delivery of Marketing Services in Saudi Arabia. Reporting to the Senior Director, Marketing Services KBO, the selected candidate will lead a portfolio of key accounts and partner with Account Executives and client stakeholders to identify, shape and deliver marketing engagements across financial institutions, merchants, and fintechs. The role will work closely with the company Consulting & Analytics (VCA), Products, Sales, Finance, Compliance, Sourcing, and Controllership to deliver marketing strategy, brand advisory, research and insights, cardholder lifecycle marketing and end-to-end campaign execution.

The ideal candidate will combine exceptional client stakeholder management with strong project and commercial discipline. The individual will manage multiple concurrent client engagements, coordinate cross-functional contributors, maintain clear governance, and proactively manage scope, dependencies, risks, issues, budget, and delivery quality. The role requires a consultative, analytical, and collaborative approach, with the ability to translate client requirements into practical marketing programmes and measurable outcomes.

The selected individual will contribute to the Saudi Arabia Marketing Services pipeline and financial plan, support opportunity development with Account Executives, and ensure disciplined delivery from scoping through close-out. The role will serve as the primary day-to-day Marketing Services contact for assigned key accounts and escalate material commercial, delivery, compliance, or reputational risks to the Senior Director.

This role will report to the Senior Director, Marketing Services KBO.

Essential Functions:

• Leading the Marketing Services relationship for assigned key accounts in Saudi Arabia, building trusted relationships with client stakeholders and maintaining a clear understanding of their business objectives, marketing priorities, and success measures.
• Partnering with Account Executives to identify, qualify, scope, and progress Marketing Services opportunities, contributing to account plans, proposals, statements of work, and pipeline governance.
• Managing multiple client projects simultaneously from initiation through delivery and closure, with clear workplans, milestones, responsibilities, budgets, dependencies, and decision points.
• Applying effective project management disciplines, including risk and issue management, change control, status reporting, quality assurance, governance forums, and timely escalation.
• Coordinating subject-matter experts and delivery partners across the company Consulting & Analytics, Products, Marketing, Sales, Finance, and other supporting functions to provide a consistent 'One company' client experience.
• Ensuring each engagement follows company requirements for Compliance, Legal, Sourcing, procurement, information security, privacy, financial controls, and third-party governance, with complete and timely documentation.
• Managing agencies, vendors, and other external partners where required, including briefing, scope control, sourcing processes, delivery oversight, performance management, and budget reconciliation.
• Monitoring project economics, revenue recognition inputs, costs, and margin; maintaining accurate forecasts; and providing concise updates on delivery progress, risks, client feedback, and required decisions.

The company requires at least 4 days in office; expectations of these days will be confirmed by your Hiring Manager.

Qualifications
What you will need:

• Minimum 12 years of work experience with a bachelor's degree or at least 10 years of experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA/JD/MD)
• Substantial experience in client marketing, consulting, marketing services, account management, or another client-facing discipline, preferably in Saudi Arabia or the wider GCC
• Exceptional client stakeholder management skills, with a record of building trusted relationships, managing expectations, and navigating complex client organizations
• Strong project management capability and experience leading multiple concurrent projects with different stakeholders, timelines, budgets, and delivery models
• Demonstrated ability to establish governance, identify and mitigate risks, resolve issues, control scope, and maintain delivery quality
• Experience working with Compliance, Legal, Sourcing, procurement, Finance, Controllership, privacy, information security, and third-party governance processes
• Strong consultative and commercial skills, including opportunity qualification, solution design, proposal development, scoping, contracting support, and financial management
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Account Executives, product teams, consultants, marketers, agencies, and delivery partners in a matrixed environment
• Ability to understand client and market strategies and translate data, insights, and business needs into practical marketing programmes
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, with an outcomes-driven approach to measurement and reporting
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, speaking, and writing skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with client and internal stakeholders
• Understanding of payments, issuer marketing, and cardholder lifecycle marketing, including digital acquisition, engagement, and retention
• Experience with digital and omnichannel campaign planning, execution, and measurement, including marketing technology platforms
• High level of personal accountability, attention to detail, and sound judgment, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic
• Experience managing agencies, vendors, budgets, and delivery partners across complex client engagements
• Strong financial acumen and the ability to maintain accurate forecasts, project economics, and delivery documentation

The company is an EEO Employer
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status. The company will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.