Business Development Manager

Job description / Role

Remarkable people, trusted by clients to design and advance the world.

Wood is currently looking for a Business Development Manager to join our projects in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities in line with Wood's global and regional strategic growth plans. The primary focus is on winning new business, including the pursuit and renewal of major framework agreements, and delivering against growth targets in revenue, margin, and client relationships. The BDM will proactively engage key clients and government stakeholders across sectors, particularly in oil & gas, petrochemicals, mining, and infrastructure to position Wood as a preferred consultant and long-term partner. The role also involves coordinating with other Wood entities and execution centres to leverage complementary capabilities, ensuring early positioning, strong bid strategies, and maximum value capture from both new and renewal frameworks.

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities & responsibilities

Market & client development

• Identify, validate, and pursue high-potential opportunities across sectors (oil & gas, petrochemicals, mining, chemicals, infrastructure, and new energies).
• Build and expand relationships with strategic clients such as SABIC, AGOC, KJO & Aramco JVs ensuring alignment with Vision 2030 industrial objectives.
• Support participation in and renewal of framework agreements (e.g., GES) and track competitor contract expirations for proactive positioning.
• Develop strong relationships with government ministries, regulatory bodies, and industrial investment entities.

Opportunity identification & positioning

• Lead the identify and position phases in Wood's Growth & Development Framework, ensuring opportunities are qualified early and pursued strategically.
• Leverage intelligence, competitor benchmarking, and client insights to build compelling win strategies and value propositions.
• Align internal technical expertise and partner networks to strengthen pursuit positioning.

Competitive landscape & partnerships

• Maintain a deep understanding of competitors and their strengths, pricing models, and local partnerships.
• Build partnerships with EPCs and local JVs to maximize Wood's chances in multi-phase or large-scale project tenders.
• Identify acquisition or collaboration opportunities that align with Wood's growth strategy.

Client-focused negotiation & tender support

• Work closely with the proposal and commercial teams to support contract negotiations, ensuring alignment with client objectives and commercial frameworks.
• Engage with clients during the tendering process to address queries, refine pricing strategies, and improve technical alignment.
• Maintain a customer-centric approach throughout pursuit stages, ensuring client satisfaction and improved win probability.

Account management & financial delivery

• Lead strategic account management initiatives to strengthen client relationships and ensure long-term satisfaction and retention.
• Develop and execute account plans aligned with client objectives and Wood's business goals.
• Monitor and drive financial performance across key accounts, ensuring delivery against revenue, margin, and profitability targets.
• Identify cross-selling opportunities to maximize account value and support sustainable growth.

Customer relationship management, governance & reporting

• Maintain all opportunity records in Wood's Customer Relationship Management system, ensuring full accuracy and compliance with governance procedures.
• Support leadership in forecasting, pipeline management, and business planning.
• Participate in Wood's Lead Review Meetings, ensuring strategic alignment of pursuits with risk appetite.
• Promote a strong compliance culture in line with Wood's Business Ethics and Risk Management standards.

What we can offer

• Medical insurance - Ensures specialist care is available to you and eligible family members residing in country. Pre-existing medical conditions are covered. No limit on number of children covered under the policy; however, age and coverage limits apply in line with KSA CCHI rules. Option to select higher medical cover payable at employee's own expense.
• Employee Assistance Programme - Allows you to feel comfortable knowing that you or your immediate family members can confidentially discuss any work or personal issues that are an inevitable part of life. The program helps support your mental, physical, social, and financial well-being.
• GOSI (Social Insurance) - Payable to KSA employees, social insurance contributions are paid by the company in line with government legislation to cover occupational hazards.
• End of service gratuity - In line with KSA Labour Law, all employees are eligible for an end of service benefit.
• Examination leave - Upon company approval to enroll in an education institute or to continue within such institution, employees have the right to fully paid leave to sit for an examination of an unrepeated year. Leave duration is based on the days of actual examination and must be applied for no less than fifteen days prior to exam.
• Professional memberships - One professional membership, registration, subscription, certification, and/or license cost per annum for all active Wood employees. The membership must be relevant to the role you are currently employed in or be part of a development plan. Reimbursement should be claimed via the expenses procedure system, with supporting evidence.
• Inspire Awards - Our annual awards programme is all about recognising and celebrating our inspirational colleagues - those designing the future, upholding our values and playing a pivotal role in delivering our strategy. Employees can recognise those who inspire them and make their day by nominating them for their hard work, innovation, and tenacity.
• Long Service Award - Wood values the commitment and loyalty of our people. Celebrating long service provides an opportunity for the business to demonstrate their appreciation of the hard work, dedication, and many years' service of our employees at 5-year service milestones.
• Career Development Champions - Prioritizes structured growth through goal setting and resource utilization. Employees use tools for planning and feedback, with managers actively coaching and mentoring to support advancement. Continuous learning and development are emphasized to help employees achieve their career goals effectively.

Qualifications

What makes you remarkable?

At Wood, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge, or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world's most critical challenges.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and CRM tools.

Knowledge, skills & experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in business development for engineering, EPC, or consulting projects, preferably in Saudi Arabia or the GCC.
• Deep understanding of project lifecycles (concept, FEED, EPCm, operations).
• Proven success in winning framework agreements and mega capital projects.
• High commercial and technical acumen; capable of strategic negotiation and client engagement.
• Strong experience in early market positioning and pipeline forecasting.
• Familiarity with government processes related to contract approvals and award mechanisms.
• International experience and cross-cultural communication skills are advantageous.

Personal attributes

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align business goals to market dynamics.
• Influential communicator with strong executive presence.
• Collaborative leader with resilience, tact, and the ability to coach and motivate teams.
• Detail-oriented, highly organized, and results-driven.
• Ethical, professional, and fully compliant with Wood's Code of Conduct and HSE values. Customer-focused and proactive in relationship building.

About the Company

Wood is a global leader in consulting and engineering, helping to unlock solutions to critical challenges in energy and materials markets. We provide consulting, projects and operations solutions in 60 countries, employing around 35,000 people.