Director of Business Development

Job Description

We are currently seeking for passionate and dynamic commercial leaders who pride themselves on their ability to deliver extraordinary levels of customer service and implementing all business requirements for the organization.

As a Director of Business Development, you will lead the property’s sales team and own its commercial growth agenda. This is a high-ownership position for a commercially astute leader who can set direction, build the pipeline, and hold the team to rigorous performance standards.

Your key responsibilities will include-

• Deep understanding of the religious tourism (Umrah/Hajj) ecosystem- knows how Umrah operators, group-series agents and pilgrimage tour companies work - booking cycles, seasonality peaks (Ramadan, Hajj, winter Umrah season) and how business is contracted (allotments, series groups, ad-hoc).
• Established network with Umrah/Hajj operators, DMCs and travel agents- existing relationships with the top Saudi, Gulf, South Asian and international Umrah wholesalers and tour operators — often the single biggest revenue lever in Madinah.
• Strong government and institutional account experience- able to secure and manage business with Saudi ministries, quasi-government entities and religious authorities (e.g. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah-linked business), given how institutionally driven Madinah demand is.
• Group and series business management- proven ability to manage high-volume, high-ADR group contracts profitably.
• Commercial and revenue acumen, not just sales- understands how business-mix decisions (group vs. FIT, series vs. ad-hoc) impact RevPAR and profitability and works closely with revenue management rather than just chasing volume.
• Leadership and team building capability- sets clear goals and targets for the sales team, holds individuals accountable, and evaluates performance rigorously against those targets.
• Smart resource allocation, including source markets- identifies where resources are genuinely needed and deploys them accordingly (e.g. representation or focused effort in key feeder/source markets).
• Adaptability to seasonality and demand volatility- plans commercial strategy around the peak/trough patterns of the religious calendar rather than assuming steady-state demand.
• Working knowledge of the Nusuk platform and Ministry of Hajj & Umrah regulations- understands how Saudi’s official Nusuk digital platform and licensing system affect allotments, group registration and compliance.
• Financial and credit-risk awareness with agents- many Umrah operators are smaller or mid-sized businesses; sound judgement on credit terms, deposit structures and payment risk is needed to protect cash flow.
• Local corporate and diversification pipeline- beyond religious tourism, able to build a secondary base of local corporate and social-event business to balance seasonality and reduce dependence on pilgrim volume.
• Data and CRM discipline- comfortable using CRM/booking systems to track performance, forecast pace accurately and report pipeline visibility.
• Strong command of channel distribution- stays ahead of how distribution is evolving for the pilgrim market — OTAs, wholesale, direct, GDS and emerging booking platforms.
• Benchmarking and market awareness- consistently benchmarks against the competitive set and adjusts strategy proactively rather than reactively.
• Effective use of technology and tools- makes full use of all systems, CRM and commercial tools to drive productivity and decision-making, rather than relying on manual or outdated methods.
  
  

Skills

The successful candidate will possess a proven command of sales strategy, deep-rooted relationships and fluency within brand governance and commercial doctrine. This is an invitation to shape the commercial destiny of one of the region's most consequential addresses.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field; MBA is a plus.
• Strong leadership and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.
• Understanding of market dynamics and customer behavior.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and competitive environment.