Corporate Development Director

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a growth strategy to expand the GEMS footprint across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Lead M&A activities, including sourcing, screening, financial modeling, valuation, and due diligence for K-12 school acquisitions.
• Manage a pipeline of school management contracts, negotiating terms and legal arrangements with third-party owners.
• Drive greenfield development by identifying high-demand catchment areas and structuring Propco/Opco arrangements.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with the Ministry of Education (MoE), National Centre for Privatisation (NCP), and other government bodies to pursue Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
• Conduct market research and mapping to identify private school operators, real estate developers, and institutional investors.

Requirements

• Saudi national (mandatory requirement).
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Education, or a related field.
• 8 to 10 years of progressive experience in corporate development, business development, or a senior commercial role.
• Deep, demonstrable network across the KSA private sector and government/quasi-government entities.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English.
• Strong analytical capabilities, financial acumen, and experience structuring complex transactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
• Prior experience in the K-12 private education sector or Education Management Organisations (EMOs).
• Familiarity with Saudi Ministry of Education licensing and NCP PPP frameworks.
• Experience working with international education operators or premium school brands.

About the Company

GEMS Education is one of the oldest and largest Kindergarten to Grade 12 private education providers in the world. Through our growing network of schools and charitable initiatives, we fulfill the vision of putting quality education within the reach of every learner.