Regional Partnerships VP, Middle East

About the company

IWG is the largest provider of flexible workspace solutions in the world. Trading under a number of brands (including Regus, Spaces, HQ, Signature and No18) we have a physical network of over 4,000 locations across 1,000 towns and cities in 120 countries. Our mission is to help our millions of customers to have a great day at work, every day.

COVID-19 forced an unprecedented experiment in flexible working, which is now driving a surge in demand for our flexible workspace solutions. To meet this demand, we are rapidly accelerating the growth of our global network. To deliver our ambition we are recruiting partners to open and operate IWG locations. Our target audience are building owners, landlords and competitors. We will work with our partners under a variety of commercial structures demanding a dynamic and broad-based approach to business development.

Find us at www.iwgplc.com

 Job Purpose

1. The Partnerships team plays a critical role in selling and developing business partnerships at local, and regional level to landlords and building owners to accelerate the growth of our network. Bringing a proactive and passionate approach, the RD will ensure the entire team is capable of creating their own sales leads, successfully selling the IWG partnership proposition and then rapidly converting all opportunities into signed contracts. This is a high intensity role, which demands managing a relatively complex sales process and delivering high volumes of activity.
2. Adapting the global network growth framework to make it fit for purpose, plan and promote our market entry, meet, select & sign development agreements with the most appropriate new partners to help deliver against our overall region growth plan.
3. Ensure our brand standards are clear and always adhered to across our network. Accountable for delivering the right growth from the partner business, providing a healthy return on investment for our partners and profitable growth for IWG.  

 Key Responsibilities 

• Reporting to our SVP Development for Middle East and Africa you will Lead & drive a team of Partnership Sales Managers across multiple regions:

• Generating awareness and visibility of the IWG partnership proposition in the market by developing B2B connections.
• Identifying contacting and pitching prospective partners through a range of Business Development activities including networking and cold calling.
• Sourcing partners capable of delivering rapid growth of our network through conversion of existing buildings or by quickly securing new buildings.
• Selling the range of partnership solutions to all prospects, converting interest into commercial negotiations and securing board approval for new partnership deals.
• Converting commercial discussions into signed contracts with the support of the IWG legal team.
• Spending a significant amount of time in the field, generating leads, meeting customers and closing deals.
• Ensure all team members deliver at least 12 new deals every year.
• Plan and execute the promotion of our proposition to potential partners and the broader market through all routes to market such as trade shows and their own network.  
• Conduct due diligence with prospective partners and work with legal to get development agreements finalised and signed.  
• Sign deals with partners that allow us to grow the network quickly, in the right locations and profitably whilst giving partners a return on investment.  

Required Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Well connected within the Real Estate Market in the Middle East.
• Significant prior experience of influencing senior decision makers, including Ultra-High Net Worth individuals.
• Experience of brokering large partnership/development deals e.g. Branded hotels with corporations or HNW individuals.
• Senior B2B sales leadership experience in a fast-growing, dynamic multinational business
• Business development background in complex solution / service led sales.
• Previous experience in commercial real estate investment or franchise development is an advantage.
• Proven ability to remotely manage and motivate a business development team to develop, track, and close large deals, with a track record of regularly exceeding targets.
• Flexible and broadminded with a “can-do” attitude, possessing a disciplined approach to business development. 
• Self-starter used to self-generating interest and focusing relentlessly on delivering results.
• Demonstrable track record of sourcing & delivering, at pace, multiple deals of a meaningful scale (€500k+ investment)
• Self-sufficient, deal-focused and can-do mindset, willing to take risks to succeed.
• Outstanding communications skills and the ability to present a compelling narrative to a wide variety of audiences, both large & small.
• Able to work under pressure and to think independently to create interest in a proposition.
• Strong business and financial acumen to give others confidence & to give credibility to the selling process.
• Managed a geographically dispersed team across a region.
• Fluent in English, Arabic is helpful but not essential.