Please Note: This role requires the ability to work on site 3 days per week per company policy.
Why we are recruiting:
As a partnership organization and through the Business Engagement teams, the World Economic Forum engages the private sector to address industry, regional and systemic issues. Partners benefit from and contribute to the global knowledge base through working closely with the Forum to set the intellectual agenda of Forum gatherings, drive the insight agenda of its publications and steer the impact of its initiatives.
Structured geographically, the Regional Business Team is responsible for building and managing the world’s premier communities of business executives from emerging markets, and seek to bring diversity, inclusion, and relevance to global industry conversations.
We are currently seeking a Partner Lead (Account Manager / Executive) for the Middle East & North Africa, responsible for managing and growing strategic relationships with some of the region’s largest and most influential companies.
The successful candidate will act as the primary relationship owner for a portfolio of partners, working directly with C-suite and senior executives to understand their strategic priorities and connect them to the World Economic Forum’s communities and initiatives throughout the year. This includes advising partners on how to participate meaningfully in high-level dialogues, global meetings, and flagship initiatives. You will collaborate closely with internal teams across the Forum’s programmes, while also supporting partner retention and long-term relationship development. The role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of business, government and global issues, and to help shape the future of the World Economic Forum’s partner ecosystem in the Middle East and Africa.
Reporting Lines and Interactions
The Partner Lead (account manager) will report into the Head for the Middle East & North Africa. Internally, the successful candidate will work with colleagues from various Government, Centre, Industry and Servicing groups, and externally with a range of business executives and experts.
Main responsibilities
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Partner (account) Management:
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Managing trusted, long-term relationships with key partners from the region at executive level
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Collaborating closely with relevant internal teams to design comprehensive, impact and action-driven partnership engagements
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Regularly assess the health, impact and effectiveness of partner relationships, using qualitative and quantitative indicators, and contribute to strategic discussions with senior executives at partner organizations to continuously improve the value they derive from their engagement with the Forum.. Track performance against defined objectives and success metrics, working closely with the Partner Success (Customer Success) team to ensure a coordinated, high-quality partner experience across the portfolio, while supporting strong renewal outcomes and long-term retention.
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Identify, assess and proactively manage partnership and market-related risks, including reputational, geopolitical, regulatory or delivery risks, and work with internal stakeholders to put in place mitigation strategies that protect and strengthen the Forum’s engagement in the region.
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Research & Analysis:
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Research and develop a strong understanding of the strategic priorities of partner organizations across the portfolio, as well as broader business dynamics in key and emerging markets in the Middle East and North Africa. Keeping abreast of key industry and technological trends, as well as political and social changes that might create new opportunities or pose risks to the Forum’s footprint in the region
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Contribute insights and recommendations to the Forum’s regional strategy for the Middle East & North Africa, drawing on partner interactions, market intelligence and regional developments.
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Country/industry strategy building:
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Support the development of country and industry strategies by conducting market and sector research that identifies priority markets, high-potential organizations and growth opportunities, helping to strengthen the partnership pipeline in key sectors and geographies.
The successful candidate will be assessed on
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Demonstrated ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with C-suite and senior executives, with a strong understanding of their strategic priorities, and the ability to identify gaps in engagement and proactively deepen relationships over time.Ability to collaborate internally to engage and retain partners within the assigned portfolio; key indicators include quality of engagement plans, partner renewal and retention rates, as well as feedback from constituents and colleagues
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Ability to closely monitor and evaluate key industry and regional developments, media reports and policy changes that impact business leaders from the portfolio
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Ability to contribute positively to a high-performing team environment, including sharing insights and best practices, collaborating across portfolios and regions, supporting collective objectives, and demonstrating reliability, professionalism and sound judgment.
Preferred Requirements and Experience
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Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field of study
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Strong understanding of the current regional economic landscape in emerging markets, with proficiency in analysing complex industry issues and in synthetizing appropriate recommendations to management
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At least 7 years of relevant professional experience, ideally involving senior-level exposure to the Middle East and North Africa, with a strong background in one or more of the following areas: portfolio or account management, strategic or market research, communications, management consulting, corporate strategy, or related client-facing roles.
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Excellent communication skills and command of English and Arabic
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Mastery of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word); experience with Salesforce a plus
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Motivated self-starter and team player who enjoys working in a highly collaborative and dynamic environment
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Able to respond appropriately to high-level demands under pressure
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Committed to the Forum’s mission to improving the state of the world
Why work at the Forum:
The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!
