Business Development Executive - MEA Region

Austria Card Turkey Kart Operasyonları A.Ş.

Location: Istanbul, Turkey (Covering MEA Region)

Languages Required: Fluent French, Arabic, and English

About the Role

Austriacard is seeking a high-caliber Business Development Executive based in Istanbul to drive strategic commercial growth and oversee complex project deployments across the MEA region.

In this role, you will be responsible for expanding Austriacard’s footprint in French-speaking MEA markets, establishing high-level institutional relationships with central banks, commercial banks, and government authorities, while ensuring the end-to-end execution and technical delivery of tailored smart card and ID solutions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development & Commercial Growth (Primary Focus)

• Market Expansion: Drive sales and business development strategies targeting banks, payment institutions, and government bodies (ID & Gov) across French-speaking MEA markets.

• Pipeline Management: Build and maintain a robust sales pipeline for EMV payment cards, secure ID solutions, and smart card technologies to consistently achieve regional targets.

• Institutional & C-Level Engagement: Engage confidently with government officials, central bank representatives, and executive decision-makers to position Austriacard’s solution portfolio.

• Strategic Partnerships: Identify, build, and manage strong relationships with local partners, system integrators, and regulatory bodies within the region.

• Commercial Strategy & Budgeting: Manage regional OPEX budgets, ensure profitable deal structures, and lead high-stakes commercial tenders (RFPs/RFIs).

2. Project Delivery & Technical Execution

• End-to-End Project Ownership: Initiate, coordinate, and manage project lifecycles by translating client specifications into actionable requirements for internal technical and operations teams.

• Certification & Regulatory Management: Lead product approval processes and certification schemes with regional regulatory authorities, central banks, and card schemes.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Serve as the strategic bridge between clients and internal technical teams to guarantee the seamless delivery of secure ID and payment solutions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: MBA degree is required (Must). Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience: Minimum of 7 years of proven business development or strategic sales experience within the MEA region.

• Domain Expertise: Strong background in smart cards, EMV standards, payment systems, banking ecosystems, or secure ID/Government projects (e-ID, passports, etc.).

• Languages: Professional fluency in French, Arabic, and English (written and spoken) is mandatory.

• Location & Travel: Based in Istanbul, with a willingness to travel frequently across the MEA region (up to 40-50%).

• Certifications (Optional): PMP or project management certification is a plus (not mandatory).

Key Expectations

• Target Achievement: Meet and exceed annual regional targets for smart card production, financial payment solutions, and secure ID implementations.

• Strategic Input: Provide market intelligence, monitor competitor dynamics, and offer commercial guidance for complex public and private sector tenders.

• Relationship Management: Maintain long-term institutional trusts and expand Austriacard’s partner ecosystem across target markets.