[Middle East] Senior Manager - Banking & Insurance

Company Description

Sia is a next-generation management consulting firm and a pioneer of Consulting 4.0. We offer a unique blend of AI and design capabilities, augmenting traditional consulting to deliver superior value across more than 30 sectors and services.

Sia's mission is to craft state-of-the-art narratives for transformation and innovation and to deploy these at scale. Our goal is to drive transformations that generate a positive impact. With a global presence of 51 offices worldwide and leveraging the expertise of 3,000 consultants in 20 countries, we optimize client projects globally. Through our Consulting for Good approach, we strive for next-level impact by developing innovative CSR solutions for our clients, making sustainability a lever for profitable transformation.

In the Middle East, we provide expert Consulting services in Strategy, Growth & Innovation, and Business Transformation, across a broad spectrum of high-stakes strategic topics for our clients with a distinguished history of achievements and expertise. Propelled by our Partners and international teams, we are proud to play a crucial role in advancing visions in both the public and private sectors. In addition to these services, through the Sia Institute, we offer comprehensive training programs and workshops, meticulously tailored to meet the regional needs.

Why join the Sia Village?

Excellence / Entrepreneurship / Innovation / Teamwork / Care & Support / Employee Wellbeing

These are the six core values that guide all our actions. As an expression of our values, our Sia Village concept describes our commitment to fostering a sense of community within and among our offices. We believe that knowledge sharing is the key, not only to innovation, but to the growth and development of our people.

Job Description

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Manager to help grow and deliver our Insurance & Banking consulting practice across the GCC. You will leverage a strong regional network to originate opportunities, shape solutions, and lead multi-workstream programs that deliver measurable value in customer experience, operations, risk and compliance, and growth. You are equally comfortable in the boardroom-shaping deals, and on-the-ground, guiding delivery teams to outcomes.

Key responsibilities

Business development and client leadership

• Expand relationships with banks and insurers across the GCC ; develop account plans and originate qualified opportunities.
• Lead pursuits: discovery, solution design, pricing and commercials, proposal/orals, and contracting/SOWs.
• Build and manage alliances with technology partners ; co-develop go-to-market offerings and joint pursuits.
• Create thought leadership and market-relevant assets tailored to GCC priorities (e.g., open banking, instant payments, IFRS 17, digital claims).
• Represent the firm at industry events ; maintain trusted C-level relationships.

Engagement delivery, and practice leadership

• Own end-to-end delivery of complex, multi-workstream programs; ensure scope, schedule, budget, quality, and benefits realization.
• Define target operating models, process improvements, digital customer journeys, data/analytics use cases, and change management strategies.
• Oversee technology-enabled change (core platforms, integrations, cloud/data, CRM, automation/AI) with client IT and vendors.
• Manage engagement commercials and governance: margin, staffing, RAID, steering committees, and executive reporting.
• Lead and develop teams (Managers, Consultants); instill delivery excellence, methods, and knowledge sharing; contribute to practice strategy and offerings.

Domain focus areas

• Banking: retail/commercial lending and collections, payments modernization, core banking transformation, digital channels, AML/KYC and financial crime, credit risk, finance and reporting.
• Insurance (P&C/Life): underwriting and pricing, claims transformation, policy administration/core replacement, distribution/broker experience, finance/actuarial, IFRS 17.
• GCC regulatory and market context: SAMA, CBUAE, QCB, CBB, data privacy (Saudi PDPL, UAE DP Law, Bahrain PDPL), AML/CFT and FATF, Islamic banking and Takaful.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

• 10+ years of consulting experience within Insurance and/or Banking practice, combining business development and hands-on program delivery.
• Established GCC network with senior client relationships; demonstrable track record converting relationships into engagements.
• Proven success leading multi-workstream transformations to time, cost, and quality, with quantified business outcomes.
• Strong command of GCC regulatory frameworks and market dynamics, including data residency and Islamic finance/Takaful.
• Experience with major industry platforms: Temenos/Transact (T24), Finacle, nCino, Mambu; Guidewire, Duck Creek, Sapiens; Salesforce Financial Services Cloud or Microsoft Dynamics; ServiceNow; cloud/data platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP regional).
• Excellent executive communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management; adept at workshops and steering committees.
• Financial and analytical acumen: pricing and margin management, business cases, KPI design, and value tracking.
• Fluency in English and professional fluency in Arabic, with the ability to deliver workshops, facilitate meetings, and produce client-ready materials in both languages.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.

Preferred qualifications

• MBA or relevant master's degree.
• Professional certifications: PMP/PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum/SAFe, Lean Six Sigma, CFA/FRM, ACII/LOMA, CAMS, CISA.
• Native or near-native Arabic proficiency; strong Arabic business writing and presentation skills (including executive decks, reports, and facilitation) across GCC contexts.
• Experience delivering IFRS 17 programs, core platform selections/migrations, data/AI, and automation (RPA/IPA), and multi-country GCC transformations.

What success looks like in 6-12 months

• Strengthened executive relationships in priority accounts, leading to a healthy, qualified pipeline and closed engagements.
• On-time, on-budget delivery of one or more programs with clear benefits realized (e.g., improved STP, reduced cycle times, enhanced NPS, better loss/combined ratio, lower cost-to-serve).
• Development of high-performing teams and creation of reusable GCC-relevant assets adopted by the practice.

Additional Information

Why Join Us

• Shape the future of AI consulting in the Middle East.
• Work on high-impact projects with top private and public organisations.
• Be part of a global consulting firm with innovative AI assets and products.
• Thrive in an entrepreneurial environment where your ideas drive real change.

Joining Sia means integrating into a globally recognized firm that fosters personal growth through our unique Sia Village concept, which promotes a community-driven culture reinforced by values of Excellence, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Teamwork, Care & Support, and Employee Wellbeing, ensuring a fulfilling career path.

What a career at Sia offers you

• Competitive compensation: a competitive salary and benefits package, benchmarked against the market to ensure the most competitive offers.
• Entrepreneurial spirit: Join us on an entrepreneurial journey that not only fosters innovation but also empowers you to drive your own success. Dive into a culture where your ideas shape the future.
• Tailored career advocacy program: Receive dedicated support designed to help you achieve your professional aspirations. Our program pairs you with mentors who provide actionable feedback, ensuring continuous progress and success in your career path.
• Continuous growth: Engage with ongoing opportunities for learning and development, particularly in new and emerging topics. Stay ahead of the curve by continually advancing your knowledge and skills.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Sia is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, remuneration, or discipline, are based solely on performance, competence, conduct, or business needs.

At Sia, we believe in fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our employees and partners are valued and thrive in a sense of belonging. We are committed to recruiting and developing a diverse network of employees and investing in their growth by providing unique opportunities for professional and cultural immersion. Our commitment toward inclusion motivates dynamic collaboration with our clients, building trust by creating an inclusive environment of curiosity and learning which affects lasting impact.

To learn more about our mission, values, and business sectors, please visit our website.

Sia is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, remuneration, or discipline, are based solely on performance, competence, conduct, or business needs.