At Mase Consulting, we’ve built a strong reputation for delivering high-impact technical sales and engineering talent across the UK and Europe. We are now proud to announce the expansion of our specialist recruitment services into Saudi Arabia.
Whether you’re entering the Saudi market for the first time or scaling an established team, we’re here to make the process smoother, faster and far more effective with our specialist Retingency service – all the benefits of a retained search, with none of the upfront costs.
From Riyadh to Jeddah, Dhahran to NEOM and beyond, our data-led, insight-driven recruitment model is designed to help international businesses attract and secure world-class talent in one of the most dynamic regions on the planet.
Retained Recruitment Without the Risk
Traditional retained recruitment can feel risky, especially in unfamiliar markets. Large upfront retainers, long lead times and limited guarantees often lead to frustration before a single candidate appears.
Our Retingency model turns that on its head.
You get all the strategic benefits of a retained search, including market mapping, proactive headhunting, and a dedicated account manager, but you only pay when we successfully place a candidate.
No upfront fees. No wasted time. No compromise on quality.
Why We’ve Expanded into Saudi Arabia
Following the success we’ve delivered for clients expanding across Europe and Asia, we’re now supporting businesses entering or growing in Saudi Arabia. Over the past year, our international clients have increasingly turned to us for help building technical teams in the region, particularly as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 transformation fuels a boom in industrial, engineering and infrastructure-led sectors.
But while the opportunities are vast, so are the recruitment challenges.
What Are the Recruitment Challenges in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is undergoing an industrial revolution – from giga-projects like The Line to advancements in energy, water, construction, and automation. That growth has created intense demand for engineering and technical sales talent.
But recruiting in Saudi Arabia comes with its own set of challenges:
Skills Shortages in Niche Areas
Despite a growing population of engineering graduates, there’s a shortage of candidates with the hands-on experience or specialist knowledge needed for advanced roles. From automation to control systems, many disciplines require niche expertise that’s hard to source locally. This gap puts pressure on employers to either compromise on experience or look internationally, slowing down hiring and project delivery.
Compliance with Saudization Targets
The government’s drive to increase local employment means engineering firms must meet strict Saudization quotas, particularly if they employ five or more employees. While the goal is to develop homegrown talent, it can limit options for specialist roles that don’t yet have strong local representation. Balancing compliance with capability is a constant challenge for hiring teams.
Lack of Industry-Specific Support from Agencies
Not all recruitment partners understand the complexity of engineering roles. Many generalist agencies struggle to identify the right talent, often presenting unsuitable candidates or failing to deliver on Saudization needs. This slows down the process and adds unnecessary admin, making it harder for hiring managers to focus on what matters.
Worker Welfare & Reputational Risks
Large-scale engineering projects in Saudi Arabia often rely on migrant labour. If not managed properly, this can lead to ethical concerns around working conditions, excessive recruitment fees, and visa restrictions. Beyond the human impact, poor labour practices can damage a company’s reputation and attract unwanted scrutiny—especially on high-profile developments.
What Makes Our Approach Different?
Finding the Unfindable
Specialist engineers are hard to come by, especially when you’re looking for hands-on experience in a niche field. We don’t just rely on job boards or databases. Our targeted headhunting approach taps into passive talent, our sector-specific networks, and local referrals to find the people others can’t.
Benefit: Fill critical skill gaps faster with access to hard-to-reach engineering talent.
Navigating Saudization with Confidence
Hiring under strict Saudization quotas doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality. We work closely with you to understand your obligations and build a compliant recruitment strategy that blends local talent sourcing with specialist headhunting of ex-pats where needed.
Benefit: Stay compliant without slowing down growth or diluting standards.
Recruiting with Sector-Specific Expertise
We specialise in engineering and technical recruitment, so we understand the difference between a project engineer and a product engineer. Our consultants know the market, the terminology, and the talent landscape in Saudi Arabia.
Benefit: Save time and avoid mis-hires by working with a partner who speaks your language.
Protecting Your Reputation with Ethical Hiring
We know what’s at stake when it comes to worker welfare, especially on high-profile projects. That’s why we only work with candidates and partners who meet ethical hiring standards. No hidden fees, no exploitative practices, just transparent, responsible recruitment.
Benefit: Build teams that not only deliver but reflect your values and protect your brand.
Start Your Saudi Hiring Journey Today
If you’re planning to hire technical sales or engineering talent in Saudi Arabia, or struggling to find the right people through your current approach, we’d love to talk.
No hard sell, just practical advice, a clear roadmap, and a recruitment model designed to deliver results with minimal risk.
Call our team on +44 (0)161 870 5000, or book a quick 15-minute intro call with one of our experts here.
