Business Development Manager

Expertise Recruitment; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Expertise Recruitment is seeking a seasoned Business Development professional to drive regional growth in the UAE, based in Abu Dhabi. You will strengthen client relationships, identify opportunities across architecture and engineering consultancy, and convert leads into appointments through senior-level engagement.

You will leverage an established COI network, collaborate with leadership, and contribute to strategic pursuits, bid positioning, and revenue growth in a dynamic market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive business development experience within architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, engineering consultancy, or project management consultancy, with strong exposure to the UAE market.
• Proven track record in business development for consultancy services, including design and/or supervision, with a demonstrated ability to originate opportunities and support successful project wins.
• Established and active professional network in the region, particularly within landscape architecture, public realm, or the broader AEC sector, with the ability to demonstrate relevant relationships across client and stakeholder networks.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, and communication skills, with confidence in engaging senior clients, consultants, and government or semi-government stakeholders.
• High level of proficiency in MS Office applications, particularly for proposals, presentations, and reporting.
• Fluency in English is mandatory; proficiency in Arabic is an added advantage.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue project opportunities across the region.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with key stakeholders.
• Conduct market analyses to identify new project opportunities.
• Define growth plans and feasibility strategies.
• Develop and nurture new client business within architecture and engineering consultancy.
• Deliver compelling calls and presentations to showcase capabilities and value proposition.
• Negotiate complex concepts with diverse audiences.
• Follow up on proposal development from pre-RFP to submission and beyond.
• Develop marketing strategies to strengthen market position and branding.

Skills

Business development

Relationship management

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Architecture/Landscape Architecture

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Role Summary This is a strategic and business-critical position responsible for driving business development and market expansion across the region, with a primary focus on the UAE. The role will be based in the Abu Dhabi office and will report to the Business Development Director and Executive Management. The position will play a pivotal role in strengthening existing client relationships while identifying, qualifying, and converting new business opportunities across the architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, and broader AEC consultancy sectors. Working closely with regional leadership and technical teams, the role will support strategic pursuits, contribute to bid positioning, and help drive sustainable revenue growth. The successful candidate will bring a well-established and active network of Centers of Influence (COIs), including government and semi-government entities, developers, asset owners, owners' representatives, architects, engineers, and other allied professional service providers. This network will be leveraged to generate high-quality leads, facilitate senior-level client engagement, and advance opportunities through to successful appointments. The role requires a commercially astute and relationship-driven professional who can represent the firm credibly in the market, navigate complex stakeholder environments, and work collaboratively with leadership to expand the company's footprint and brand presence within the region.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure competitiveness and maintain market intelligence to identify project opportunities across the region.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with key stakeholders.
• Conduct market analyses of target and prospective sectors to identify new project opportunities.
• Define growth plans by proposing incremental development opportunities and feasibility strategies.
• Continually identify, build, and develop new client business within the architecture and engineering consultancy market.
• Deliver compelling calls and presentations to introduce the company's capabilities and value proposition.
• Negotiate and communicate complex concepts and business issues effectively to a variety of audiences.
• Identify and evaluate new markets and partnership opportunities through direct prospecting, networking, and participation in industry and professional groups and associations.
• Follow up on all proposal preparation processes at different stages, from pre-RFP and Go/No-Go decisions through to proposal submission and subsequent follow-up.
• Develop effective marketing strategies to strengthen the company's position in the marketplace, including market segmentation, value proposition development, technology positioning, pricing strategy, branding, channel strategy, and communications.
• Demonstrate and promote the company's mission, vision, values, reputation, code of ethics, standards, policies, and procedures internally and throughout the marketplace.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive business development experience within architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, engineering consultancy, or project management consultancy, with strong exposure to the UAE market.
• Proven track record in business development for consultancy services, including design and/or supervision, with a demonstrated ability to originate opportunities and support successful project wins.
• Established and active professional network in the region, particularly within landscape architecture, public realm, or the broader AEC sector, with the ability to demonstrate relevant relationships across client and stakeholder networks.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, and communication skills, with confidence in engaging senior clients, consultants, and government or semi-government stakeholders.
• High level of proficiency in MS Office applications, particularly for proposals, presentations, and reporting.
• Fluency in English is mandatory; proficiency in Arabic is an added advantage.