Business Development Manager

Danone; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the water and plant-based products sector is seeking a Business Development Manager. In this role, you will manage distributors across Qatar and Bahrain, develop business plans, negotiate trade terms, and maximize business opportunities. Ideal candidates will have 4-5 years of experience in sales or trade marketing within a multinational FMCG company and strong negotiation and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Typically 4-5 years of relevant experience in sales, distributor management, or trade marketing in FMCG.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage distributors in Qatar & Bahrain to contribute to zone growth.
• Negotiate trade terms and develop joint business plans.
• Monitor distributor performance through KPIs and market visits.

Skills

Result Orientation

Negotiation

Analytical Skills

Organizational Skills

Cultural Sensitivity

Proactive Planning

Education

University Degree

Job description

Our WHY is INVITING the WORLD to EXPERIENCE our BEST WATER BRANDS as well as PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS.

We bring to life our iconic global brands EVIAN & VOLVIC. At the same time, we are committed to offering plant-based food and drinks, reflecting our desire to provide a wider choice to consumers—especially the growing number of 'flexitarians' seeking to diversify their protein sources, and individuals with dietary constraints or preferences.

Our business model is based on partnerships with local distributors. We collaborate with over 150 distributors across more than 110 countries. Our team is small but diverse, with fewer than 100 employees strategically located worldwide. We are one of the most culturally diverse Business Units within Danone, comprising about 30 nationalities in over 20 countries.

Joining us means becoming part of a team of ambitious, autonomous, and resilient individuals who are eager for growth, capable of driving change, and committed to high performance and teamwork. Every person makes a direct impact on our business results.

We are Evian Volvic Alpro International (EVAI).

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The Business Development Manager will manage distributors in the assigned markets, contributing to the growth of the zone and the CBU. Responsibilities include developing joint business plans with distributors, ensuring excellent execution, and working closely with distributors at the customer level to maximize business opportunities.

Area of accountability: Qatar & Bahrain

• Manage diverse sales channels: e-commerce, retail, off-premise, away-from-home, hypermarkets, supermarkets, impulse, airports, hotels, and restaurants.
• Negotiate trade terms: volume targets, rebates, price changes.
• Develop and follow up on business plans, identifying key growth levers.
• Anticipate risks and opportunities within channels.
• Ensure resource allocation and investments are aligned with plans.
• Implement trade marketing strategies and market needs.
• Plan promotions and forecast sales.
• Monitor distributor performance through KPIs, market visits, and reports.
• Prepare monthly performance reports internally and with partners.

Key Internal & External Contacts

Internal: Head of Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, Supply Chain, Trade Marketing, HR, other departments.

External: Distributor GMs, channel managers, customers, other Danone managers, FMCG BDMs.

Professional Experience

Typically 4-5 years of relevant experience in sales, distributor management, key account management, or trade marketing within a multinational FMCG company (spirits, premium products).

Abilities & Competencies

Abilities include result orientation, organization, open-mindedness, cultural sensitivity, proactive planning, negotiation, and analytical skills. Competencies involve market knowledge, channel expertise, strategic thinking, and effective communication.

Education

University Degree required.

Foreign Languages

Fluent English required; additional languages are a plus.