Head of Business Development

numi; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a fast-growing digital marketplace as the Head of Business Development. In this key role, you will lead the BD function, manage teams, and build relationships with global content providers. Your expertise in digital marketplaces and strong negotiation skills will be crucial in securing high-value partnerships and driving revenue growth across the region.

Benefits

Work directly with the CEO

Opportunity to build and scale the BD department

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Business Development, particularly with digital goods, fintech, telecom, or e-commerce.
• Established regional connections with decision-makers.
• Proven experience in owning revenue and building high-growth ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the entire Business Development function.
• Manage supply and demand partnerships across B2B and B2C channels.
• Develop and own the overall BD roadmap aligned with product and growth strategy.

Skills

Negotiation

Commercial Mindset

Team Leadership

Market Penetration

Fluency in English

Fluency in Arabic

Job description

Our client is a fast-growing digital marketplace offering gaming vouchers, gift cards, top-ups, and digital prepaid content. As part of a leading digital group's ecosystem, our client connects millions of users with in-demand digital products in a primary market (Iraq) and is expanding across the wider region.

We are currently building a world-class Business Development Department to scale both our supply partnerships with global content providers and demand partnerships across B2B and B2C channels.

Role Overview

As Head of Business Development, you will be responsible for leading and building the entire BD function at our client's organisation. This includes owning the growth strategy, execution, team leadership, and partner ecosystem. You will manage both the Supply side (publishers, content providers, aggregators, telecoms, internet service providers, NGOs, and other categories in our markets) and the Demand side (retailers, fintechs, resellers, distributors, banks, and super apps in the region).

You will work closely with the CEO, Product, Marketing, Finance, and Operations teams to unlock strategic deals, optimise revenue per SKU, and expand our client's reach in the primary market and the region. The role requires approximately 40% interaction with partners and 60% team management. The current team of 2 will grow to 10 people this year, making hiring a significant part of the role.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and own the overall BD roadmap, aligned with our client's product and growth strategy.
• Act as a business leader, responsible for cross-functional alignment and strategic deal-making.
• Lead and grow a high-performance BD team, including hiring and mentoring future leaders (from 2 to 10 people this year).

Supply Side (Product Sourcing & Partnerships)

• Build and manage relationships with:
• Global and regional content providers (e.g., PlayStation, Xbox, Google, Apple)
• Aggregators and digital distributors
• Telecom operators and internet service providers
• NGOs and institutional partners
• Other strategic suppliers relevant to our client's digital offering
• Secure exclusive or high-margin supply deals.
• Expand the SKU catalogue into new verticals such as education, entertainment, fintech, etc..
• Collaborate with Product and Operations for smooth onboarding and fulfilment.

Demand Side (B2B & Distribution)

• Expand our client's B2B presence by onboarding:
• Retail chains and agents
• Fintechs and e-wallets
• Distributors and kiosk networks
• Banks and super apps in the primary market and across the region
• Launch and scale a reseller and affiliate partner programme.
• Lead the go-to-market for white-label/API distribution channels.

Revenue Ownership & Reporting

• Own revenue targets for the BD function and drive measurable growth.
• Optimise pricing, margin, and sales velocity of products per channel.
• Create dashboards and reports to track deal performance, partner contribution, and expansion KPIs.

Internal Collaboration

• Work with Product for integration, catalogue expansion, and digital infrastructure.
• Work with Marketing for co-launch offers, B2B communications, and activation plans.
• Work with Finance for pricing, commercial terms, and deal profitability tracking.
• Work with Operations to ensure delivery and partner satisfaction across supply and demand channels.

Key Roles Reporting to This Position

• BD Manager – Supply (Digital Products): Manages relationships with global publishers, telecoms, ISPs, NGOs, and aggregators.
• BD Manager – Demand (B2B Distribution): Leads partnerships with retailers, fintechs, banks, super apps, and reseller networks.
• BD Analyst: Supports pricing strategy, market research, partner ROI tracking, and competitor intelligence.
• BD Operations Specialist: Manages CRM, proposals, contracting process, and reporting systems.

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years in Business Development, preferably with direct industry experience in digital goods, fintech, telecom, or e-commerce. This is a non-negotiable requirement, as the ideal candidate will have established regional connections and easy access to high-level decision-makers and potential partners (e.g., global content providers, telecom operators, banks, super apps). Profiles from companies like LikeCard, Al-Matar, or Al-Musafir are highly sought after.
• Proven experience owning revenue and building high-growth ecosystems.
• Strong network and negotiation experience with content providers, telecoms, and B2B distribution channels.
• Commercial mindset with a deep understanding of digital marketplaces and supply/demand dynamics.
• Track record in building and managing teams.
• Fluent in English (required); Arabic is a strong plus.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently across the region (e.g., KSA, UAE, Jordan).
• Ability to identify and penetrate new regional markets, with a 90% focus on new markets beyond the primary one (e.g., Saudi Arabia).

Why Join Our Client?

• Be at the forefront of digital commerce in the region.
• Work directly with the CEO and executive leadership team.
• Build and scale the BD department from the ground up.