Head of Distribution (Opening Online & Quick-Commerce Channels)

Xeliport; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Xeliport is seeking a Distribution Lead in the UAE to open online and quick-commerce channels for multiple brands. This is a ground-up role where you will establish distribution partnerships on Amazon.ae, noon, Talabat, InstaShop, Kibsons and more, with no existing playbook and no team to start.

You’ll build the function as you go. The ideal candidate has 3–6 years in business development, strong UAE market contacts, and a track record of launching brands across e-commerce channels.

Qualifications

• Have 3–6 years in business development, at an agency or distributor, working for multiple brands.
• Have opened channels for brands on UAE e-commerce or quick-commerce platforms.
• Know people at some platforms and can access others.
• Are a people person who enjoys building relationships with buyers.
• Are a generalist: comfortable chasing documents and running buyer meetings.
• Move fast, take ownership and don't wait to be told.
• Want to build something from zero rather than run an established process.
• Are based in the UAE.

Responsibilities

• Pitch brands to category and vendor managers and follow up until the channel opens.
• Ungate restricted categories on platforms like Amazon.ae.
• Chase label approvals and registration paperwork with our team and partners.
• Prepare pitch decks, pricing and margin sheets for buyers.
• Find importer partners for regulated categories.
• Meet supermarket buyers once online channels start moving.

Skills

Business development

Channel development

B2B sales

Vendor relations

Negotiation

Relationship building

Generalist

Job description

Job description

Distribution Lead, UAE (Opening Online & Quick-Commerce Channels)

Dubai | Full-time, contractual or outcome-based

About Xeliport

Xeliport is a young startup that takes consumer brands from India into the UAE. We have 14 signed brands across food, FMCG and other consumer categories, with over $25 million in combined annual sales in India. The team is small, we move fast, and everyone does a bit of everything.

The role

This is a business development role. You'll open up distribution channels for our brands on Amazon.ae and Amazon Now, noon and noon Minutes, Talabat Mart, Careem Quik, InstaShop and Kibsons, and later supermarkets and hypermarkets. There's no playbook and no team under you yet. You'll build it.

It isn't a marketplace operations role. You won't run our Amazon account or manage listings, ads or orders.

What a week looks like

• Pitching our brands to category and vendor managers, and following up until the channel is open
• Getting restricted categories ungated, such as Grocery & Gourmet Foods on Amazon.ae
• Chasing label approvals and registration paperwork with our team and partners
• Putting together pitch decks, pricing and margin sheets for buyers
• Finding importer partners for regulated categories
• Meeting supermarket buyers once the online channels are moving

Skills

You're a fit if you

• Have 3-6 years in business development, at an agency or a distributor, working for multiple brands
• Have opened channels for brands on at least a few UAE e-commerce or quick-commerce platforms
• Know people at some of these platforms, and can find your way to the rest
• Are a people person who enjoys building relationships with buyers
• Are a generalist: you're as comfortable chasing a document as you are running a buyer meeting
• Move fast, take ownership and don't wait to be told
• Want to build something from zero rather than run an established process
• Are based in the UAE

Nice to have

• Supermarket or hypermarket buyer contacts
• Experience bringing brands from India into the UAE
• Arabic
• Contacts in KSA and the wider GCC

This role probably isn't for you if

• You're looking for a senior leadership role with a team and a budget
• You'd rather manage people who do the work than do it yourself

What success looks like in 90 days

• 2 new online or quick-commerce channels open for our brands
• A retail chain listing secured or progressing
• A repeatable pipeline of buyer conversations