Senior Manager Business Development EM

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

Job summary

A global sports brand in Dubai is seeking a Senior Manager of Business Development to drive strategic projects and capitalize on new market opportunities. The ideal candidate should have 6-10 years of experience, preferably in retail or FMCG, along with a strong commercial acumen and leadership skills. This role offers significant leadership exposure and the chance to shape the future of business development in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Opportunity to shape the brand's future

Build initiatives from ground up

Exposure to Senior Leadership Team

Diverse and passionate team

Qualifications

• 6-10 years of experience in a relevant field.
• Experience in sporting goods, FMCG, or retail.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and capitalize on new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for execution.
• Conduct market and competitor analyses for strategic decisions.
• Develop business cases and ROI models.
• Monitor key metrics and iterate strategies.

Skills

Cross-functional project delivery

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

Leadership skills

Excellent communication

Fluency in English

Agility and adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or Economics

M.A./M.Sc. or MBA

Job description

Overview

Purpose & Relevance: We\'re on a mission to shape the Future of Sport, and to do that, we need fresh energy, sharp thinkers, and builders who aren’t afraid to challenge the norm. We’re growing fast in the region, and we’re looking for a Senior Manager Business Development who brings bold ideas, serious analytical skills, and the stamina to roll up their sleeves and make things happen. The role will be leading the core projects across Adidas Emerging Markets and driving change across the business. As part of the Innovation Engine, the position will cover tasks around Strategic Projects for Emerging Markets, Market Insights & Analytics.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and capitalize on new business opportunities across diverse markets, channels, and categories.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Finance, Marketing, DTC, and Wholesale to ensure data-driven, aligned execution.
• Conduct comprehensive market, competitor, and channel analyses to inform strategic decision-making.
• Develop robust business cases and ROI models to support investment decisions.
• Maintain a performance-focused mindset by monitoring key metrics, extracting insights, and iterating strategies efficiently.
• Create compelling presentations and dashboards to secure stakeholder alignment and drive action.
• Lead special projects, pilots, and high-priority strategic initiatives from inception to execution.
• Partner closely with senior leadership, delivering results in a high-visibility, high-impact capacity.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Senior Leadership Team; Cross-functional Leadership Team; Country & Cluster General Managers
• External: Market Insights Agencies

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• A proven track record of successfully delivering cross-functional projects, ideally with Marketing, Sales or Operations experience
• Strong strategic acting and high visionary thinking in addition to operational skills
• High degree of commercial and business acumen
• Proven leadership track record and managerial skills
• High personal impact and excellent communication skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English essential. Additional languages are a benefit
• Professional experience in the Middle East and wider Emerging Markets a distinctive advantage
• Mindset: Curious, questioning, agile, collaborative, pro-active and action orientated

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; M.A./ M.Sc. or MBA is a plus.
• 6-10 years of experience.
• Experience in sporting goods/TECH or FMCG or retail.
• Experience in commercial strategy, planning, or new business models (e.g. marketplaces, B2B, Direct To Consumer).
• Outstanding communicator and collaborator. You know how to get alignment with key Stakeholders and make things move.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Willingness and stamina to work in a fast-paced, sometimes demanding environment. Comfortable with ambiguity and long hours.

What’s in it for you

• The chance to shape adidas’s future in one of our most dynamic regions.
• The space to build and scale initiatives from 0 to 1 (and beyond).
• Work with a diverse, passionate, and high-performance team with highest level of ownership and accountability & Senior Leadership Team exposure.
• A brand with purpose, a culture with energy, and a team that likes to win.

Culture and DEI

AT ADIDAS, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT EMBEDDING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) INTO OUR CULTURE AND TALENT PROCESSES GIVES OUR EMPLOYEES A SENSE OF BELONGING AND OUR BRAND A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

– CULTURE STARTS WITH PEOPLE, IT STARTS WITH YOU –

BY RECRUITING TALENT AND DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE TO REFLECT THE RICH DIVERSITY OF OUR CONSUMERS AND COMMUNITIES, WE FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION THAT ENGAGES OUR EMPLOYEES AND AUTHENTICALLY CONNECTS OUR BRAND WITH OUR CONSUMERS.

JOB TITLE: Senior Manager Business Development EM

BRAND:

LOCATION: Dubai

TEAM: General Management & Business Development

STATE: Dubai

COUNTRY/REGION: AE

CONTRACT TYPE: Full time

NUMBER: 533572

DATE: Sep 3, 2025