Business Development Manager UAE

Safran; Paris; On-site; EUR 82,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran.AI, based in Abu Dhabi, seeks a Business Development Manager to drive MEA sales, identify opportunities, and lead bids end-to-end. You’ll align with sales, marketing, and product teams to win strategic deals in government and industrial sectors.

You’ll travel up to 50% and engage with high-level stakeholders, shaping partnerships and market entry. Fluency in French and English is required, with a strong appetite for innovation and excellence.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Marketing, Sales, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of B2B/B2G sales experience in an international/export environment, ideally Middle East.
• Strong interest in defense, sovereignty, and GEOINT topics.
• Fluency in French and English.
• High mobility and willingness to travel up to 50% of working time.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, both written and verbal.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and highly committed.
• Resilience and adaptability in a dynamic business environment.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the successful execution of the sales strategy in alignment with the company’s objectives.
• Identify new market opportunities, potential customers, key stakeholders and decision-makers to expand the customer portfolio.
• Understand the specific needs of key clients and anticipate their expectations.
• Work closely with Safran.AI teams to design tailored and winning bids, including scope framing, price determination, and highlighting differentiators.
• Collaborate with Product/Solution teams to present features and benefits of the company’s products and services.
• Coordinate contract drafting and negotiate contracts with high-level counterparts, often public and industrial, through signature and entry into force.
• Analyze market trends, competitive activities, and commercial data to refine sales strategies.
• Represent Safran.AI in events: trade shows, conferences, etc.
• Prepare regular reports on sales performance and ensure CRM is up to date.

Skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

French & English fluency

Mobility

Resilience

Attention to detail

Education

Master’s degree in Marketing/Sales/Engineering

Job description

Safran.AI – AI ThatOperatesin the Real World

A subsidiary of Safran Electronics & Defense, Safran.AI develops AI solutions applied to complex data such as high-resolution satellite imagery, FMV (Full Motion Video) streams, acoustic signals,... These solutions rely on algorithms capable of automatically detecting and identifying objects of interest in the defense, aerospace, and government sectors.

Since joining Safran in September 2024, Safran.AI has also contributed to the group's transformation by applying AI solutions to Industry 4.0 initiatives. For example, AI-powered image analysis can assist inspectors responsible for examining critical components by helping them detect potential anomalies from digital images.

With aworkforceof 250employees,youwillworkwithinpassionate,multidisciplinaryteamsthatbringtogethersomeof theindustry'smostrecognizedtalents, alldrivenby asharedcommitmentto excellence andtechnologicalinnovation.

To supportSafran.AI’sinternational growth, we are recruiting a Business Development Manager to be based in Abu Dhabi.

You will join the MEA Sales team, withinSafran.AI’sSales & Marketing department, which brings together Sales, Business Development, Bid Management, and Marketing & Communication activities.

What’sat Stake in ThisRole

Ourobjectiveis toidentifynew business opportunities, qualify them, and guide them through to the launch of the commercial project. We are also responsible for implementing the communications plan through concrete initiatives, whether at trade shows and industry events or by promoting ourexpertisein AI through conferences, speaking engagements, and similar activities.

Our businessoperateson a globalscale.

As a Business Development Manager , you will be responsible for all commercial activities with client accounts (institutional and industrial) and end users in the MEA region. Working autonomously, you will be expected to identify business opportunities, develop them, and successfully bring them to fruition by effectively leveraging Safran.AI’s internal resources and involving management at key stages.

Yourmainresponsibilitieswillinclude:

• Ensuring the successful execution of the sales strategy in alignment with the company’sobjectives.

• Identifyingnew market opportunities, potentialcustomers, key stakeholders anddecision-makers strategic partnerships inorderto expand thecustomerportfolio.

• Understandingthespecificneedsof key clients andanticipatingtheirexpectations.

• WorkingcloselywithSafran.AIteamsto designtailoredandwinningbids(includingscope framing,win-pricedetermination, commercialstrategy, andhighlightingourdifferentiators), inadherencewiththebid& sales process

• Workingcloselywiththe Product/Solutionsteamstopresentthefeaturesandbenefitsof thecompany’sproductsand services.

• Coordinatingcontractdrafting in linewithsubmittedbids;negotiatecontractswithhigh-levelcounterparts,oftenpublic andindustrial,throughto signature and entryintoforce

• Analyzingmarkettrends,competitiveactivities, and commercial data torefineandadaptsalesstrategies.

• Contributing to the organization andrepresentingSafran.AI in various events: trade shows, conferences,symposiums,...

• Preparingregularreports onsales performanceandachievedresults,whileensuringthatthe CRM systemiskeptup to date.

Aboutyou:

• Master’sdegreein Marketing, Sales, Engineering, or arelatedfield.

• At least4yearsofsuccessfulexperiencein B2B/B2G sales, marketing, orbidmanagement in an international/exportenvironment,ideallywithinthe Middle Eastregion.

• Stronginterestindefense,sovereignty, and GEOINT (GeospatialIntelligence) topics.

• Resilienceandadaptabilityin adynamicbusinessenvironment.

• Excellent communicationandnegotiationskills,bothwrittenand verbal,withstronginterpersonalabilities.

• Self-motivated,detail-oriented, andhighlycommitted.

• FluencyinbothFrench and Englishisrequired;proficiencyin anadditionallanguagewouldbean asset.

• Highmobilityandwillingnesstotravelfrequently(up to 50% ofworkingtime).

Nice tohave:

• experiencein the relevantgeographicarea.

• proficiencyinArabiclanguagewouldbean asset.

If youdon’tmeet 100% of the criteria above,don’tworry — feel free to tell us why you thinkyou’dstill be a great fit for this role!

Working Conditions

Regarding the type of contract, there are two possible scenarios:

• Scenario 1: Hiring a candidate based in France who will berelocatingto the site. In this case, a defense clearance will berequired.

• Scenario2:A localhiringwitha localcontract.

• Depending on the scenario selected, the benefits and compensation package may vary. These will be presented and detailed during theinitialdiscussion with the Talent Acquisition teams.

• Based in Abu Dhabi – UnitedArabEmirates, this position requires a high degree of availability for frequent travel (customer and partner meetings, conferences, workshops),representingapproximately 50% of working time.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.