Partnerships Manager / Category Manager FMCG

Sanabil Venture Studio; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanabil Studio, a venture builder, is seeking a commercially driven Partnerships Manager to build and convert a Tradepay FMCG partnership pipeline in Saudi Arabia. You will identify ideal partners, open doors, and move opportunities from first outreach to commercial agreement and implementation handover.

This hands-on role requires hunting for new business, developing relationships from scratch, and persisting through negotiations to close deals, while coordinating with product, finance, risk,

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in the Saudi FMCG market.
• Experience in business development, key accounts, and channel development.
• Strong understanding of traditional trade distributors.
• Existing relationships with Saudi manufacturers or distributors desirable.
• Strong commercial mindset; comfortable discussing margins and terms.
• Proven ability to open accounts and close opportunities.
• Fluent in Arabic and English.

Responsibilities

• Build and develop a pipeline of FMCG manufacturers, brand owners, suppliers, and distributors.
• Identify partners based on reach, exposure, volumes, and fit.
• Generate opportunities via network, outreach, referrals, research and events.
• Engage decision-makers across Sales, Commercial, Finance and senior management.
• Tailor Tradepay value proposition to partner businesses.
• Understand partner route-to-market, customer base, terms, and credit practices.
• Qualify opportunities and coordinate internally for proposals.
• Manage opportunities from outreach to meetings, negotiations, and agreements.
• Maintain momentum and resolve blockers to close.
• Coordinate with Product, Operations, Risk, Finance and Legal as needed.
• Maintain pipeline stages, next steps, notes, and closing dates.
• Provide visibility on pipeline coverage and learnings.

Job description

Sanabil Studio is a venture builder that blends industry expertise technology and startup know-how to turn bold ideas into real businesses We take concepts from zero to launch and when a venture proves its potential we back it with seed funding and hands‑on support to help it scale Tradepay is building a B2B trade and working‑capital platform for the FMCG sector in Saudi Arabia We partner with manufacturers brand owners suppliers distributors and their sales platforms to help small retailers access working capital at the point of purchase while helping our partners grow sales improve customer reach and strengthen their route‑to‑market

The Role

We are looking for a commercially driven Partnerships Manager with strong knowledge of the Saudi FMCG market This is a hands‑on business development role focused on building and converting Tradepay s FMCG partnership pipeline You will identify the right partners open doors understand how their businesses operate position Tradepay s value proposition and actively manage opportunities from first conversation through to commercial agreement and implementation handover We are looking for someone who is comfortable hunting for new business building relationships from scratch and persistently moving opportunities toward closure

What You ll Do

• Build and continuously develop a pipeline of FMCG manufacturers brand owners suppliers and distributors
• Identify and prioritize partners based on merchant reach traditional-trade exposure sales volumes and strategic fit
• Generate new opportunities through your existing network direct outreach referrals industry research and events
• Identify and engage decision-makers across Sales Commercial Finance and senior management
• Introduce Tradepay and tailor the value proposition to each partner s business
• Understand partners route-to-market customer base payment terms collections credit practices and commercial challenges
• Qualify opportunities and work internally to develop commercially attractive partnership propositions
• Manage opportunities from initial outreach through meetings follow-ups negotiations and agreement
• Maintain momentum and proactively resolve blockers that could delay closing
• Coordinate with Product Operations Risk Finance and Legal as opportunities move toward implementation
• Maintain accurate pipeline stages next steps meeting notes and expected closing dates
• Provide visibility on pipeline coverage conversion expected partner volumes and commercial learnings

What We re Looking For

• 3 6 years of relevant experience within the Saudi FMCG market
• Experience in areas such as business development key accounts category management channel development trade marketing or distributor management
• Strong understanding of traditional trade distributors and the supplier-to-retailer value chain
• Existing relationships across Saudi FMCG manufacturers distributors or major suppliers are highly desirable
• A strong commercial mindset and confidence discussing margins volumes payment terms and partner economics
• Proven ability to open new accounts build relationships and convert opportunities
• Persistent and structured approach to follow-up and closing
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving early-stage environment
• Strong Arabic and English communication skills

How Success Will Be Measured

Success in this role will be measured through Qualified pipeline generatedPartner meetings heldQualified opportunities progressedSigned partnershipsExpected and activated GMV from signed partnersSales-cycle durationPipeline-to-close conversion rate

3 6 years of relevant experience within the Saudi FMCG market.Experience in areas such as business development, key accounts, category management, channel development, trade marketing or distributor management .Strong understanding of traditional trade, distributors and the supplier-to-retailer value chain .Existing relationships across Saudi FMCG manufacturers, distributors or major suppliers are highly desirable.A strong commercial mindset and confidence discussing margins, volumes, payment terms and partner economics.Proven ability to open new accounts, build relationships and convert opportunities.Persistent and structured approach to follow-up and closing.Comfortable working in a fast-moving, early-stage environment.Strong Arabic and English communication skills.