Manager - Buyer Development

Job Overview

This position is responsible for leading the efforts to identify, segment, acquire, engage, and activate buyers across major food-related channels including wholesale, distribution, retail, HORECA/foodservice, and other institutional or commercial buyers. The manager will build and maintain a structured database of buyers within the UAE, establish solid relationships with key decision-makers, analyze buyer demands, and turn these insights into commercial opportunities for ADFH tenants.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the UAE buyer database for ADFH.
• Grow relationships with top food buyers and their decision-makers.
• Drive initiatives focused on acquiring and activating buyers.
• Create commercial opportunities for tenants by facilitating meetings and sourcing potential deals.
• Lead matchmaking programs between tenants and buyers.
• Oversee buyer-centric market activation campaigns.
• Collect, analyze, and communicate insights on buyer behavior and market trends.
• Maintain an up-to-date and high-quality buyer pipeline and CRM system.
• Support tenant retention by providing access to market opportunities.
• Align buyer development activities with ADFH’s larger commercial strategy.

People Management

• Lead and mentor the Buyer Development team.
• Set clear goals, key performance indicators, and responsibilities for team members.
• Foster a culture oriented around market presence, commercial delivery, relationship-building, and outcome measurement.
• Monitor team performance and ensure effective management of the sales funnel.
• Enhance team capabilities in buyer research, account management, market activation, and business conversion.
• Work collaboratively with other departments to ensure cohesive commercial and operational alignment.

Strategic Contributions

• Assist in shaping ADFH into a prominent food trading and sourcing ecosystem.
• Expand the buyer network to support both tenant acquisition and ongoing tenant success.
• Position ADFH as a go-to destination for food buyers in UAE and GCC markets.
• Help evolve ADFH from a supply-focused model toward a buyer-oriented marketplace.
• Identify new strategic market opportunities to enhance ADFH’s competitiveness.
• Support creating a robust ecosystem where increasing buyer density generates greater value for tenants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Supply Chain, Food Business, Economics, Commerce, or related fields.
• Postgraduate degree or MBA is preferred but not essential.
• Proficiency with CRM platforms, account management techniques, and business development tools.
• Strong analytical skills and capability to generate detailed reports.