Business Development Manager – FMCG

Who we are:

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG is a valued partner of choice for the world's most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries. These include notable home-grown brands such as Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick, Supercare Pharmacy, Farm Fresh, Klassic, and international brands like Nike, Columbia, Converse, Timberland, Vans, Mama Sita's, and McCain.

Role Summary :

The Business Development Manager, is responsible for growing GMG’s brand portfolio and revenue base across the UAE identifying, evaluating and securing new brands and principals, and by building the complete value chain required to bring them to market profitably and sustainably.

The role owns the full commercial cycle end to end: brand scouting and pipeline development, principal due diligence, landed-cost and margin modelling, construction of the brand business plan and investment case, commercial negotiation and contract signing, and post-signature onboarding into GMG’s supply chain, regulatory and route-to-market framework. The incumbent is accountable not simply for signing brands, but for ensuring each brand is launched against a validated P&L and delivers its committed Real Margin.

In parallel, the incumbent develops and manages GMG’s sub-distributor network across UAE defining territories, margin structures, stock commitments and performance KPIs, and opens new B2B revenue streams across new channels.

The role works cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, QA/Regulatory, Legal and the Category and Sales teams, and interfaces directly with brand owners, manufacturers, sub-distributors, B2B customers and regulatory authorities. Success is measured by the number and quality of brands signed, speed from signature to first shipment, incremental revenue and Real Margin delivered from new business, sub-distributor coverage and productivity, and B2B pipeline conversion.

Responsibilities:

1. New Brand and Principal Acquisition

▪ Build and maintain a structured, prioritized pipeline of target brands and principals aligned to GMG’s category strategy, white-space gaps and margin ambitions.

▪ Conduct category and portfolio gap analysis to define which brands, segments, price tiers and pack formats GMG should pursue, and build the rationale for each target.

▪ Lead first contact and the full courtship cycle with prospective principals — capability presentation, market opportunity sizing, proposal development and follow-through to signature.

▪ Perform due diligence on prospective partners covering financial standing, production capacity, export readiness, certification and compliance status, existing regional agreements and potential channel conflicts.

▪ Maintain a live market map of brands currently available, coming available, or under-performing under incumbent distributors in the region.

2. Value Chain Building and Commercial Feasibility

▪ Build the end-to-end landed-cost model for every candidate brand and SKU — cost, Incoterms, freight, insurance, duty, clearance, handling, warehousing, distribution and returns — to establish true cost to serve.

▪ Design the full pricing architecture across the chain (principal → GMG → sub-distributor → retailer / B2B customer → consumer), protecting margin at each level and validating RRP against competitor shelf prices and consumer price thresholds.

▪ Define working capital, MOQ, lead time, shelf-life and stock-cover implications together with Supply Chain and Finance and quantify the cash impact of each new brand before commitment.

▪ Coordinate product registration, labelling, halal, shelf-life and regulatory compliance requirements with QA and Regulatory Affairs so that first shipment is cleared without delay.

▪ Define the route-to-market model per brand — direct distribution, sub-distributor, hybrid or B2B-led — including channel coverage, listing plan, launch sequencing and required trade investment.

▪ Establish the operational value chain post-signature: item master and ERP set-up, supply plan, warehousing and cold-chain requirements, first-order sizing, and handover to the Sales and Category teams.

▪ Identify value-chain optimization opportunities — local co-packing, consolidation of shipments, alternative sourcing routes, duty optimizations — that structurally improve landed cost and margin.

3. Business Plans, Negotiation and Contract Signing

▪ Develop complete brand business plans covering volume and value forecasts, gross profit and Real Margin, A&P and listing fee investment, break-even timeline, working capital requirement and a three-year growth trajectory.

▪ Lead the negotiation of distribution and agency agreements covering territory and exclusivity, contract term and renewal, minimum purchase commitments, pricing and price-revision mechanisms, A&P and marketing support, listing fee contribution, payment and credit terms, brand and IP usage rights, near-expiry and obsolescence protection, and termination and exit provisions.

▪ Work with Legal and Finance to finalize, execute and file all signed agreements, and maintain a contract register that tracks commercial obligations, renewal dates and compliance triggers.

▪ Own the annual joint business plan (JBP) cycle with principals — target setting, trade investment budgets, activation calendars and formal performance reviews.

▪ Renegotiate under-performing or unprofitable agreements,and manage structured exits where a brand no longer meets GMG’s margin or strategic criteria.

4. New B2B Opportunity Development

▪ Identify, open and scale new B2B channels

▪ Develop tailored B2B propositions

▪ Negotiate and close supply agreements, annual contracts and tenders

▪ Build and maintain a B2B pipeline with defined stage gates, conversion rates and revenue weighting, and forecast B2B contribution into the divisional plan.

▪ Establish key account governance for major B2B customers — service reviews, contract compliance and growth planning.

People Management :

The incumbent is responsible for setting clear objectives and performance targets in collaboration with team members, ensuring alignment with overall organizational goals. This role involves actively mentoring, guiding, and providing direction to the team to cultivate skill development, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement. The incumbent applies structured performance management practices to monitor progress, troubleshoot issues, and drive the team towards achieving periodic KPIs. Through strategic oversight and regular feedback, the incumbent fosters a results-oriented environment, empowering the team to meet and exceed established benchmarks while supporting both individual and collective growth.

Technical Competencies :
Business & financial acumen

Knowledge of logistics and distribution management.

CRM

Strong communication, negotiation & persuading skills

International market intelligence specifically in MEA

Data analysis and reporting skills

Project management

Export documentation

Regulatory Affairs

Proficiency in ERP/SAP.

5 years in Sales/ Business Development with minimum of 3 years in UAE market.