Manager - Buyer Development

The role will lead the identification, segmentation, acquisition, engagement, and activation of buyers across key food channels, including wholesale, food distribution, retail, HORECA/foodservice and other institutional or commercial buyers.

The Manager will develop a structured UAE buyer universe, establish relationships with relevant decision-makers, understand buyer requirements, and demand patterns, and translate these insights into commercial opportunities for ADFH.

A critical responsibility will be to develop and execute tenant–buyer matching and market activation programmes, converting buyer relationships into meetings, sourcing opportunities, enquiries and, ultimately, transactions.

The role will also contribute to the progressive development of ADFH from an initial tenant-focused market activation model into a buyer-oriented trading ecosystem, where buyers increasingly recognize ADFH as a preferred destination for sourcing, supplier discovery, product access, and commercial engagement.

Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities:

• Build and manage the UAE buyer universe for ADFH.
• Develop relationships with priority food buyers and decisionmakers.
• Drive buyer acquisition and activation.
• Generate commercial opportunities for ADFH tenants.
• Facilitate tenant–buyer matchmaking.
• Lead buyer-focused market activation initiatives.
• Capture and communicate buyer intelligence.
• Maintain a high-quality buyer pipeline and CRM.
• Support tenant success and retention through market access.
• Ensure buyer development activity is aligned with ADFHs overall commercial strategy.

People Management Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach and develop the Buyer Development team.
• Establish clear objectives, KPIs and accountabilities for team members.
• Build a culture focused on market presence, commercial execution, relationship development and measurable outcomes.
• Review team performance and ensure effective pipeline management.
• Develop capabilities in buyer research, account management, market activation and commercial conversion.
• Coordinate effectively with other ADFH commercial and operational functions.

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development of ADFH as a major food trading and sourcing ecosystem.
•  Develop the buyer-side network required to support ADFHs tenant acquisition and tenant-success strategy.
• Establish ADFH as a relevant destination for UAE/GCC food buyers.
• Help transition ADFH from an initial supply/tenant-led activation model towards a progressively buyer-led market.
• Identify strategic market opportunities that can strengthen ADFHs competitive positioning.
• Support the development of a sustainable ecosystem in which increasing buyer density creates additional value for existing and future tenants.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in business administration, Marketing, Supply Chain, Food Business, Economics, Commerce or a related discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification/MBA is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Strong knowledge of CRM, account management and business-development tools.
• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities