Business Development Manager - SMB

We are seeking a bold and motivated Business Development Manager to join our SMB/Emerging Clients team, based in Dubai, UAE. In this role, you will take full ownership of driving growth in the SMB and Emerging Brands segment, managing a portfolio of high-potential clients while proactively identifying whitespace opportunities to unlock new business.

You will be responsible for representing all NielsenIQ solutions, delivering a seamless client experience, and acting as a growth partner for United Arab Emirates s next-generation brands.

Responsibilites:

• Identify, qualify, and engage prospective clients through proactive outreach, networking, referrals, and market intelligence.
• Develop targeted prospecting strategies to penetrate new industry verticals, geographies, and customer segments.
• Build and maintain a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities through outbound business development activities.
• Generate new business leads through cold calling, email campaigns, social selling, and executive networking.
• Identify and pursue whitespace opportunities, including new client acquisition, dormant client reactivation, and untapped budget holders.
• Manage and grow a portfolio of SMB clients, supporting them across all NielsenIQ brands and solutions.
• Drive cross-sell and upsell opportunities by identifying client business challenges and aligning NielsenIQ solutions to address them.
• Collaborate with cross-functional internal teams to ensure solution alignment, data quality, and timely service delivery.
• Own the end-to-end sales cycle from lead generation and proposal development to negotiation and deal closure.
• Represent NIQ at trade fairs, client events, and industry forums, building strong networks and elevating brand visibility in the SMB ecosystem.
• Maintain a robust pipeline supporting the sales forecast while consistently exceeding revenue and growth targets.
• Maintain accurate opportunity management, pipeline hygiene, and sales reporting within CRM systems.
• Stay attuned to emerging market trends, client business dynamics, and the competitive landscape to tailor relevant commercial strategies.

Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of sales experience in a research, analytics, or services business, preferably within a business development or account management role.
• Strong experience in managing SMB or Emerging clients and understanding their unique needs and buying behaviours.
• Proven hunter mindset with a passion for unlocking new accounts and nurturing long-term client relationships.
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and negotiation skills fluent in English while fluence in Arabic will be considered a strong plus.
• Strong presence and comfort with client-facing roles across events, meetings, and networking environments.
• High emotional intelligence with strong internal and external stakeholder management skills.
• Analytical thinker with the ability to interpret data and convert insights into commercial impact.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and resilience.
• Familiarity with NielsenIQ solutions, particularly Retail Measurement Services (RMS), is a distinct advantage.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to lead growth in one of the most dynamic client segments in the region.
• High visibility and impact across a global organization with access to best-in-class data assets.
• Collaborative team culture, strong leadership support, and a clear path for professional advancement.
• Competitive compensation, performance incentives, and training programs.