BD & Partnerships Manager – Innovation

About the role

Sadeem, the innovation hub of Growth Holdings, is seeking a Business Development & Partnerships Manager to drive revenue growth by securing paid programmes and advisory engagements with government, corporate and entrepreneurship clients.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and pursue opportunities across innovation, entrepreneurship, capability development and commercialisation services, building account plans for priority clients.
• Lead discovery meetings, qualify opportunities, and develop proposals, presentations and tender submissions in collaboration with programme specialists.
• Negotiate scope, pricing and commercial terms, manage contract closure and ensure compliance with procurement requirements.
• Build strategic partnerships with sponsors, universities, incubators and industry bodies to generate funding, referrals and delivery capacity.
• Maintain client relationships, manage renewals and extensions, and keep an accurate CRM with realistic sales forecasts.

Required profile

• 5–8 years of experience in business development, consultative sales or commercial partnerships, with a proven record of securing B2B or government contracts.
• Experience in an accelerator, innovation consultancy, venture builder or professional services environment, preferably within the UAE government or Abu Dhabi market.
• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.

Required skills

• Strong commercial judgement, pricing and margin understanding.
• Excellent relationship‑building, presentation and negotiation abilities.
• Solid organisational skills, CRM discipline and ability to work independently while collaborating with specialists.