Business Development Lead, reporting to the ATE Executive Leadership, to be based in either the UK, or continental Europe, with travel to European HOs and ATE's priority African markets. Suitable candidates will have a demonstrable record of success and extensive experience of working with major international organisations which have significant penetration across the African continent.
L ead enterprise business development to win high-value brand mandates with global multinationals and onboard a pipeline of emerging brands that can mature into rights, licensing, or acquisition opportunities. Own origination, executive alignment, commercial framing, and closing; ensure a clean
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- EnterpriseOrigination & ExecutiveSelling: BuildseniorrelationshipsatglobalHOsand category leadership; align onAfrica entry/expansiontheses; lead executive briefings and market immersions.
- Opportunity Shaping (Commercial Principles): Define scope (countries, channels, categories), exclusivity posture, launch phasing, activation intent, and performance review cadence.
- Negotiation & Closing: Run principle-level negotiations to secure mandates; finalise a clear commercial intent and mutual action plan; hand over for documentation and execution.
- Emerging Brands Sourcing & Curation: Systematically scout, assess strategic fit, and prepareconciseinvestment/rights notesforleadershipdecisions.
- Account Strategy & Governance: Maintain account maps, stakeholder strategies, pursuit plans, and rigorous CRM hygiene; provide crisp executive updates.
Requirements
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The keyskills, experience and personality requirements provided inthe job specification are outlinedbelow.
Background
- Proventrackrecordclosingmulti-countrymandatesorcategoryexpansionswithEuropean-headquarteredmultinationals
- Comfortable operating at Board/CXO level and navigating matrixed global/regional/local structures.
- Principle-levelnegotiationandstakeholder orchestration
- Pipelinediscipline(prioritisation,stagehygiene, forecasting)
- CulturalfluencywithWesterncorporatestakeholders(European/US HOs).
Languages
ExcellentbusinessEnglish;proficiency1namaJorEuropeanlanguage(e.g.,French, German, Spanish, Italian) is a plus.
Operating Style
- Writes concise,outcome-orientedbriefs;setsclearnext actions
- Highintegrity,soundjudgement,andstrongfollow- through
- Energeticprospectorcomfortablewithambiguityand pace.
TBC.Competitive + performance-basedbonuses + benefits