Business Development Manager

Savills is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Business Development Manager to join its UAE business. This is a newly created, centralised role with a mandate to grow Savills’ property management portfolio and generate new business pipeline across all service lines, including leasing, commercial agency, sales, and valuations.

The successful candidate will be an Arabic-speaking real estate professional with a proven business development track record and an established network of landlord and developer relationships across Sharjah and Dubai. The role is positioned within Property Management, reporting directly to senior leadership, with scope to generate revenue across the full breadth of Savills’ service offering.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Development & Pipeline

• Proactively identify and target residential and commercial block management opportunities across Sharjah and Dubai, focusing on multi-family residential towers and commercial/industrial assets

• Build and manage a structured pipeline of landlord, developer, and investor relationships, converting leads into signed property management mandates

• Position Savills as the preferred property management partner for landlords currently self-managing or using smaller local operators, by articulating the professional, regulatory, and financial case for outsourced management

• Attend building handovers, developer launches, and industry events to identify and secure mandate opportunities ahead of the market

• Develop and deliver tailored proposals, presentations, and fee structures for prospective clients across the portfolio spectrum

Cross-Service-Line Referrals

• Introduce exclusive leasing mandates for vacant residential buildings and commercial warehouses to Savills’ residential and commercial leasing teams

• Generate referral pipeline for valuation, sales, and commercial agency teams through landlord and developer relationships built during the BD process

• Act as a single point of contact for key client relationships, coordinating with internal service line leads to deliver a joined-up Savills proposition

Market Intelligence & Positioning

• Monitor the UAE’s property management and leasing landscape, tracking new supply, competitor activity, landlord ownership changes, and market rental trends

• Provide regular reporting on pipeline activity, mandate wins, and market intelligence to senior leadership

• Represent Savills in the Sharjah market with the credibility and authority of a senior market practitioner

Client Relationships

• Build long-term, trust-based relationships with landlords, developers, and institutional investors across both Sharjah and Dubai

• Maintain active engagement with existing clients to identify expansion opportunities, additional mandates, and retention risks

• Serve as a cultural and linguistic bridge between Savills and the Arabic-speaking landlord community, opening relationships and developing new business opportunities.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of real estate experience, with at least 3 years in a business development role

• Deep understanding of property management

• Experience working across both Sharjah and Dubai, with knowledge of the regulatory differences, market dynamics, and ownership profiles of both emirates

• A proven ability to manage long sales cycles, block management mandate acquisition typically takes three to six months from first meeting to signed agreement, requiring patience, persistence, and relationship depth

• Strong negotiation, communication, and leadership skills

• Proficient in CRM systems (e.g., Goyzer, Yardi) and Microsoft Office

• Valid UAE driving license

What We Provide

• Competitive base salary plus structured incentive scheme covering mandate signing bonuses, leasing commissions, and cross-departmental referral fees

• Opportunity to build and lead a team within a global brand

• Access to Savills’ international marketing platforms and client network

• Professional development and training support

• Modern office environment and collaborative team culture