Sales Lead - UAE

About the Role
The Sales Lead, UAE is responsible for market-level customer-facing execution and the delivery of revenue, profitability, and commercial objectives across the UAE portfolio, with an indicative business scope of approximately US$110 million. Reporting to the ME Cluster Lead and serving as a member of the Middle East Leadership Team, this role translates cluster and category strategies into disciplined execution across institutional and private channels.

The Sales Lead manages country sales planning, forecasting, customer and account execution, sales-force productivity, territory and coverage design, performance management, field capability development, and launch execution. While Category Leads handle portfolio and brand strategy, the Sales Lead focuses on market-level customer-facing execution and sales delivery, working closely with them to convert strategic priorities into measurable business results.

This role also involves close collaboration with teams in Medical, Health & Value, Commercial Excellence, PH&E, Regulatory, Supply, Finance, PX, Legal, and Compliance to optimize resources, deliver sustainable growth, enhance customer experience, and ensure effective execution of strategic brand plans. The Sales Lead is committed to building a high-performing, inclusive, and accountable sales organization while ensuring compliance with policies, local laws, and applicable external regulations.

Responsibilities

• Business and financial delivery: Own UAE revenue, operating-plan delivery, forecast accuracy, identify risks and opportunities, and deploy commercial investment appropriately.
• Market execution: Translate Middle East and category priorities into clear country sales plans, territory strategies, customer and account plans, launch plans, and field execution standards.
• Sales-force effectiveness: Optimize territory and coverage design, targeting, capacity, call planning, resource allocation, and sales-force productivity across public and private channels.
• Performance leadership: Set clear objectives and KPIs; lead rigorous business and performance reviews; utilize data to identify gaps; ensure timely coaching, recognition, corrective action, and follow-through.
• Customer and institutional strategy: Develop a comprehensive understanding of customer needs, institutional priorities, healthcare-system dynamics, competition, access barriers, and market trends, converting insights into coordinated action.
• Portfolio and launch partnership: Collaborate with Category Leads on portfolio and brand strategy while owning market-level customer-facing execution, launch readiness, demand generation, account priorities, and sales delivery.
• Go-to-market evolution: Embed approved digital tools, omnichannel engagement, and innovative working methods to enhance customer experience, field impact, and productivity.
• Enterprise leadership: Engage actively in Middle East Leadership Team decisions, operating plans, forecasts, resource allocations, risk reviews, and cross-market priorities.
• Talent and culture: Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing talent; enhance first-line manager capability; maintain succession plans; and promote ownership, inclusion, collaboration, open communication, and a One company culture.
• Governance and compliance: Manage resources with strong operational discipline and ensure full compliance with policies, local laws, industry codes, and external regulations.

Requirements/Qualifications
Education

• Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Business, Economics, Healthcare, or a related field.
• MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred.

Experience and capabilities

• 10+ years of pharmaceutical or healthcare experience, including significant experience leading sales or commercial teams.
• In-depth knowledge of the UAE healthcare and pharmaceutical market, including institutional and private channels, customer dynamics, access considerations, regulations, and key stakeholders.
• Proven success in delivering revenue and profitability, managing complex portfolios, enhancing forecast quality and field productivity, and executing cross-functional commercial initiatives and product launches.
• Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, planning, forecasting, analytical, digital, and data interpretation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead transformation, establish clear priorities, manage ambiguity, and drive disciplined execution and performance management.
• Excellent people leadership, coaching, talent development, communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• High standards of integrity, compliance, governance, and ethical decision-making.

Language

• Fluency in English required; Arabic is highly desirable.