Business Development & Partnerships Executive

About the role

We are looking for a proactive Business Development & Partnerships Executive to grow Next Step Fair’s network of exhibitors, academic institutions, corporate partners and sponsors across Iraq. The role involves identifying opportunities, building strategic relationships and securing participation for our education and career exhibitions.

Key responsibilities

• Identify, approach and engage universities, colleges, schools, training centres and companies throughout Iraq.
• Develop and maintain relationships with academic institutions, corporate organisations and strategic partners.
• Promote exhibitor packages and participation opportunities for Next Step Fair.
• Conduct meetings, presentations and negotiations with prospective exhibitors and partners.
• Generate new partnership and sponsorship opportunities and maintain an up‑to‑date lead database.
• Manage the partnership pipeline from initial contact to confirmation and coordinate onboarding with internal teams.
• Represent Next Step Fair at meetings, networking events, conferences and educational gatherings.
• Prepare regular reports on outreach activities, partnership progress and business development performance.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, International Relations or a related field.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in business development, partnerships, sales or client relations.
• Strong networking, negotiation and relationship‑building abilities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Fluency in Kurdish and English; Arabic is an advantage.
• Willingness to travel within Iraq as required.

Required skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Experience with CRM or contact‑management tools.