About the Role
This position serves as a brand custodian, responsible for designing and executing local brand strategies and marketing activities aligned with global frameworks. The primary objective is to achieve specific brand goals, such as Net Sales Value (NSV) and market penetration targets. The ideal candidate will possess the experience and skill set necessary to create an optimal marketing calendar for the local market while ensuring flawless execution on the ground.
Additionally, this role will focus on leading innovation across the chocolate portfolio, identifying new opportunities, validating them with consumers, and collaborating with factories and co-manufacturers to bring the best ideas from concept to launch.
Ready to apply for roles like this?
Unlock the company name and direct application link. Subscribers get instant access to fresh jobs across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, many with visa support.
Unlock employer & apply directly
Roles & Responsibilities
Own & Manage the Brand
- Analyze category and brand performance to identify whitespace opportunities for growth.
- Set both short-term and long-term strategies for the brand to ensure quality growth and increasing market penetration.
- Effectively manage budget and resources to execute the marketing and activity calendar.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support the creation of an integrated business plan for launching key initiatives in the market.
- Develop the local market brand marketing plan and activity calendar, ensuring that budget and resources are managed for delivery.
Deliver Market Relevant Brand Content
- Utilize global content when relevant and work with content and media teams to find effective methods to support the brand.
- Ensure all content and executions follow global brand guidelines while also being locally relevant.
Manage & Deliver Projects & Activities
- Co-lead with the activity management team a cross-functional team to gather all necessary inputs for a 3-year activity plan encompassing media plans, new product introductions (NPIs), brand performance initiatives (BPIs), consumer promotions, and national activities.
Lead Innovation Across the Portfolio
- Identify and analyze opportunity spaces within the chocolate brands and markets using consumer, competitor, and category data.
- Evaluate and size each opportunity (size of prize, MAC, GM%, incrementality) and make recommendations on which opportunities to pursue.
- Conduct consumer validation for selected innovations through various market research methods.
- Build business cases for approved innovations and present them during stage gate processes to secure necessary resources and leadership support.
- Initiate discussions with factories and co-manufacturers regarding feasibility, capital expenditure (capex), minimum order quantities (MOQ), and timelines.
- Develop and manage a 3-year innovation pipeline that balances local and relevant global innovations, transferring validated projects to brand teams for launch.
Education & Professional Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; a Master's degree is a plus.
Knowledge / Experience
- 5–7 years of experience in brand management and/or innovation, ideally within a multinational consumer packaged goods (CPG) company.
- Proven track record of owning and growing large-scale brands with strong strategic, commercial, and analytical capabilities.
- Experience taking innovations from concept to shelf, preferably across multiple brands or categories.
- Hands-on experience with comprehensive marketing plans that cover media, in-store, and digital channels; ability to navigate complex matrix organizations.
- Experience in the Middle East & Africa is a plus, particularly within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Egypt.
