Category Manager - Private Label

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading regional digital platform is seeking a Category Manager in Dubai to drive the Private Label strategy within the Grocery vertical. The ideal candidate should have 5-8 years of experience in category management and a strong track record of managing commercial KPIs. This role involves developing sourcing strategies, supplier negotiations, and optimizing product performance through cross-functional collaboration. Excellent skills in negotiation and analytics are essential.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in category management, merchandising, or strategic sourcing.
• Proven track record of owning commercial KPIs.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the private label P&L for categories.
• Develop strategic sourcing strategies and lead supplier negotiations.
• Monitor category performance and refine strategies.

Skills

Category management

Procurement

Strong negotiation skills

Analytical mindset

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Excel

Data tools

Job description

Careem is building the Everything App for the greater Middle East, making it easier than ever to move around, order food and groceries, manage payments, and more. Careem is led by a powerful purpose to simplify and improve the lives of people and build an awesome organisation that inspires. Since 2012, Careem has created earnings for over 2.5 million Captains, simplified the lives of over 70 million customers, and built a platform for the region's best talent to thrive and for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. Careem operates in over 70 cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan.

About the team

You will be joining the Grocery team at Careem, where we are on a mission to redefine convenience across the region. Our focus on Private Label is central to improving quality, value, and differentiation in our offerings. The team is highly cross-functional and collaborative, working closely with operations, commercial, analytics, and product teams.

About the role

We are looking for a Category Manager to drive our Private Label strategy and support the execution within the Grocery vertical. This role is based in Dubai and will play a key part in shaping the growth of our Private Label product portfolio, optimizing pricing, sourcing, and vendor relationships to ensure strong performance across the region.

What you'll do

• Own the private label P&L for categories and assortment strategy for Private Label categories in the UAE.
• Develop strategic sourcing strategies, lead supplier negotiations and onboarding, ensuring alignment with Careem's commercial requirements and expectations.
• Work closely with supply chain and demand planning teams to maintain high availability and optimized inventory levels.
• Partner with marketing and product teams to drive visibility, adoption, and conversion of Private Label SKUs.
• Monitor category performance, customer feedback, and market trends to refine strategies.
• Collaborate with legal, finance, and compliance to ensure all products meet regulatory standards.

What you'll need

• 5-8 years of experience in category management, merchandising, procurement, or strategic sourcing—ideally in grocery retail or FMCG.
• Proven track record of owning commercial KPIs and delivering on margin and growth targets.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience managing supplier relationships.
• Analytical mindset with comfort in Excel and data tools to drive decisions. Entrepreneurial drive, ownership mindset, and bias for action.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.