Senior Category Development Manager

Arla Foods; Dubai; On-site; AED 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Arla Foods seeks a Senior Category Development Manager – Cooking for the UAE to lead the Cooking portfolio (cheese, creams and butter). You will set strategic direction and convert consumer insights into clear commercial priorities across channels, working with Sales, NRM and Finance to drive growth and profitability.

You will own category planning, pricing, promotions and activation, lead innovation, and influence senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Shaping category strategies that deliver profitable growth.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen for pricing, promotions and profitability.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional decisions.
• Experience turning consumer, shopper, and market insights into growth opportunities.
• 8+ years of FMCG experience in Category Development, Marketing, or Commercial roles.
• Excellent communication and storytelling to simplify complexity.

Responsibilities

• Set and lead the Cooking portfolio strategy across UAE channels, customers and shopper segments.
• Identify growth opportunities through consumer, shopper, customer and market insights.
• Lead annual category planning, aligning regional strategies with UAE priorities.
• Shape channel, assortment, pricing, promotion and activation strategy with Sales and NRM.
• Lead innovation and NPD from opportunity to market launch.
• Own category performance, including profitability improvement with Finance and NRM.
• Align senior stakeholders and advocate growth agenda across the organization.
• Coach others and share best practices across the business.

Skills

Category Development

Leadership

Commercial Acumen

Analytical Thinking

Stakeholder Management

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Team Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or related field

Tools

NielsenIQ

Shopper panels

Retail audits

Job description

Job Description:

Senior Category Development Manager – Cooking, UAE

At Arla, we do so much more than make some of the world’s favourite dairy products. We create moments that make everyday life better — from healthy breakfasts and delicious family dinners to brands people know, love and trust. Puck®, Lurpak®, The Three Cows®, Starbucks® and Castello® are part of modern life in more than 100 countries around the world. With 1,200 colleagues across the Middle East and Africa and 19,000 globally, every one of us plays a role in shaping the future of dairy and building on our €15bn business as one of the world’s leading dairy companies.

Are you ready to turn insight into impact and shape the growth of leading dairy categories in one of the region’s most dynamic markets? We are looking for a strategic, insight-led commercial marketer to lead the development of the Cooking portfolio in the United Arab Emirates. If you enjoy solving complex commercial challenges, influencing senior stakeholders and unlocking growth through strong collaboration, this is an opportunity to make a visible difference.

Lead and grow the Cooking portfolio in UAE

In this high-impact role, you will set the strategic direction and growth agenda for one of Arla’s most important portfolios Cooking, spanning cooking cheese, creams and butter. You will define the category vision, identify the strongest growth opportunities and translate consumer, shopper, customer and market insights into clear commercial priorities across channels and customers. Working closely with Sales, Customer Growth, NRM and Finance, you will help drive penetration, market share and profitable growth while strengthening Arla’s position as a category leader. Your work will directly influence category growth, innovation success, market share gains and the long-term commercial success of the UAE business.

As Senior Category Development Manager – Cooking, you will take ownership of a strategic growth agenda and

• Set and lead the Cooking portfolio strategy across UAE channels, customers and shopper segments, turning ambition into clear commercial action.
• Build a compelling category growth agenda by uncovering opportunities through consumer, shopper, customer and market insights.
• Lead the annual category planning process, connecting regional portfolio strategies with UAE market and customer priorities.
• Shape the category’s channel, assortment, pricing, promotion and activation strategy in partnership with Sales, Customer Growth and NRM.
• Lead innovation and NPD strategy, from opportunity identification and business case development through to successful market launch.
• Own category performance and commercial health in partnership with Finance and NRM, including scenario planning, investment prioritization and profitability improvement.
• Influence and align senior stakeholders across functions, acting as a trusted category voice and championing the growth agenda across the organization.
• Raise the bar for Category Development excellence by coaching others, building capability and sharing best practices across the business.

What Will Make You Successful

• You have a proven ability to shape category or portfolio strategies that deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
• You bring strong commercial and financial acumen, with the confidence to make sound decisions across pricing, promotion, investment and profitability.
• Strong leadership and influencing capabilities, with a proven ability to align senior stakeholders and drive business decisions across functions.
• You are highly analytical and curious, with a track record of turning complex consumer, shopper and customer insights into focused growth opportunities.
• 8+ years of FMCG experience across Category Development, Marketing or Commercial roles.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to simplify complexity and build compelling commercial narratives.
• A proactive, collaborative and solution-oriented leadership style.
• A degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or a related field.
• Experience with NielsenIQ, shopper panels or retail audit tools is an advantage.

What We Offer

At Arla, we are committed to professional development and promoting from within. You will join a positive, collaborative culture and a market leader with household-favorite brands, contributing to sustainable practices that benefit our customers, farmers, and the planet.

The closing date for this advert will be 4th September 2026.

Shape the Future of Dairy

Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.