Category Manager - Beauty

talabat; Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

talabat is seeking a Category Manager to spearhead its new standalone Beauty vertical across the MENA region. You will own the category from strategy to assortment, pricing, promotions, and performance, partnering with suppliers to build a compelling portfolio.

Ideal candidates bring 3+ years in beauty category management, strong commercial acumen, and an entrepreneurial mindset to launch a high-impact vertical in one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in category management, buying, or commercial roles within the beauty industry.
• Experience with beauty retailers/e-commerce platforms or distributors in international/regional settings.
• Strong knowledge of the MENA beauty market and consumer trends.
• Solid commercial acumen: margin calculations, P&L, promotions ROI, and supplier negotiations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset comfortable with ambiguity and building a new vertical.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end category management for the Beauty vertical (skincare, cosmetics, haircare, fragrance, personal care).
• Define and execute the beauty category strategy aligned with commercial goals and regional trends.
• Monitor and drive KPIs: sales, gross margin, P&L, conversion, basket size.
• Curate beauty assortment across mass-market, premium, and emerging brands for MENA consumers.
• Identify and onboard local and regional suppliers and negotiate terms (pricing, rebates, payment terms, exclusivities).
• Collaborate with regional teams to align on international brand contracts and ensure portfolio consistency across markets.
• Translate beauty trends (clean beauty, K-beauty, halal-certified) into actionable assortment decisions.
• Define pricing strategy in line with benchmarks and promotions; conduct market price audits.

Skills

Category management

Buying

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Entrepreneurial mindset

Attention to detail

Communication

Job description

Role Summary

We re looking for a Category Manager to spearhead and grow talabat s new standalone Beauty vertical. This is a high-impact entrepreneurial role where you will define the category strategy from the ground up owning assortment supplier relationships pricing promotions and commercial performance for beauty across the region. The right candidate brings deep knowledge of the beauty industry skincare haircare cosmetics fragrance personal care a strong commercial mindset and the drive to build something new in one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in the world.

What s On Your Plate

• Category Ownership Lead end-to-end category management for the Beauty vertical including skincare cosmetics haircare fragrance and personal care
• Define and execute the beauty category strategy aligned with talabat s commercial goals and regional consumer trends
• Monitor and drive category KPIs sales gross margin P amp L conversion and basket size
• Assortment amp Supplier Management Curate a compelling and competitive beauty assortment balancing mass-market premium and emerging brands relevant to MENA consumers
• Identify and onboard local and regional beauty suppliers and brand partners negotiate commercial terms including pricing rebates payment terms and exclusivities
• Work closely with regional teams to align on international brand contracts and ensure a consistent portfolio across markets
• Stay ahead of beauty trends clean beauty K-beauty halal-certified etc and translate them into actionable assortment decisions
• Pricing amp Promotions Define pricing strategy for the beauty category in line with market benchmarks and competitor positioning
• Conduct regular market price audits across key beauty players in the region
• Build and manage the beauty promotions calendar including seasonal campaigns Ramadan gifting seasons beauty events and brand-specific activations
• Analyze promotional effectiveness and continuously optimize based on consumer data and sell-through performance
• Cross-functional Collaboration Provide input to the Operations team on store flow product adjacencies fixtures and merchandising standards suited to beauty
• Partner with Marketing to develop compelling beauty campaigns and content that drive awareness and conversion
• Work with Replenishment on forecasting and inventory management to minimize out-of-stocks and overstock for high-SKU beauty ranges

Experience & Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in category management, buying, or commercial roles within the beauty industry ideally covering skincare, cosmetics, haircare, or fragrance.
• Experience working with or for beauty retailers, beauty e-commerce platforms, FMCG companies, or beauty brand distributors in an international or regional setting.
• Strong knowledge of the MENA beauty market: consumer preferences, key brands, distribution dynamics, and emerging trends.
• Solid commercial acumen: proficiency in margin calculations, P&L management, promotional ROI analysis, and supplier negotiations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset comfortable with ambiguity and excited to build a new vertical from scratch.
• Highly detail-oriented and structured; able to manage multiple brands and SKUs while keeping the big picture in focus.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across both internal teams and external partners.