Country Manager - Food Services and Cloud Kitchens

Talabat Holding; Doha; On-site; QAR 360,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Talabat Holding seeks a Country Manager - Food Services to lead growth and cloud kitchen operations in Qatar. You will develop the country growth strategy, oversee multiple food brands and drive profitability while coordinating with regional leadership.

This role requires strong commercial judgment and cross-functional leadership across business units. Fluency in Arabic is mandatory; you will manage teams, translate data into actionable plans, and report to the General Manager MENA Talabat

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or MBA in Business, Marketing or a STEM discipline from a top university.
• 3+ years of experience in growth management, product management, consulting, internal strategy or startups.

Responsibilities

• Develop a clear growth strategy for talabat Kitchens across Qatar.
• Lead cloud kitchen expansion and multi-brand operations.
• Oversee financial performance and budgeting for the Food Services business in Qatar.
• Manage cross-functional teams and coordinate with regional stakeholders.
• Translate financial and operational data into practical business decisions.
• Ensure high standards for health, safety and quality across kitchens.
• Present recommendations to senior leadership, including C-suite.

Skills

Growth management

Product management

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or MBA in Business/Marketing/STEM

Tools

SQL

Tableau

Excel

Job description

Country Manager - Food Services and Cloud Kitchens Job Snapshot - Role: Country Manager - Food Services - Location: Doha, Qatar - Industry: Food and Beverages - Function: Management General - Experience: Minimum 3 years in growth management, product management, consulting, internal strategy or startups - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Position Overview talabat is looking for a commercially focused Country Manager - Food Services to lead the growth and operations of talabat Kitchens in Qatar. This role combines business development, financial management, cloud kitchen expansion and operational leadership. You will develop the country growth strategy, manage the performance of multiple food brands and identify opportunities to expand the cloud kitchen network. Reporting to the General Manager MENA Talabat Kitchens, you will work closely with the regional management team, the Senior Director Food Services and cross-functional stakeholders to build a profitable and scalable business. The position requires strong commercial judgment, experience managing teams and the ability to translate financial and operational data into practical business decisions. Fluency in Arabic is mandatory.

Job Details

• Country: Qatar
• City: Doha
• Industry: Food and Beverages
• Function: Management General
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Gender: No Preference
• Candidate Nationality: Not specified
• Job Type: Full Time
• Work Arrangement: On-site
• Reporting To: General Manager MENA Talabat Kitchens

What 's on Your Plate

Country Strategy and Business Growth

• Develop a clear growth strategy for talabat Kitchens across Qatar.
• Align the country expansion plan with talabat 's wider business strategy.
• Identify opportunities to increase the presence of cloud kitchens in the market.
• Lead business development initiatives supporting Food Services growth.
• Evaluate market opportunities and recommend commercially viable expansion plans.
• Coordinate strategic initiatives with the regional management team.
• Translate business objectives into actionable country-level priorities.
• Monitor progress against growth targets and adjust plans according to market conditions.

Financial Performance and Profitability

• Take ownership of the Food Services business financial performance in Qatar.
• Manage country-level financial statements and operating budgets.
• Ensure business activities remain aligned with agreed financial targets.
• Monitor revenue, costs and profitability across the operation.
• Evaluate the financial impact of construction projects and new brand launches.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial performance.
• Support investment decisions through financial planning and analysis.
• Maintain accountability for delivering a profitable Food Services business.

Cloud Kitchen Expansion

• Identify suitable locations for new cloud kitchen facilities.
• Evaluate potential kitchen spaces against agreed selection criteria.
• Consider location, size, accessibility and cost when assessing expansion opportunities.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders during the site selection process.
• Support planning for construction and new kitchen launches.
• Assess the commercial potential of proposed expansion locations.
• Contribute to business cases for future kitchen development.
• Ensure expansion initiatives support the overall country growth strategy.

Business Development and Project Management

• Lead business development activities for talabat Kitchens in Qatar.
• Manage large-scale projects involving multiple business functions.
• Coordinate stakeholders throughout project planning and execution.
• Work with the Senior Director Food Services to prepare investment proposals and business cases.
• Assess project feasibility, commercial opportunities and expected business outcomes.
• Monitor the progress of approved initiatives.
• Identify project dependencies and coordinate solutions to implementation challenges.
• Maintain clear communication with stakeholders regarding project priorities and progress.

Multi-Brand Kitchen Operations

• Oversee the daily operations of multiple food brands within talabat Kitchens.
• Monitor operational performance across kitchen locations.
• Ensure kitchen activities meet applicable health and safety standards.
• Oversee site hygiene and operational cleanliness requirements.
• Coordinate stock deliveries and related operational activities.
• Identify operational challenges and implement appropriate improvements.
• Maintain consistent operating standards across the Food Services business.
• Support efficient coordination between kitchen teams and other operational functions.

Logistics and Customer Experience

• Work closely with Logistics Operations to improve kitchen and delivery coordination.
• Partner with Customer Experience teams to identify service improvement opportunities.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to support accurate and timely order fulfillment.
• Review operational performance to identify factors affecting the customer experience.
• Develop practical improvements that support reliable food delivery operations.
• Align kitchen activities with broader delivery and service requirements.

Stakeholder and Team Leadership

• Manage and coordinate cross-functional teams involved in Food Services operations.
• Build effective working relationships with regional and country stakeholders.
• Collaborate with senior management on strategic and operational priorities.
• Provide clear direction on business objectives and expected outcomes.
• Encourage accountability for financial and operational performance.
• Maintain effective communication across business functions.
• Support independent decision-making while ensuring alignment with company strategy.
• Present recommendations and business cases to senior stakeholders, including C-suite leadership.

Performance Analysis and Business Planning

• Identify key performance indicators for the Food Services business.
• Analyze financial, commercial and operational information.
• Interpret complex datasets to identify business trends.
• Develop data-driven action plans in response to changing market conditions.
• Use analytical findings to evaluate growth opportunities.
• Support forecasting and business planning activities.
• Present performance insights and recommendations to management.
• Monitor the results of implemented business initiatives.

What Did We Order

Education

Bachelor 's degree or MBA in Business, Marketing or a STEM discipline from a top university.

Professional Experience

• At least 3 years of experience in growth management, product management, consulting, internal strategy, startups or an equivalent role.
• Previous experience in technology, e-commerce, food, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or a combination of these industries is required.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of commercial and operational business activities.
• Experience working with management teams on business growth and performance.

Industry and Commercial Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of the cloud kitchens industry.
• Strong understanding of restaurant business operations.
• Ability to evaluate business expansion opportunities.
• Understanding of financial statements, budgeting and business planning.
• Experience assessing investment proposals and commercial opportunities.
• Knowledge of operational and financial factors affecting business profitability.
• Good understanding of online marketing concepts and tools.

Analytical and Technical Skills

• Understanding of analytical tools such as SQL and Tableau.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to identify and monitor important business performance indicators.
• Strong capability in analyzing complex datasets.
• Ability to convert analytical findings into practical action plans.
• Confidence using financial and operational data to support decisions.
• Ability to evaluate changing market conditions and recommend appropriate actions.

Leadership and Communication

• Previous experience managing cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work independently and take responsibility for business outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to develop persuasive business cases.
• Confidence presenting proposals to stakeholders at different organizational levels, including C-suite executives.
• Ability to coordinate complex projects involving multiple teams.
• Strong commercial judgment and decision-making skills.

Language Requirements

Fluent Arabic communication skills are mandatory.

Professional Competencies

• Strong business development and strategic planning abilities.
• Commercially focused approach to business growth.
• Ability to manage financial and operational priorities.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Confidence working with complex business information.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders.
• Effective planning and organizational skills.
• Results-oriented approach to achieving business targets.
• Adaptability to changing market requirements.
• Ability to work closely with senior management while managing country-level responsibilities independently.

The Opportunity at talabat Kitchens

talabat Kitchens is the company 's cloud kitchen business, bringing together food brands, kitchen facilities and delivery operations. As Country Manager - Food Services, you will be responsible for developing the business in Qatar while maintaining operational efficiency and financial performance. The role offers direct involvement in market expansion, commercial planning, investment evaluation, multi-brand operations and senior stakeholder engagement.

About talabat

talabat is an on-demand food and grocery delivery platform operating across the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in Kuwait in 2004, the company connects customers with restaurants and local businesses through technology-supported delivery services. talabat is part of the Delivery Hero Group, an international local delivery platform headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero operates in approximately 65 countries worldwide and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017. The company is also part of the MDAX stock market index.