Assistant Category Manager – Tobacco

Our Client , a leading Multi-National Company, is seeking an Assistant Category Manager – Tobacco (based in Dubai, UAE), who will be responsible for managing the overall performance of the tobacco category within the Group, driving growth, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Segment the tobacco category and define positioning strategies for various product types, formats, and brands.
• Estimate market size, category potential, and segmentation by sub-category, brand, and packaging.
• Assess competitor portfolios and positioning by category and territory (product, packaging, pricing).
• Recommend the most effective category positioning strategies, ensuring alignment with regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with management and planning teams to establish business strategies and financial goals.
• Manage product ranges from SKU selection to delisting, ensuring optimal inventory rotation and performance against targets.
• Define pricing strategies in line with benchmarks, contracts, and regulatory restrictions.
• Oversee promotions, discounts, and markdown strategies for tobacco products while maintaining compliance with laws and company policies.
• Maintain planograms for non-international/regional tobacco products and negotiate supplier terms and conditions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in merchandising, marketing, business, or a related field preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel; experience with SAP and planogram/space planning tools is a plus.
• Prior experience in managing regulated categories (tobacco, nicotine, or similar) is highly desirable.