Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai – Exciting Marketing Careers with Arla in 2025

Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai – Job Overview
About Arla Foods in the Middle East
Available Jobs and Related Marketing Roles
Junior Regional Category Manager – Detailed Job Description
Key Job Responsibilities
Why This Arla Role Is a Standout Marketing Opportunity
Requirements and Ideal Candidate Profile
How to Apply for Junior Regional Category Manager Jobs in Dubai
FAQs – Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai

Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai – Job Overview

If you’re a driven FMCG marketer ready to step into a high-impact regional role, the Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai opportunity at Arla might be exactly what you’re looking for.

This role is based in Arla’s regional office in Dubai and focuses on one of Arla Foods MENA’s most important categories: Spreadables. You’ll be part of an ambitious growth journey, working on category development, innovation, and strategic execution across multiple markets in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Quick role snapshot:

Job Title: Junior Regional Category Manager – Dubai
Company: Arla Foods
Category: Marketing / Category Management
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Employment Type: Permanent, full-time
Reporting To: Senior Spreadables Category Manager, MENA

You’ll have the chance to work with loved brands like Puck, Lurpak, The Three Cows, Starbucks (licensed), and Castello, contributing to Arla’s vision of making healthy dairy nutrition accessible and enjoyable.

Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai – Exciting Marketing Careers with Arla in 2025

About Arla Foods in the Middle East

Arla is one of the world’s largest dairy companies, known for its portfolio of iconic brands and its cooperative model built around farmer-owners. The company operates in over 100 countries and has a strong, growing presence in the Middle East and Africa region, with around 1,200 employees in MEA and roughly 19,000 globally.

In the MENA region, Arla:

Manages major brands like Puck®, Lurpak®, The Three Cows®, Starbucks®, and Castello®
Plays a key role in everyday life, from breakfast spreads to family dinners and coffee occasions
Continues to invest in sustainable practices, innovation, and category growth
Positions itself not only as a producer of dairy products, but as a company that makes “mornings worth getting up for” and “family dinners unforgettable”

Being part of Arla’s Dubai regional office means working in a multicultural, fast-paced, and growth-focused environment where collaboration, creativity, and commercial impact are key.

Available Jobs and Related Marketing Roles

Alongside the Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai position, marketers exploring careers at Arla or similar FMCG companies might also consider roles such as:

Assistant Brand Manager – FMCG
Trade Marketing Executive – MENA
Category Development Executive – Modern Trade
Regional Brand Manager – Dairy
Shopper & Customer Marketing Specialist

These roles often interact closely with category management, innovation, sales, and shopper marketing teams, giving you a 360-degree view of how brands grow in highly competitive markets like the GCC and wider MENA.

(See more marketing jobs in Dubai)

Junior Regional Category Manager – Detailed Job Description

The Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai role is all about growing and developing the Spreadables category across the MENA region. This is not a passive or purely analytical role; it’s a hands-on, commercial marketing position where you’ll be expected to influence strategy and drive execution.

You will:

Support and help shape category growth strategies
Drive the Spreadables innovation agenda
Turn data into insights and insights into action
Collaborate cross-functionally with regional and local teams
Help coach and align in-market teams on best category practices

This position is perfect for a marketer who combines strong analytical skills, consumer and shopper understanding, commercial acumen, and a can-do attitude – someone who wants to leave a clear mark on category performance.

Key Job Responsibilities

As a Junior Regional Category Manager – Dubai, you will be responsible for a wide range of category and marketing activities, with a focus on Spreadables in MENA.

Develop and Implement Category Growth Strategies

Assist in shaping the growth strategy for the Spreadables category across different MENA markets.
Adapt and implement strategies according to local market needs, regulatory requirements, and shopper behaviors.
Align with senior category leaders to ensure that category plans support long-term brand and business objectives.

Lead the Spreadables Innovation Agenda

Drive the MENA Spreadable innovation pipeline, from idea generation to launch execution.
Lead the development of new product developments (NPDs) – format, flavor, packaging, and positioning.
Ensure effective and timely launches in each market, coordinating with marketing, sales, supply chain, and trade marketing.

Turn Insights into Growth Opportunities

Combine consumer, shopper, market, and customer insights to identify growth levers.
Use data from multiple sources (Nielsen-type data, category reports, customer feedback) to pinpoint whitespace opportunities.
Translate insights into clear, actionable initiatives that strengthen Arla’s leadership in the Spreadables category.

Drive Annual Business Plans

Take an active role in building and delivering annual business plans in collaboration with regional and local CCSM (Category, Channel & Shopper Marketing) colleagues.
Support the development of promotional plans, assortment strategies, and price architecture to hit growth and penetration targets.
Monitor performance vs. plan and recommend course corrections when needed.

Coach and Support In-Market Teams

Work closely with Regional CCSM teams to coach in-market teams on best-in-class category practices.
Share playbooks, success stories, and toolkits that help local teams execute better in-store and in-market.
Help foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and learning across countries.

Why This Arla Role Is a Standout Marketing Opportunity

Here’s why the Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai position is one of the most exciting marketing roles in the region:

Work on One of Arla’s Biggest MENA Businesses

Spreadables is a critical growth category for Arla in the Middle East. This means:

High visibility with management
Strategic importance to the regional business
Strong potential for learning, impact, and recognition

Real Innovation Responsibility

You’re not just supporting projects – you’re driving the innovation agenda for Spreadables in MENA:

Leading NPD development
Coordinating launches
Making sure innovations resonate with regional consumers and shoppers

Blend of Strategy and Execution

The role gives a healthy mix of:

Strategic thinking (growth plans, category roadmaps, innovation pipelines)
Practical execution (launches, toolkits, category leadership initiatives)

This blend helps you grow into a well-rounded FMCG marketer who understands both the “big picture” and the “front line”.

Cross-Market and Cross-Functional Exposure

You’ll work:

Across multiple MENA markets
With cross-functional teams including marketing, sales, trade marketing, insights, and supply chain

This exposure strengthens your ability to manage complexity and navigate matrix organizations – a key skill in global FMCG companies.

Strong Development Culture

Arla emphasizes:

Professional development
Promoting from within
Building leaders who combine commercial drive with sustainable, responsible thinking

You’re joining not just a role, but a culture that encourages you to grow, lead projects, and shape your career.

Requirements and Ideal Candidate Profile

To succeed as a Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai, you should match most of the following criteria:

Education

Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or an equivalent discipline.

Experience

Around 3 or more years of FMCG experience, ideally within:
- Category management
- Trade marketing
- Brand management
- Shopper marketing
Experience specifically in category management and development is a strong advantage.

Marketing and Commercial Skills

Solid understanding of FMCG marketing fundamentals.
Ability to analyze category and market data to find opportunities.
Strong commercial mindset with a clear focus on results and ROI.
Experience supporting or leading new product launches is a plus.

Soft Skills and Mindset

A global mindset with the ability to build positive relationships across countries and cultures.
Strong project management skills – capable of leading and coordinating cross-functional workstreams.
Ability to motivate and influence others even without direct authority.
Eye for detail, combined with creative thinking and problem-solving.
Comfortable navigating a matrix organization and managing multiple stakeholders.

Language and Regional Experience

Excellent command of English – both written and spoken.
Arabic language skills and GCC experience are strong advantages.

How to Apply for Junior Regional Category Manager Jobs in Dubai

If this Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai role sounds like the next step in your marketing career, here’s how to position yourself strongly:

Click Here to Apply!

FAQs – Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai

1. How many years of experience are ideal for this role?
Typically, you should have around 3 or more years of FMCG experience, especially in category management, trade marketing, or similar roles.

2. Is this a purely analytical role?
No. While analysis is important, the role also requires strategy, innovation leadership, and execution across markets.

3. Do I need to speak Arabic for this job?
Arabic is not mandatory but is a strong advantage, especially when working with local market teams across MENA.

4. What kind of brands will I work on?
You will help develop the Spreadables category, which includes well-known brands in the region, contributing to their growth and innovation.

5. Can this role lead to more senior positions?
Yes. Successful performance as a Junior Regional Category Manager can open doors to roles such as Senior Category Manager, Brand Manager, or Regional Marketing Manager within Arla or the broader FMCG sector.

If you’re ready to step into a high-impact regional marketing role, the Junior Regional Category Manager Dubai position at Arla offers the perfect blend of strategy, innovation, and real commercial responsibility – all within a global company that genuinely invests in your growth.