Commercial Director - Careem Market careem

As Director of Commercial for a key grocery segment (Fresh, Packaged Food, or Non-Food), you will be at the helm of defining and driving our commercial strategy across multiple markets. You ll play a pivotal role in shaping assortment, pricing, promotions, and supplier relationships with end-to-end P&L ownership. This is a leadership role where you ll manage and mentor a high-performing team while steering growth, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

You ll report directly to the Head of Grocery, and collaborate cross-functionally with regional leadership, operations, and product teams to unlock the full potential of our dark store grocery offering.

What you'll do

• Own and Lead Commercial Strategy: Set and execute the end-to-end commercial strategy for your segment including assortment planning, pricing architecture, category hierarchies, and promotional frameworks aligned with overarching business goals.

• Drive Market Customization: Partner with regional and local teams to continuously refine assortment strategies to reflect neighborhood preferences, local trends, and consumer insights, using data and performance analytics.

• P&L Leadership: Take full ownership of your segment s financial performance, including revenue, margins, and budgeting. Proactively manage cost structures and category-level profitability.

• Supplier Leadership: Build and maintain strategic relationships with suppliers and partners. Lead negotiations to secure best-in-class terms, ensure supply chain efficiency, and unlock exclusive opportunities.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage performance dashboards and analytics to monitor category KPIs and supplier effectiveness, identify growth opportunities, and drive continuous improvement.

• Team Building and Mentorship: Hire, lead, and develop a team of Category Managers and Pricing Analysts. Cultivate a high-performance culture that champions ownership, collaboration, and innovation.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with Product, Ops, Marketing, and Finance teams to align initiatives, drive execution, and deliver a seamless customer experience.

What you'll need

• Experience: 8 10+ years of progressive experience in category management, commercial strategy, or procurement in the grocery or consumer goods industry. Prior experience in high-growth startups, e-commerce, or consulting is a strong plus.

• Leadership: Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing commercial teams. A strong people leader who inspires excellence and accountability.

• Strategic and Analytical Thinker: Proven ability to translate high-level goals into actionable plans. Deep comfort with using data and analytics to drive insights and business outcomes.

• Exceptional Communicator: Able to influence at all levels from executive stakeholders to external suppliers and drive alignment across functions.

• Customer-First Mindset: A genuine passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and making everyday life simpler for millions in our region.

• Hands-On & Impact-Oriented: Willingness to roll up sleeves, lead from the front, and operate in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.