Job Description
Our Client:
Our client is a well-established regional FMCG business with a strong presence across the Middle East and an expanding footprint within the Travel Retail channel. They are seeking a commercially astute Travel Retail Manager to drive growth across airports, duty-free operators, travel convenience retailers, lounges, and related travel retail channels.
Your Role:
You will be responsible for leading the Travel Retail business across key regional markets, developing strategic partnerships with airport retailers and duty-free operators, and driving profitable growth through effective account management, channel expansion, assortment optimization, and commercial execution.
Key responsibilities:
- Develop and execute the Travel Retail growth strategy across the Middle East.
- Manage relationships with duty-free operators, airport retailers, travel convenience stores, airline retail partners, and lounge operators.
- Drive sales growth, distribution expansion, and visibility across existing and new travel retail accounts.
- Lead annual business planning, commercial negotiations, promotional agreements, and joint business reviews with key customers.
- Identify opportunities for new listings, airport expansion, and channel-specific growth initiatives.
- Optimize assortment, pricing architecture, promotional plans, and visibility programs based on passenger demographics and shopper behavior.
- Partner closely with Marketing, Trade Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Category teams to deliver commercial objectives.
- Monitor sell-in and sell-out performance, inventory levels, and promotional effectiveness across all accounts.
- Conduct regular airport and customer visits to ensure execution excellence and strengthen customer relationships.
- Drive innovation initiatives including travel-exclusive packs, premium gifting formats, and category development opportunities.
Must-Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, or a related discipline.
- 5-10 years of experience within Travel Retail, Duty Free, Airport Retail, or Channel Management.
- Proven experience managing airport retailers, duty-free operators, or travel retail accounts.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience in key account management and contract negotiations.
- Experience within FMCG, snacks, confectionery, beverages, premium food, luxury gifting, or related consumer categories.
- Strong understanding of travel retail shopper missions including gifting, impulse purchasing, premium convenience, and destination-led buying behaviors.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver sales growth and build long-term customer partnerships.
- Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Regional Middle East experience is highly preferred.
- Experience working with major travel retail operators and airport retail environments.
- Exposure to premium consumer brands with a strong focus on gifting, snacking, or impulse categories.
- Experience launching travel-exclusive products, promotional campaigns, or category-building initiatives.
- Ability to work effectively across multiple markets and diverse customer groups.
Next Steps:
Upload your resume via our ATS platform and ensure all form details are complete. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within 5–7 working days for a more detailed discussion about the role. Please note, due to high application volumes, we will only respond to shortlisted profiles.