Commercial Director Middle East & Africa

About the Role

The Commercial Director MEA is responsible for respective sales results and developing, directing and controlling related sales activities within the region to make sure that agreed sales, growth and profitability targets are achieved.

The role contributes to the regional strategy development. There is a strong opportunity to broaden existing relationships and further develop best practice through our existing Distributor network.

We're looking for people who embody our values, aren't afraid to challenge, innovate, experiment, and move at a fast pace. We're always looking for ways to improve our products and ourselves. If this is you, we'd love to talk.

What You Will Do

Full P&L accountability for the MEA Personal Care and Consumer Tissue business in alignment with category strategies and business objectives.
Contribute to the development and execution of functional strategies and the overall regional business plan, adapting commercial approaches to the diverse market dynamics, customer needs, and growth opportunities across the Middle East and Africa region.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with distributors, key customers, and strategic partners, implementing effective customer communication strategies aligned with Business Unit objectives to drive customer satisfaction and sustainable profitable growth.
Lead commercial negotiations, contract management, and business planning with key distributors and customers, applying a diplomatic, responsive, and commercially disciplined approach while operating within delegated authority.
Drive customer engagement through regular market visits and executive-level relationship management, recognizing the importance of cultural awareness, trust, loyalty, and status in building long-term partnerships across Middle Eastern and African markets.
Demonstrate high levels of agility and responsiveness to rapidly changing market conditions, including currency fluctuations, geopolitical developments, regulatory changes, and evolving competitive landscapes.
Oversee the bottom-up sales forecasting process, ensuring alignment with annual budgets and financial forecast requirements, while maintaining accountability for the related P&L and SMA budgets.
Develop and implement long-term pricing strategies, securing agreed pricing levels in line with strategic and local market requirements to support sustainable profitability and competitive positioning.
Build strong cross-functional collaboration between teams, ensuring effective coordination and execution across the region.
Lead, coach, and develop the regional sales organization and related functions, fostering high performance, capability building, organizational effectiveness, and succession planning. Who You Are

University Degree required
Have a considerable industry/FMCG experience in a similar level sales leadership role
Good knowledge and understanding of the MEA market
Commercial experience with substantial P&L responsibility
Proven leadership experience, setting direction and creating vision
Result orientated and able to build and maintain customer relations
Proven ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives in a matrix organization that deliver business results.
Skilled communicator who influences and negotiates with great freedom on outcomes
Ability to build and maintain close customer relations
Strong strategic thinker
Ability to travel
Fluent English, proficiency in Arabic and/or French is an advantage

What We Can Offer You

Our purpose, Breaking Barriers to Well-Being, provides meaning to everything we do. Join us to improve well-being for people and drive positive change for society and the environment. At Essity, you'll feel valued, empowered to grow, and challenged to achieve business results in a collaborative and open atmosphere.

Commercial Director Middle East & Africa

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