ABOUT THE ROLE:
This is a commercially strategic role at the heart of Sharaf DG's marketing and brand function. As Assistant Manager, Brand Engagements, you will own the full scope of brand partnership planning and activation across Sharaf DG's UAE retail network — from negotiating commercial agreements with global technology and telecom brands, to designing the in-store shopper experience, to executing integrated 360° marketing campaigns across OOH, digital, and experiential channels.
This is not a support role. You will own a P&L, manage senior brand partner relationships, and lead activations that directly drive category revenue. If you are commercially sharp, have strong interpersonal skills, and want to work at the intersection of brand, retail, and marketing, this is your role.
What You Will Do
Own the commercial partnership agenda
- Negotiate and manage annual brand partnership agreements with global technology, telecom, and audio brands — covering space rental commercials, shared marketing investment, and joint promotional plans.
- Set revenue targets for the Brand Engagements department, build quarterly achievement plans, and track delivery against budget.
- Identify new partnership opportunities and build business cases that create mutual value for Sharaf DG and its brand partners.
- Present annual brand visibility and media plans to senior brand directors at partner organizations, negotiating terms that deliver measurable ROI for both sides.
Design the in-store shopper experience
- Plan shopper journey frameworks across the retail network, using footfall data, customer inflow patterns, and sales analytics to configure category layouts that drive conversion.
- Define category placement strategies based on store catchment profiling and customer behavior, ensuring the right product sits at the right touchpoint in every store.
- Collaborate with visual merchandising, operations, and store management to deliver consistent, customer-first retail environments across all UAE locations.
- Guide store teams on local activation requirements, maintaining brand standards and programme consistency across locations.
Plan and execute 360° marketing campaigns
- Develop integrated visibility plans for partner brands spanning OOH, in-mall placements, in-store roadshows, digital screens, window activations, and e-commerce.
- Own the full campaign lifecycle — strategy, agency and vendor briefing, production, on-ground execution, and post-campaign ROI reporting.
- Plan and deliver product launch campaigns and seasonal promotional programmes, coordinating across sales, operations, and digital teams.
- Brief, select, and manage creative agencies, production vendors, and external suppliers to agreed brand standards, timelines, and budgets.
Develop new retail concepts
- Conceptualize, research, and pilot new in-store experience formats that enhance the customer decision journey and differentiate Sharaf DG's retail environment.
- Manage end-to-end delivery of new concepts — design, fit-out coordination, brand partner co-investment negotiation, and post-launch performance tracking.
- Build scalable concept playbooks that enable consistent rollout across multiple UAE locations.
Manage stakeholders across the business
- Act as the central coordination point between global brand partners and internal sales, visual merchandising, operations, digital, and finance teams.
- Manage competing priorities across simultaneous campaigns, with clear communication and escalation.
- Present performance updates, campaign results, and brand plans to senior internal leadership and external partners, translating data into clear commercial narratives.
Essential Requirements
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- 5+ years experience in brand partnerships, retail marketing, trade marketing, or integrated campaign management
- Demonstrated commercial accountability — P&L ownership, revenue target delivery, or equivalent financial responsibility
- Strong negotiation skills, with experience managing relationships at a senior brand partner or client level
- End-to-end campaign management, from strategy and briefing through on-ground execution and post-campaign evaluation
- Retail or shopper marketing experience — category strategy, space planning, or in-store activation
- Proven stakeholder management across cross-functional internal teams and senior external partners
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously under pressure
What will set you apart
- Experience in consumer electronics, telecommunications, or FMCG retail
- Background in experiential retail concept development or new format launches
- Exposure to OOH, in-mall, or digital screen media planning
- PR, media relations, or sports sponsorship activation background
- Omnichannel campaign experience spanning physical and digital channels
Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (required). MBA or Master's in a relevant discipline (preferred).
Experience: Minimum 5 years in brand partnerships, marketing, or retail marketing. UAE or GCC market experience strongly preferred.
