Merchandise Manager — Construction Materials

Job Overview

This role focuses on managing the merchandise category for construction materials in the Saudi Arabian market, primarily based in Riyadh. The position involves close engagement with customer sites to identify procurement needs, planning product categories, and optimizing supply chains to support sales growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Regularly visit construction sites to understand and clarify customer demands for construction materials.
• Lead product selection and develop mid-to-long term category plans for the construction materials sector targeting the Saudi market.
• Perform market research on local demand, competitor offerings, and pricing strategies to refine product assortment both locally and cross-border to increase sales volume and profitability.
• Work with procurement and suppliers to enhance product supply efficiency, manage product lifecycles, and refine SKU mixes by removing underperforming items.
• Analyze category performance data including sales, inventory, and gross margin, then generate reports with actionable optimization recommendations.
• Coordinate with sales, warehouse, and logistics teams to ensure supply aligns with demand, enabling consistent deliveries and effective after-sales support.
• Support regional leadership by implementing localized category strategies and expanding access to premium construction materials aligned with local market and Chinese client needs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in Civil Engineering, Construction Materials, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or similar disciplines.
• Between 5 and 10 years' professional experience in the construction or building materials industry.
• Strong knowledge of structural materials such as steel, cement, concrete, finishing materials, MEP materials, and construction consumables.
• Preferred candidates include those who have worked as material engineers or procurement managers within construction firms, real estate developers, or engineering companies.
• Additional advantage for candidates with combined experience in procurement and sales.
• Fluent business-level English is mandatory; proficiency in Mandarin Chinese is highly desirable due to frequent communication with Chinese clients and headquarters. Arabic language skills are a plus but not required.

Competencies & Location Requirements

• Proven ability to independently assess customer needs, perform product selection, and execute category planning.
• Strong analytical skills, market insight, and ability to work collaboratively across teams.
• Willingness to travel regularly across cities in Saudi Arabia for customer site visits.