Project Manager

Role Summary

A well-established corporate group in Erbil is seeking a highly qualified Project Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of a strategic commercial project. This is a senior leadership role for an experienced operator who can translate vision into a scalable business, overseeing strategy, commercial growth, operations, and financial performance from the ground up.

The Project Manager will own the end-to-end build-out of the project, from concept activation through market entry and into sustained commercial growth. The role combines disciplined project governance with executive-level decision-making, requiring a leader who can manage timelines, budgets, suppliers, and cross-functional teams while shaping the project's long-term strategic direction.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Project Governance

• Define and execute the long-term strategic vision, business plan, and project roadmap.

• Translate the project concept into a scalable, sustainable, and commercially viable business model.

• Establish project governance structures, milestones, KPIs, and reporting cadence to track progress against launch and growth targets.

• Identify project risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans across all workstreams.

• Provide regular progress updates and strategic recommendations to ownership and senior stakeholders.

Strategy and Market Positioning

• Oversee positioning, value proposition, and go-to-market strategy across all customer touchpoints.

• Lead the development of guidelines, identity, and communication direction in line with the project's commercial objectives.

• Ensure consistency and integrity of the customer experience across all channels.

• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights to refine positioning and offering.

Commercial Strategy and Channel Development

• Develop and execute the commercial strategy across retail, wholesale distribution, and e-commerce channels.

• Build the route-to-market plan, including direct retail presence, distributor agreements, and online sales infrastructure.

• Set pricing architecture, sales targets, and channel-specific commercial plans.

• Drive customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty initiatives.

Product Development and Supply Chain

• Lead product strategy in collaboration with suppliers, manufacturers, and specialist partners.

• Manage the product development lifecycle from briefing through production and delivery.

• Establish and maintain reliable supplier relationships covering raw materials, manufacturing, and packaging.

• Oversee quality control, regulatory compliance, and inventory planning.

Operations and Team Leadership

• Establish efficient internal operations, processes, and systems to support a growing business.

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team across commercial, operations, marketing, and creative functions.

• Set performance expectations, foster accountability, and create a culture aligned with the project's standards.

• Coordinate cross-functional execution between internal teams and external agencies or consultants.

Financial Management

• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.

• Manage profitability, cost control, and unit economics across products and channels.

• Track financial performance against the business plan and recommend corrective action when needed.

• Support investment decisions and capital allocation in coordination with ownership.

Stakeholder and Partnership Management

• Negotiate strategic partnerships with suppliers, distributors, retailers, and industry collaborators.

• Manage relationships with external creative, marketing, and production partners.

• Represent the project in commercial negotiations, industry events, and key business meetings.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Management, Marketing, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in executive management, operations, commercial strategy, or large-scale project leadership.

• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-workstream projects from initiation through delivery.

• Strong understanding of business development and commercial strategy.

• Familiarity with supply chain management, manufacturing partnerships, and product development cycles.

• Proven commercial experience across retail, distribution, and e-commerce sales channels.

• Strong financial literacy, including budgeting, P&L management, and commercial modelling.

• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Proficiency in English; Kurdish and/or Arabic an advantage.

Preferred Profile

• Experience launching or scaling new commercial ventures from the ground up.

• Background in consumer-facing industries or premium product categories.

• Strong commercial mindset, with the ability to balance strategic direction with business objectives.

• Regional experience in the Middle East, Gulf, or wider MENA market.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and long-term vision

• Commercial acumen and business judgement

• Strong leadership and team-building capability

• Decision-making under ambiguity and in complex environments

• Project execution discipline and attention to detail

• Resilience and adaptability in a build-phase environment