Strategy Manager
Who we are
Fueled by passion, KAYALI was founded in 2018 by beauty mogul and fragrance fanatic, Mona Kattan. Translating to 'my imagination' in Arabic, KAYALI provides a modern fragrance experience inspired by Mona's rich Middle Eastern heritage and the art of layering scents to help you create your mood; where sharing scents is a ritual and smelling good is both an act of goodwill and self-love.
Mona collaborates with some of the world's most renowned perfumers and sources the finest ingredients to create unique juices that are infinitely memorable, long-lasting, and cruelty-free. Each luxurious fragrance is an ode to true craftsmanship and tells a special story, from the addictive notes to the multi-faceted jeweled bottles.
Our mission
To make everyone feel like the diamond they are! To build a global community of fragrance lovers through the power of scent and by providing them with the most innovative & luxurious fragrances, education and sharing our Middle Eastern fragrance rituals with the world.
Role summary
The Strategy Manager is the right hand to the Strategy & Corporate Development Director, extending the reach of the strategy function across decision support, execution tracking, market intelligence, and cross-functional alignment.
This is a hands-on, output-driven role. You will own the engine behind Kayali's strategic agenda: building the models, dashboards, and materials that inform executive decisions; running the tracking rhythm that keeps high-impact initiatives on course; and producing the insights and intelligence that shape where the business plays and how it wins in the global fragrance and beauty space.
Core responsibilities & deliverables
- Business performance & decision support
Build and maintain financial and commercial models that support strategic decisions: business cases, scenario modelling, market sizing, channel and portfolio economics
Own recurring business performance reporting, turning data from across the business into clear, decision-ready views of growth, margin, and operational health
Pressure-test assumptions and recommendations with data; deliver structured go/no-go inputs for new market, channel, and category opportunities
Prepare high-quality executive and board-level materials that turn complex information into clear insights and recommendations
- Strategic initiative management & tracking
Run the tracking and reporting rhythm for the strategic project portfolio: milestones, owners, risks, dependencies, and status against plan
Drive follow-through on actions and decisions from leadership forums, keeping initiatives moving between reviews
Flag risks and slippage early, with proposed fixes rather than just status updates
Support the Director in the design and operation of the business operating rhythm (leadership forums, strategy reviews, planning cycles)
- Insights & intelligence
Own ongoing market, competitor, and consumer intelligence for the global fragrance and beauty category: launches, pricing, distribution moves, M&A activity, and category trends
Deliver regular, sharp “so what” intelligence briefings tied directly to Kayali's positioning and strategic choices
Build and maintain the data and insight infrastructure of the strategy function, including AI-enabled research and monitoring workflows
- Cross-functional alignment & execution support
Act as connective tissue across Marketing, Commercial, Product Development, Operations, Tech, People and Culture and Finance on strategic initiatives, aligning priorities, timelines, and interdependencies
Prepare and coordinate materials, pre-reads, and follow-ups for cross-functional and leadership meetings
Support high-priority projects for the Director and CEO office, from expansion feasibility work to investor and board preparation
Key outputs
Business cases & feasibility studies
Strategic project tracker & initiative reporting
Market & competitive intelligence briefings
Business performance dashboards
Executive & board-level materials
Leadership forum coordination & follow-through
Requirements
Approximately 3-5 years of experience in strategy consulting or an in-house strategy, insights, or commercial role at a high-growth consumer brand; strong finance backgrounds (FP&A, corporate finance, commercial finance) are also welcome
Exposure to beauty, fragrance, luxury, or premium consumer categories strongly preferred
Track record of producing executive-grade work at pace and to a high quality bar
Comfortable with ambiguity, minimal supervision, and shifting priorities in a fast-moving, founder-led environment
Low ego, high ownership: equally willing to build a business case, chase down a project owner, and polish a board slide
Benefits
Premium medical, dental, and vision coverage
Find your magic days
Volunteer day
Birthday leave
Employee discounts on all KAYALI products
Quarterly product gifting
Kayali is committed to building diverse and inclusive teams and upholding an equal employment workplace that is free from discrimination. We hire stellar individuals regardless of their race, color, ancestry, religion, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, medical conditions, disability, or veteran status. If you need reasonable accommodations at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.