Middle East Product Localization Manager (Food, Pharma & Cosmetics)

Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates; hybrid and customer-facing, with required GCC travel. Regional scope: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.

Salary: Competitive fixed salary plus performance-based bonus.

Company

hirify.global LLC works with international manufacturers and a portfolio of natural ingredients, botanical extracts, citrus oils, flavour solutions, and specialty raw materials for food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.

What you will do

• Evaluate imported ingredients and product concepts for GCC climate, storage, formulation, sensory, dosage-form, documentation, Halal, cost, production, shelf-life, and commercial requirements.
• Work directly with Food, Pharma, Nutraceutical, and Cosmetics manufacturers and collect technical briefs from R&D and Product Development teams.
• Coordinate suppliers, customers, samples, revised development batches, formulation or ingredient modifications, and customer trials.
• Recommend specification changes and assess stability, solubility, taste, colour, odour, bitterness, sweetness, acidity, heat stability, and other sensory requirements.
• Evaluate dosage-form compatibility and local versus imported manufacturing options across beverages, foods, tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, syrups, oral liquids, skincare, hair care, and personal care products.
• Develop clear technical localization plans for priority customer projects and support Halal-related requirements where applicable.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in Food, Pharmaceutical, Nutraceutical, Cosmetics, or Specialty Ingredients.
• Experience adapting products or formulations for different markets and a strong understanding of ingredient functionality.
• Experience working directly with R&D and Product Development teams and translating customer feedback into technical development actions.
• Good understanding of product specifications and technical documentation.
• Customer-facing experience required.
• Experience in GCC or Middle Eastern markets is strongly preferred.
• Degree in Food Science, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Biotechnology, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Fluent English required. Arabic is highly valued.

Nice to have

• Experience with botanical extracts, natural ingredients, specialty formulation systems, taste-masking systems, natural flavours, natural colours, fruit powders, or concentrates.
• Background in product localization, regional application management, technical product management, product adaptation, customer innovation, regional R&D, application development, or technical customer solutions.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid, customer-facing work with GCC regional responsibility and required travel across the Gulf region.
• Competitive fixed salary and performance-based bonus.
• Direct involvement with European and international manufacturers.
• Cross-sector exposure to Food, Pharma, Nutraceutical, and Cosmetics projects.
• High autonomy in customer-development projects and influence over which international products are introduced into GCC markets.
• Direct participation in adapting new ingredient technologies for Middle Eastern customers.