Local Market Manager - IKEA Batu Kawan

Job Description

The Local Market Manager is responsible for strengthening IKEA's market position and driving sustainable business growth across Northern Malaysia.

The successful candidate will serve as IKEA Batu Kawan's ambassador to the Northern region, translating deep market understanding into actions that strengthen customer engagement, expand market reach, and build meaningful partnerships with communities and stakeholders.

The role combines market intelligence, local market development, stakeholder engagement, community partnerships, and brand activation to ensure IKEA remains relevant to the needs and aspirations of people living across Northern Malaysia.

Working closely with Commercial, Marketing, Customer Relations, Sustainability, Communications and Store Management, this role identifies opportunities for growth, develops local market strategies, and strengthens IKEA's position as a trusted and responsible retailer.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

A. Market Intelligence & Customer Understanding

• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of customer behaviours, demographics, life-at-home needs, cultural differences, and market dynamics across Northern Malaysia.
• Monitor market trends, consumer insights, competitor activities, and emerging opportunities to identify risks and growth potential.
• Translate market insights into recommendations that support commercial priorities, customer acquisition, and business growth.
• Act as the store's subject matter expert on local market developments and customer trends.
• Support business decision-making through market analysis, local intelligence, and insight-based recommendations.

B. Market Development & Business Growth

• Identify and evaluate opportunities to strengthen IKEA's presence, accessibility, and market penetration within the Primary Market Area (PMA) and Extended Market Area by analysing market trends, customer behaviour, competitor activities, underserved segments, and emerging growth opportunities.
• Develop initiatives that increase market penetration, visitation, customer acquisition, and membership growth.
• Translate country commercial priorities into locally relevant actions that support sustainable growth.
• Evaluate market opportunities and recommend priorities that contribute to long-term business development.
• Track market performance and recommend improvements to optimise business impact and resource allocation.

C. Local Brand Activation & Market Engagement

• Lead the development of local market engagement plans aligned with IKEA's commercial calendar and business priorities.
• Support the execution of campaigns, activations, events, and customer engagement initiatives that strengthen IKEA's relevance within the region.
• Collaborate with marketing and commercial teams to ensure local market activities reflect customer needs and opportunities.
• Support membership growth and engagement through insight-driven initiatives targeting IKEA Family and Småles members.
• Measure and evaluate activities to ensure efficient use of resources and achievement of agreed objectives.

D. Community Engagement & External Partnerships

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local communities, government agencies, educational institutions, NGOs, business associations, and strategic partners.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration that contribute to customer engagement, sustainability, and social impact.
• Position IKEA Batu Kawan as a responsible and trusted community partner.
• Support the implementation of People & Planet Positive initiatives through local partnerships and community programmes.
• Represent IKEA at relevant external events, forums, networking platforms, and community engagements.

E. Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Build strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment of priorities and successful execution of initiatives.
• Provide market insights and recommendations to the Store Management Team.
• Support employer branding, coworker engagement, and internal communication initiatives where appropriate.
• Act as a trusted advisor on local market dynamics, reputation opportunities, and community-related matters.
• Collaborate across functions to ensure local opportunities are integrated into business and commercial planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Development, Economics, Tourism Management, or related fields.

• Minimum 6 years of experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Market Development

  • Business Development

  • Regional Growth

  • Stakeholder Relations

  • Community Engagement

  • Corporate Affairs

  • Marketing or Brand Management

• Experience working with multi-stakeholder environments is highly preferred.
• Experience managing regional markets or geographically dispersed customer segments is an advantage.

Criteria:

• Based at IKEA Batu Kawan.

• Physical presence in the store is required.

• Participation in Duty Manager schedules and store operational responsibilities.

• Compliance with IKEA operational and uniform requirements.

• Ability to travel within Northern Malaysia as required for stakeholder engagement and market development activities.

• Support employer branding, internal communication, and People & Planet Positive initiatives to strengthen coworker engagement and awareness.

Motivation:

• Has strong knowledge of Northern Malaysia, particularly Penang, Kedah, Perlis, and Northern Perak.
• Understands local consumer behaviours, communities, socio-economic trends, and market dynamics.
• Has an established professional network within the region.
• Demonstrates strong commercial awareness and the ability to translate consumer, market, and competitive insights into practical business opportunities.
• Builds trust and long-term partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
• Communicates confidently and effectively across different audiences.
• Is passionate about understanding people, life at home, and the role IKEA can play in improving everyday life.
• Embodies IKEA values and leads with simplicity, togetherness, cost-consciousness, and care for people and planet.
• Thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and enjoys building meaningful connections with customers, communities, and business partners.

Knowledge:

• Strong foundation in core marketing disciplines: strategy, brand management, campaign planning, integrated communications, and performance measurement.
• Market research methodology, consumer insight analysis, market intelligence, and situational (SWOT) analysis.
• Integrated marketing communications knowledge across digital, events, and in-store channels.
• Budget management, ROI-driven marketing planning, and KPI frameworks.
• Retail dynamics, consumer journey mapping, and life-at-home insights.
• Well-versed in local community landscape and the regional environmental scene; able to build in-depth knowledge of local market conditions and the competitive environment.
• Understanding of IKEA’s store operations, brand concept, and long-term growth ambitions (an advantage).
• Sustainability principles and ESG-driven marketing practices; a passionate believer in sustainability (in-depth knowledge is an added advantage).

Capabilities:

• Develops SWOT analysis, defines marketing and communication actions, documents strategic plans, sets KPIs, and measures results with discipline.
• Identifies market gaps and new opportunities, converting insight into clear expansion strategies and concrete marketing plans.
• Exceptional written and verbal skills; able to craft compelling narratives and present insights clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Manages and influences cross-functional and external stakeholders to align regional priorities and drive coordinated action.
• Comfortable working with data, market signals, and consumer insights to inform decisions, challenge assumptions, and re-prioritise as needed.
• Organised, self-driven, and capable of managing multiple initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Leads people effectively, inspires and clarifies direction, finds new ways of working, and enables positive change.
• Thinks ‘outside the box’, challenges conventional approaches, and adapts strategies confidently to different regional contexts.

Additional Information

Please apply by 24 November 2026.