Local Market Manager, IKEA Batu Kawan

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.
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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. Business Expansion & New Market Development
Identify new business opportunities, growth pockets, and underserved market segments within the dedicated region and surrounding areas, translating findings into actionable expansion priorities.
Conduct ongoing market observation and monitor competitor activity, shifts in consumer behaviour, media consumption patterns, cultural nuances, and emerging macro trends that signal new opportunities.
Develop and present strategic recommendations to unlock new market potential and accelerate sustainable, long-term growth across the region.
Translate the country commercial calendar and national marketing plan into a localised market actions that drives traffic, re-visitation, and enduring customer loyalty within the PMA and Extended Market Area.
Continuously review and optimise current market activities — identifying areas of under-performance and recommending improvements to increase efficiency, reach, and business impact.
B. Marketing, Planning & Execution
Lead the development of a comprehensive annual local marketing plan aligned to national commercial priorities, regional market insights, and consumer life-at-home behaviours.
Execute integrated marketing campaigns across online and offline channels, including activations, and in-store initiatives in especially to build visitation and brand love amongst the community.
Ensuring ROI-driven allocation and rigorous performance tracking against agreed KPIs.
Lead the acquisition, activation, and retention of IKEA Family and Småles members through data-led, insight-driven campaigns and membership KPI management.
C. Market Awareness
Drive initiatives that grow market awareness, deepen brand affinity, and firmly position IKEA as the leading and most trusted home furnishing brand in the area.
Manage all external communications — including community-facing content — to consistently reinforce brand relevance and positive perception.
Champion a long-term brand orientation over short-term activation; challenge assumptions and re-prioritise focus as market dynamics evolve.
D. Community Engagement & Stakeholder Management
Build and sustain meaningful partnerships with government bodies, NGOs, local businesses, and community organisations to drive sustainability and social impact goals.
Position the store as a “Good Neighbour” through impactful, community-driven initiatives that reflect IKEA’s values and commitment to People and the Planet.
Manage multi-stakeholder relationships across internal functions and external partners, aligning regional activities to country priorities with clear, consistent communication.
Provide strategic communication counsel to the Store Management Team, including proactive guidance on operational, community, and reputational matters.
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, Public Relations, Digital Media, or a related field. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
Minimum 6-7 years of working experience in Marketing, Brand Management, or Retail Marketing, with demonstrated involvement in market development, campaign management, or business growth.
Experience in a regional or multi-market marketing role is highly preferred.
Criteria:
The Local Market Manager must be based at store location Batu Kawan.
Physical presence and working in the store is essential as the role includes Duty Manager responsibilities and participation in the store shift schedule.
Compliance with IKEA uniform guidelines is required.
The role follows a formal internal meeting cadence, with performance reviews jointly conduted by the reporting manager and store management team (Store Manager and Selling Manager).
In addition to leading local marketing initiatives or market expansion, the Local Market Manager is responsible for employer branding, internal communications, and supporting the People & Planet Positive agenda to strengthen coworker engagement and awareness.
Motivation:
Genuine curiosity about consumers, local markets, emerging trends, and the forces shaping people’s lives and homes.
Passion for brand-building and a firm belief that great marketing drives both measurable business results and meaningful community impact.
Deep familiarity with local communities, regional socio-cultural dynamics, and the competitive landscape of the area.
Commitment to sustainability, responsible business, and IKEA’s vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people.
Collaborative, people-first mindset; energised by working in a fast-paced retail environment and motivated to exceed both team and personal goals.
Strong alignment with IKEA’s values: togetherness, care for people and planet, simplicity, and the courage to challenge convention.
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.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
No