Duni – Category & Business Development Manager

Lead a strategically important category in an international growth environment

Duni Group is looking for a commercially strong and analytically sharp Category & Business Development Manager to take full ownership of one of our most important categories – napkins.

This is not a traditional category role. It is a business-critical position with full responsibility for strategy, portfolio development and financial performance in an international and highly competitive environment. You will play a key role in driving growth, strengthening profitability and shaping how the category evolves in response to market dynamics, including the increasing impact of Private Label.

The role

As Category & Business Development Manager, you are accountable for the strategic direction and commercial performance of the category across markets. With P&L responsibility at CB1 level, you translate data, insights and market dynamics into clear priorities and measurable results. You will lead the development of the product portfolio, drive innovation initiatives and ensure successful product adoption. At the same time, you will actively manage the balance between branded offerings, value-added propositions and competitive Private Label dynamics.

A central part of the role is to lead cross-functional collaboration across Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Production and Operations. You will influence without formal authority across all functions and contribute to broader business transformation linked to structure, performance and ways of working. You will work closely with the Dining Solutions Management Team and key stakeholders across the organization, contributing clear business cases, structured analysis and strategic recommendations. The position is based at the headquarters in Malmö and reports to the Head of Innovation and Portfolio Dining Solutions.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the category team, including three direct reports (two Team Leads and one Product Specialist)
• Define and execute category strategy based on data-driven insights
• Drive portfolio optimization, innovation and commercial initiatives together with the category team
• Ensure strong financial performance and profitable growth
• Analyze competitive landscape and market trends
• Drive innovation and business development for the Category incl. Profile Print offer

Your background

We believe you bring:

• Solid experience from international category management
• Proven business development experience related to product and service offerings
• Proven ability to translate data and insights into strategic decisions
• Leadership experience, preferably with direct reports and lead in business transformation
• Experience of working in a matrix organization with multiple stakeholders
• A master’s degree in business, marketing or similar
• Professional proficiency in English, both written and spoken

Experience related to Private Label dynamics, as well as proficiency in Swedish (written and spoken), is considered an advantage but not a requirement.

Who you are

To succeed in this role, you combine analytical strength with commercial drive. You are comfortable taking ownership, making clear priorities and leading through influence in complex environments. You build trust across functions and geographies and communicate with clarity and confidence at different levels of the organization.

You are result-oriented, resilient and motivated by driving tangible business impact.

About Duni Group

Duni Group is a market leader in sustainable dining and food packaging solutions for the restaurant market. The Group markets and sells its products under primarily the brands Duni, BioPak, Poppies and Paper+Design, which are represented in more than 50 markets. Duni Group has around 2,700 employees in 26 countries, its headquarters in Malmö and production units in Sweden, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, UK and Thailand. Duni Group is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm under the ticker “DUNI”. Its ISIN code is SE0000616716. Dunigroup.com

Duni Group is a Career Company

Duni Group has been recognized as one of Sweden’s top 100 employers for the fifth year in a row. The recognition comes from Karriärföretagen (Career Company), an organization that has been presenting Sweden’s most attractive employers since 2011. Companies go through a selection process by an expert panel and a qualified jury, to be named a Career Company by Karriärföretagen. Duni Group has been recognized for creating a joyful and passionate workplace, offering our employees opportunities to gain experience personally and professionally. We have also been acknowledged for our strong focus on innovation and sustainability. Learn more at Karriärföretagen.

Visit our website www.dunigroup.com if you want to learn more about who we are and what we are enthusiastic about. Hopefully, you want to be part of our team!

How to apply

In this recruitment Duni is partnering with Academic Search. You apply by clicking the link “Apply Now” and attaching your CV and preferably also a cover letter. Interviews might take place on an ongoing basis, so please send your application as soon as possible, however no later than Tuesday, March 17th, 2026.

For questions regarding the role or the process, please send your questions to Senior Consultant Mats Nordin at mats.nordin@academicsearch.se or Researcher Tilde Alriksson at tilde.alriksson@academicsearch.se and we will get back to you as soon as possible. All information is handled confidentially in accordance with Academic Search Integrity Policy as well as the new data protection act, GDPR. This means that we can only process applications coming through the applications system. Thank you for your understanding.

About Academic Search International

Academic Search International is one of Scandinavia’s most established and reputable firms within Executive Search and Interim Management. Our focus is on individuals with documented executive and specialist expertise, and we work closely with both national and international companies with strong brands.

Our mission is to connect the most qualified individuals with the most demanding challenges at some of the most interesting companies in Sweden.

Our core values are KNOWLEDGE, COMMITMENT, RESPONSIBILITY, and COLLABORATION. It is through these values that we make a difference in all our relationships.

www.academicsearch.se