Senior Category Manager - Top 4 Grocery Account

My client is an extremely well known global branded food manufacturer who is the clear category leader within their fields. You are bound to have eaten their products at some point and they are the trusted Category Partner within their market.

We now have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Category Manager to join their busy and lively Category team to focus on their major retail clients. In addition, this role offers the right candidate the chance to become the clear successor within the current structure, supporting and deputising for the Category Controller. You may already be at Category Manager level and looking to step up into a bigger role or you may be a Senior Category Manager looking to advance through a structure.

• Your main focus will be to contribute to and execute the category strategy through customer facing plans.
• As a Category Manager within this business your main duties will be to analyse market and consumer data so that you can identify market shifts and trends and explore opportunities for growth. You will then turn those insights and drive them into actions.
• You will work closely with the NPD teams and sales team to maximise the performance of the core range within the retailers to ensure that your products have the maximum distribution and the delivery of the Brand plans.
• With strong commercial awareness, you will develop wider relationships with the customer beyond the buyer and identify new category opportunities which will benefit the customer and the business.
• You will contribute effectively to the New Product Development gate process to ensure effective product launches. With one direct report, you will be responsible for that individual’s development and career progression.

Our ideal Category Manager will come from a background of Category Management or Marketing, preferably from within a food manufacturing environment and experience with working on multiple product categories over multiple channels. Highly commercial and analytical, you will have a proven track record of building mutually beneficial relationships with key contacts within a top 4 retailer. Your influencing skills will be key. You should be able to demonstrate some knowledge and understanding of merchandising principles and to make recommendations to develop merchandising within store. Some Shopper marketing experience would also be ideal.

This is a real opportunity for the right candidate to join a great team but also benefit from working within a blue chip business. They are looking for candidates who they can progress and fast track through the business and will help you to realise your potential.

Please apply, with a full CV to andrea@vitaeselection.com for a further discussion about the role.