Head of Category Development EMEA

An exciting opportunity to join a major health-related consumer brand that has just come through a period of transformation that puts Category in a position of particular influence and focus. As Head of EMEA Category Development you will develop the EU Category Management function, leading the EMEA region ($700M value) in launching category management principles, driving commercial capabilities, enhancing depth and quality of insights and developing long term customer partnerships based on the generation and use of key insights to ultimately grow category penetration. You will also establish, transfer and be accountable for the roll-out of best practice, insights and learnings to the country commercial teams for local execution.



Working with country Key account management and customer business teams, you will lead/ support the Top Strategic Partner Accounts ($300M+ value) in launching category management principles and as a result, drive customer relationships from transactional through to long term partnership via 'Category Captain' status. You will also transfer learnings from the Global and EMEA key account work to country key accounts and their commercial teams



Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver an approved plan to the Key Account group by winning 'hearts and minds' in establishing and embedding the desired Category Management principles.
• Understand and develop expertise on key account customers' business requirements and develop programs that meet the specific needs of their business.
• Work closely with markets to identify the biggest category growth opportunities within specific retailers, the supporting insight development, presentation and execution of agreed initiatives.
• Deliver tools and insights to support and enable the roll out across other key customers to achieve 'Category Captain' status.
• Gain approval and alignment with EMEA Marketing and Sales as well as Global Category management within the business for the strategic direction of the Category Management program.
• Accountable for the selection and management of external agencies to deliver a repository of tools and insights for category execution. This may be EMEA led or supporting at a country level.
• Identify key business issues and champion EMEA annual market research plans to address and keep the business focused on where to invest critical resources for the greatest impact.
• Provide guidance on trends and projections for use at local level.
• Become the leader in category ranging, pricing and promotions with the Key Accounts
• Become the EMEA expert in consumer behaviour and how that can be used to maximize customers and the business.
• Become the EMEA expert in front of house store behaviour and influencers.
• Become the EMEA expert in Customer Brand selling. Develop and implement programs and best practices to drive front of house staff behaviour to support Customer as brand of choice.
• Work closely with markets to identify the biggest category growth opportunities within specific retailers, supporting relevant insight development, presentation and execution of agreed initiatives.

Key Skills and Knowledge:

• Demonstrated leadership skills; ability to manage diverse, remote and cross-functional teams, including ability to influence at all levels of the commercial business.
• Experience of selection and management of external agencies and of Opex management.
• Experience of interpreting data into insights.
• Strong knowledge of organisational dynamics; proven history of managing within complex business environments required.
• Excellent applied qualitative and quantitative analytic skills required. Being good with numbers is essential.
• Experience in working in European markets, ideally with time spent in / language skills of more than one market.
• Excellent written, oral and presentation skills required.
• Ideal experience would include a mix of Senior Brand & Customer Marketing, Key Account Management and Category Management within the retail environment.
• Experience working with sizeable retailers and/or other classes of commercial trade or practitioner affiliated groups for a B2B2C product portfolio.
• Experience in driving demand at source within a different industry would be advantageous.
• Experience working in FMCG, health/pharma/OTC or retail would be a plus.
• The ability to analyse and make accurate conclusions to support category decisions based on key data.
• A thorough understanding of retail insights.
• The ability to persuade / influence at all levels of the company.

*Please note we try to respond to all applications but due to the volume we receive sometimes we're not able to get back to all unsuccessful candidates. If your application has been successful you can expect to hear from us within 2-5 days.