Category Manager

Category Manager  
FMCG – Food
Hybrid role – Maidenhead office ( frequency dependant on location )
Competitive salary + car allowance + bonus + benefits

The opportunity:

Mackenzie Jones is very excited to be working with Allied Bakeries, a leading bakery business in the UK, baking some of the nation’s favourite products including Kingsmill, Allinson’s and Sunblest, alongside a portfolio of own label products.

Allied Bakeries is part of Associated British Foods, a global organisation, who also own a broad portfolio of brands including Twinings, Jordans Dorset Ryvita and AB World Foods.

 An internal move has created a new opportunity for a Category Manager to join the Commercial team. The position is instrumental in accelerating mutual category growth for Allied Bakeries and for key customers such as Tesco and Aldi.  You will deliver best in class thought leadership, category insights and recommendations both externally and internally through proactive category relationships.  
 
What will my accountabilities be?

• Category Management Excellence – Be responsible for developing a proactive category relationship within key customers, with the goal of being the first port of call for all things category to deliver growth for both the retailer and Allied Bakeries
•  Winning at range reviews - Landing Allied Bakeries distribution, space and NPD listing targets – across branded and own label ranges, at key customer range reviews through the provision of advanced category insights and recommendations 

• Category, brand and customer strategies - Supporting the Category, Brand, and Sales teams shape short- and long-term strategy developments through added value category insights and recommendations.

• Continuous insight provision - Providing ongoing continuous insights internally and externally, highlighting issues and opportunities to advance AB performance and strategic direction both short and long term. Managing AB’s 4 weekly continuous insights reports, and presenting key learnings and recommendations at internal Commercial forums

 

Who will I be working with?

• Allied Bakery Category Controller, Sales, Brand and Marketing teams and key customers 

 
A great candidate will have:  

• FMCG customer relationship building experience either in sales or category management – ideally with the top 4 grocers.
• Ability to turn data into compelling insights and recommendations. 
• Great interpersonal skills and the ability to ‘tell a story’
• Influential presentation skills 
• Continuous data understanding and usage e.g Nielsen/ Kantar / IRI  
• Ability to challenge the status quo
• Ability to work at pace

 
In return for everything you can bring, Allied Bakeries can offer you :

• Competitive salary
• Car Allowance
• Annual bonus
• Holiday Allowance of 25 days
• Healthcare
• Matched Pension Scheme
• Great Opportunities for Career Development  

 
What happens next?

Apply today with your most up-to-date CV that will be reviewed by our MKJ Recruitment team.

Stage 1 : initial Teams interview

The Bit in the Middle : SHL Testing, Numerical, Verbal and OPQ

Final Stage : Onsite interview, case study and presentation, including a competence based interview


  People are at the heart of everything we do. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process that means people can be their best authentic self. 

We would love to reply to all applications, regrettably we are unable to do so due to the high volumes we receive, so if you do not hear back within 14 days unfortunately on this role it won’t be progressing. It is possible that the position could be in the process of closing, so chalk it up to bad timing. But, have no fear! There will be more opportunities. Follow us at Mackenzie Jones Recruitment so you don’t miss them.