Assistant Category Manager – Food Services

Narooma; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee meals discount

Shopping discounts

Paid parental leave

Wellbeing and volunteer leave

Employee assistance program

Job summary

LagardèreAWPL is seeking an enthusiastic Assistant Category Manager for Food Services in Sydney. You will support the commercial strategy, develop Grab & Go ranges, and work across Australia and New Zealand vendors to drive growth in our diverse café, restaurant, bar and food concepts.

You will analyse sales, manage product launches, and collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to deliver compelling customer offerings across our network.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality, foodservice, retail, buying, merchandising or a similar commercial support role.
• Genuine interest in food, beverage, consumer trends and discovering new products.
• Strong organisational skills with multiple projects and deadlines.
• Confidence with numbers, spreadsheets and reports, especially Excel.
• Commercial mindset with understanding of sales, pricing and margins.
• Excellent communication and ability to build relationships with suppliers and store teams.
• Attention to detail and proactive, solutions-focused approach.
• Willingness to learn and contribute new ideas.

Responsibilities

• Product development & trends: Research, trial and introduce new food/beverage products.
• Commercial performance: Analyse sales, margins and customer trends to identify opportunities.
• Supplier relationships: Collaborate on sourcing, pricing, promotions and opportunities.
• Range management & execution: Coordinate launches, range changes and promotions.
• New venue openings: Support openings from product selection to operational readiness.
• Collaboration & improvement: Work with Operations, Marketing and stores to improve offerings.

Skills

Hospitality experience

Foodservice knowledge

Excel skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Willingness to learn

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Assistant Category Manager – Food Services | Sydney

Love discovering new food products, following the latest trends and understanding what makes a great food offering? This could be the perfect opportunity for you.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and commercially minded Assistant Category Manager to join our growing Food Services team at LagardèreAWPL. - This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys the fast-paced world of food and hospitality but wants to take the next step into a commercial, buying or category management career.

Working across our Australian and New Zealand network, you will play a key role in developing and improving our Grab & Go category, while also supporting broader commercial projects and initiatives across our diverse portfolio of cafés, restaurants, bars and food concepts.

About the Role

Reporting to the Commercial Strategy & Category Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the commercial performance, product development and day-to-day execution of our Grab & Go category across Australia and New Zealand, while also contributing to broader Food Services initiatives.

This is a varied and hands-on role where no two days are the same. From discovering new food trends and working with suppliers to analysing sales, developing product ranges and supporting new venue openings, you will have the opportunity to see your work come to life across our national network of cafés, restaurants and bars.

What You Will Do on a Day-to-Day Basis

• Product Development & Trends – Research, trial and introduce new food and beverage products, keeping our offerings fresh, competitive and relevant.
• Commercial Performance – Analyse sales, margins, product performance and customer trends to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Supplier Relationships – Work closely with suppliers on product sourcing, pricing, promotions and new product opportunities.
• Range Management & Execution – Coordinate product launches, range changes and promotional activities across our network of stores.
• New Venue Openings – Support exciting new Food Services openings, from product selection and supplier coordination through to operational readiness.
• Collaboration & Improvement – Work alongside Operations, Marketing and store teams to improve our customer offerings, simplify processes and drive better commercial outcomes.

About You

We are looking for someone who is curious, organised, commercially aware and genuinely passionate about food and hospitality.

You don't necessarily need to have worked in category management before. We are equally interested in someone who has developed strong food and beverage knowledge through hospitality or retail operations and is ready to take their career in a new direction.

Ideally, you will bring:

• Experience in hospitality, foodservice, retail, buying, merchandising, category management or a similar commercial support role.
• A genuine interest in food, beverage, consumer trends and discovering new products.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and deadlines.
• Confidence working with numbers, spreadsheets and reports, with good Microsoft Excel skills.
• A commercial mindset and an interest in understanding sales, pricing, margins and what makes products successful.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to build relationships with suppliers, store teams and internal stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive, solutions-focused approach to getting things done.
• A willingness to learn, ask questions, challenge existing ways of working and contribute new ideas.

Previous experience in buying, category management, supplier coordination or multi-site food and beverage operations would be an advantage but is not essential.

Above all, we are looking for someone with the right attitude, a genuine interest in food and a desire to build a successful career in the commercial side of hospitality.

What We Offer

At LagardèreAWPL, you will be part of a dynamic and growing Food Services business, with the opportunity to work across a diverse portfolio of local, national and international food and beverage brands.

This is more than just an administration or support role. It is an opportunity to build your commercial capability, develop industry relationships and play a meaningful part in shaping the products and experiences we deliver to travellers every day.

Turn Your Passion for Food into a Career – Work with exciting food and beverage products, explore emerging trends and help influence the products offered across our national network.

Develop Your Commercial Skills – Gain practical experience in category management, product development, buying, supplier management, sales analysis and commercial decision-making.

Be Part of Something Growing – Join a business with an evolving portfolio of food and beverage concepts, new venue openings and opportunities to contribute to exciting projects across Australia and New Zealand.

See Your Work Come to Life – Enjoy the variety of working between our Support Office and airport venues, seeing firsthand how new products, promotions and commercial initiatives translate into real customer experiences.

Real Opportunities to Grow – Be part of Australia's largest travel retail business, with career opportunities across four diverse business lines: Travel Essentials, Specialty, Duty Free and Food Services. We believe in recognising talent, developing our people and promoting from within, with genuine opportunities for those ready to take the next step.

Great Benefits – Enjoy employee meal and shopping discounts, paid parental leave, wellbeing and volunteer leave, and access to our Employee Assistance Program.

Flexibility That Fits Your Life – Enjoy a mix of time between our Support Office and Sydney Airport, with flexible working hours designed to support a balance between your professional and personal commitments.

About Us

LagardèreAWPL is a leading Travel Retail operator in the Pacific, with an extensive network of stores across Australia and New Zealand spanning four business lines: Travel Essentials, Specialty, Duty Free and Food Services.

Our Food Services business brings together a diverse portfolio of cafés, restaurants, bars, quick-service outlets and Grab & Go offerings, partnering with local, national and international brands to create memorable hospitality experiences for travellers.

At LagardèreAWPL, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing workplace where our people are empowered to grow, contribute and succeed.