Customer Category Manager - Grocery

Suntory Oceania; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly product allowance

Generous incentive programme

Hybrid working (flexible hours)

Volunteer leave

Birthday leave

Parental leave policy

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Suntory Oceania is seeking a Customer Category Manager – Grocery to act as a strategic partner to our key customers, especially Woolworths and Coles. You will own senior relationships, lead data-led category conversations, and drive sustainable growth across the beverage category.

You will translate complex datasets into clear narratives, deliver value through insight-led reviews, and collaborate across Sales, Category and Commercial Excellence to align strategy and execution in a hybrid working

Qualifications

• Experience in Category Management or customer-facing roles within FMCG.
• Exposure to major Grocery customers (Woolworths/Coles preferred).
• Ability to manage multiple senior stakeholders internally and externally.
• Proven track record of influencing through insight rather than authority.
• Advanced analytical capability with large datasets.
• Ability to turn data into clear, compelling narratives.

Responsibilities

• Build autonomous, trusted relationships with key stakeholders across Woolworths and Coles.
• Lead strategic category conversations and influence long-term direction.
• Translate complex data into clear stories that drive action and growth.
• Deliver insight-led category reviews and recommendations that unlock value.
• Partner with Sales, Category and Commercial Excellence to align strategy.
• Represent customer realities and influence internal decision-making.

Skills

Category Management

Stakeholder management

Analytics

Storytelling with data

Strategic thinking

Communication

Presentation

Tools

Circana

Nielson

Quantium

Unify

Job description

Who are we?

By harnessing the best of Suntory from across Australia and New Zealand, Suntory Global Spirits and Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania have created a multi-beverage powerhouse – Suntory Oceania. Our 40 market-leading brands, including Jim Beam® and Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Hibiki® Japanese Whisky, Canadian Club® Whisky, -196, V Energy, Maximus, and Suntory BOSS Coffee, are powered by five distribution centres, more than 1,500 Suntorians and two local manufacturing sites. With full end-to-end control of our portfolio, we pioneer new beverage experiences, inspired by innovation and craftsmanship.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a Customer Category Manager – Grocery to act as a trusted, strategic partner to our key customers, particularly Woolworths and Coles to help unlock sustainable category growth. This is a high-impact role sitting at the intersection of Category, Commercial and Insights, where you’ll lead strategic conversations, challenge thinking and bring powerful, data-led storytelling to life. This is not a back-office category role. You will operate as a category leader in front of the customer, owning senior relationships and influencing decisions that shape the future of the beverage category.

What You’ll Do

• Build autonomous, trusted relationships with key stakeholders across Woolworths and Coles (Category Managers, Buyers, Merchandise teams).
• Lead strategic category conversations, moving beyond reporting to influence long-term direction and joint business plans.
• Translate complex data into clear, compelling stories that drive action and growth.
• Deliver insight-led category reviews and recommendations that unlock value for both customer and Suntory.
• Partner closely with internal teams (Sales, Category, Commercial Excellence) to align strategy and execution.
• Be the voice of the Grocery channel internally, representing customer realities and influencing decision‑making.
• Challenge constructively and bring teams together across multiple stakeholders to land outcomes.

What We Are Looking For

• Experience in Category Management or customer‑facing roles within FMCG.
• Exposure to major Grocery customers (Woolworths and/or Coles strongly preferred).
• Ability to manage multiple senior stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• Proven track record of influencing through insight, not authority.
• Advanced analytical capability – comfortable working with large datasets.
• Ability to turn data into clear, compelling narratives (storytelling is critical).
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to step back and shape long-term direction.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with customers.
• High level of stakeholder management, including navigating senior internal teams.
• Collaborative mindset, with the confidence to challenge, align and influence cross‑functional teams.
• Comfort in challenging the status quo, bring your ideas and make an impact.
• Software experience with Circana, Nielson, Quantium or Unify is highly desirable although not mandatory.

What’s in it for you?

• Grow your career, we like to promote from within and have incredible learning and development opportunities around the world.
• Quarterly product allowance to spend at our staff shop.
• Generous incentive programme available to all of our permanent team members.
• Drive transformation and innovation in a future‑fit operating model.
• An inclusive parental leave policy for both primary and secondary caregivers.
• Birthday leave – enjoy a day off to celebrate your birthday.
• Gradual return to work to help you transition back from parental leave.
• Work in a culture that values diversity, collaboration and growth.
• Flexible working – flexible hours and hybrid working.
• We are committed to giving back to our communities, so we provide you with volunteer leave to do so.

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognise that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic. Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavour to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.