Associate Category Manager - Mars Snacking

Mars; Bolton; On-site; CAD 86,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Learning & development

Job summary

Mars Canada is seeking an Associate Category Manager to own confectionery category insights and develop value-driven strategies for key retailers. You will analyze performance, optimally plan assortment, and drive shelf execution with clear, actionable recommendations across grocery, drug, and mass channels.

You will lead external communications with retailers, deliver regular reports, contribute to strategy reviews, and collaborate with internal teams to align activities with business goals.

Qualifications

• University degree in Business or related field.
• At least 3 years in the CPG industry with category management experience.
• Strong analytical skills and data interpretation across multiple sources.
• Ability to influence decisions and lead with data.
• Experience with in-store or customer category solutions.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint proficiency.
• Familiarity with shelf management tools (JDA ProSpace) and Nielsen data.
• Retail Link experience is a plus; category advisory experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers where we have advisor status.
• Monitor performance and address issues to maintain high standards.
• Establish reputation as a thought leader in customer relationships.
• Conduct ongoing confectionery category analysis and derive actionable insights.
• Develop recommendations to drive category growth.
• Update planograms and assist in planogram development for store formats.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure activities align with business needs.
• Ensure compliance with customer policies and quality standards.

Skills

Analytical skills

Advanced Excel

PowerPoint

Category management

In-store / customer experience

Influence & relationship building

Education

University degree in Business or related field

Tools

JDA ProSpace

Nielsen data

Nielsen Answers

Retail Link

Job description

Job Description: The

Job Description: The Associate Category Manager is accountable for the understanding and analysis of the Confectionery category and providing objective, strategic and tactical category insights and advice to the customer. You will be actively involved in identifying opportunities for the customer, including sales performance, promotional activities, item assortment and shelving strategy and execution. You will also provide best-in-class examples and insights from the global category community and other available assets.
You will be responsible for external communication with Key Retailers, where Mars Snacking is an Advisor, leading ad hoc requests, weekly reporting, monthly/quarterly strategy reviews, MOD planning and creation, and insight generation using the current tools and other resources available. You will report into the Team Lead.

What are we looking for?

• University degree in Business or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years CPG industry experience with knowledge of grocery/drug/mass channels and with category management experience.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to interpret data from a mix of data sources, translate insights into relevant strategies and tactics (actions/initiatives) and execute with our customers in a clear, simple and engaging way.
• Ability to build effective relations and influence decisions, having the confidence to lead and use data to reinforce your opinions.
• In-store and/or Customer experience and understanding of how to develop engaging and actionable category solutions for the customer.
• Advanced Excel skills and PowerPoint skills.
• Shelf Management software (JDA ProSpace or similar) knowledge. Nielsen data analysis and Nielsen Answers experience.
• Retail Link experience an asset.
• Category Advisorship experience an asset.

What will be your key responsibilities?

Customer Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers where we have advisor status.
• Monitor performance and address issues promptly to maintain high standards.
• Establish reputation as a thought leader with the customer. The Advantage Survey ranking on Category Management and Thought Leadership will be a critical KPI for the Team Lead.

Category Analysis & Planogram Planning

• Conducting ongoing analysis of the confectionery category and support in deriving insights from the analysis.
• Develop recommendations to support category growth.
• Leverage local and global insights and best practices to provide actionable strategies for the customer.
• Conduct assortment analysis to provide recommendations on items not carried by the retailer that perform well in the marketplace.
• Oversee the updating of planograms. Assist in developing planograms for various store formats and sizes to drive shelf quality and availability excellence.

Strategic Planning and Execution

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure activities support business needs.
• Ensure compliance with customer policies, industry regulations, and quality standards.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 140,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the below range CAD 86,444.00 - CAD 113,458.00. Please note: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. AI is used as a supporting tool in our recruitment process.