Category Development Manager

Kruger Products | Produits Kruger; Mississauga; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Kruger Products in Mississauga, ON is seeking a Category Development Manager to partner with Sales, drive category initiatives, and deliver data‑driven insights. You will synthesize trends and act as a subject matter expert across data sources and tools."

The role emphasizes collaboration, analytics, and strategic category leadership with customers, contributing to Kruger Products’ market leadership and growth in North America.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Category Management and/or Consumer Packaged Goods.
• Strong proficiency in syndicated and shopper data sources.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Ability to interpret third‑party loyalty data (e.g., LDIA, Circana, dunnhub y).
• Thorough knowledge of NIQ Discover, MarketTrack, Homescan, Data sources and analytics tools.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Power BI, and Copilot.

Responsibilities

• Lead Category Management initiatives across assigned customer partners with Sales leadership.
• Analyze industry, shopper, and market trends to translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Serve as SME on internal/external data sources and provide insights, reporting, and training.
• Evaluate marketplace innovation and develop selling stories for new product listings.
• Deliver category reviews, reports, and performance tracking to identify risks and opportunities.
• Champion Category Management practices and contribute ideas for leadership with customers.
• Provide analytical support on project-based requests and participate in cross-functional meetings.

Skills

Category Management

Data analytics

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Loyalty data interpretation

Excel

Power BI

Education

Business/Marketing degree

Tools

NIQ Discover

MarketTrack

Homescan

Cross Outlet Facts/Shopper Tracking

Numerator

Spaceman

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Power BI

Copilot

Job description

At Kruger Products we have a shared vision for greatness. We manufacture some of North America’s most popular tissue brands - Cashmere®, Purex®, Scotties®’, SpongeTowels®, Bonterra®, White Cloud®, as well as products for use away from home.

We are leaders in our industry, leaders in our communities, and leaders in sustainability. We proudly have close to 3,000 employees across manufacturing plants in Quebec, British Columbia, Ontario, and Tennessee, as well as our headquarters in Mississauga, ON and Sales offices in North America.

We are investing in our manufacturing facilities with the latest technology. Kruger Products is an industry leader pushing innovation through AI and Operational Excellence. We are committed to a culture of health and safety - for everyone, by everyone, and in everything we do.

What You Will Do

The Category Development Manager will partner with Sales to grow Kruger Products’ categories across assigned customer partners by identifying business-building opportunities, delivering data-driven insights, and recommending strategic category initiatives. The role supports customer growth through strong Category Management expertise, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration, while reinforcing Kruger Products’ leadership in Category Management best practices.

In This Role, You Can Expect To

• Lead Category Management initiatives across assigned customer partners, partnering closely with Sales and the Director, Category Development to drive growth and align with customer strategies and priorities.
• Analyze and synthesize industry, shopper, and market trends, translating insights into actionable recommendations across assortment, merchandising, promotion, and pricing.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on internal and external data sources and tools (e.g., NIQ Discover, MarketTrack, Homescan, Spaceman, Numerator, loyalty platforms), providing insights, reporting, and training to support decision‑making across Sales and Marketing.
• Evaluate marketplace innovation and develop compelling selling stories to support new product listings and strengthen category positioning with customers.
• Proactively develop and deliver category reviews, reports, and ongoing performance tracking to identify risks and opportunities and recommend strategies to address them.
• Champion Category Management best practices and contribute ideas that enhance Kruger Products’ category leadership with customer partners.
• Provide analytical support and Category Management expertise on project‑based requests, and represent the function in cross‑functional collaboration, including customer meetings and presentations.

What You Will Bring

• Post‑secondary degree from a recognized university, with a specialization in Business, Marketing, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Category Management and/or Consumer Packaged Goods, with strong proficiency in syndicated and shopper data sources.
• Strong interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Keen attention to detail and the ability to manage deadlines independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience working with and interpreting third‑party loyalty data, such as LDIA, Circana, and dunnhumby.
• Thorough knowledge of NIQ Discover, MarketTrack, Homescan, Cross Outlet Facts/Shopper Tracking, Category Shopping Fundamentals, Numerator, and Spaceman.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Power BI, and Copilot.

At Kruger Products, we see greatness in everyone and what they bring to the organization. We monitor the market to ensure our total compensation practices are competitive. The starting range for this role $95,000 to $105,000 – or higher, depending on your experience. Our pay philosophy is to attract the best talent at the best pay while offering real opportunities for career advancement. Performance and ideas that make us better are recognized.

Our mission is to make everyday life more comfortable. Together we bring this mission to life. As an ever‑evolving business, there are always exciting new challenges, diverse career paths, and opportunities to innovate. Be part of a recognized employer – Greater Toronto Top Employer since 2013, Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies since 2018, and Forbes Best Employers in Canada.

Join Kruger Products and Expect to do Something Great.

We thank all applicants for their interest in Kruger Products; only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Kruger Products is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals. Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under KP’s Accessibility Policy and Multi‑Year Accessibility Plan - 1.04.33. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.