Category Development Manager, Impulse

Red Bull; Toronto; On-site; CAD 98,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy drinks company is seeking a Category Development Manager in Toronto, Ontario. This role focuses on building category strategy and insights, managing key accounts, and implementing development programs. Candidates should possess at least 3 years of experience in Category Development within the consumer packaged goods industry, with strong analytical and communication skills. A Bachelor's degree is required. The position offers an annual salary range of $98,515 to $108,885 plus bonuses.

Benefits

Annual bonus

Accommodations available for disabilities

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years experience in Category Development or Key Account sales in CPG.
• Strong analytical ability and self-motivation.
• Advanced Excel skills including pivot tables and formulas.
• Experience with syndicated sales data and shopper panel data.
• Knowledge of the CPG and Canadian Retail Industry.

Responsibilities

• Lead category management at accounts by developing insights.
• Manage partnerships with strategic customers for joint business plans.
• Implement category development programs to drive growth.
• Develop and execute category strategies and marketing activations.
• Maintain communication with stakeholders for project support.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Experience in CPG industry

Excel proficiency

Planogram expertise

Customer relationship management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Nielsen

Excel

JDA Space Planning

Job description

Our goal is to be Energy Category experts and reasonable choice when deciding on an Energy Category partner. The Category Development Manager (CDM) will be playing an integral role in building, developing, and maintaining credible, long‑term, category lead relationships with Red Bull’s retail partners and customers. Reporting to the Senior Category Development Manager, the CDM is the main category contact with their assigned customers and will deliver category strategy and provide strategic category and shopper recommendations to the Buyers. In addition, the CDM will work internally with the National Account team to leverage category insights and identify strategic opportunities to grow Red Bull sales, market share and continuously improve promotion, price, shelf space and product distribution.

All the responsibilities we’ll trust you with:

CATEGORY DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

Lead category management at dedicated accounts by developing critical insights and solutions to grow the size and the value of the entire Energy Drink and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Category. Enhance the entire Energy Drink Category using a shopper‑first mindset. Support and participate in Top to Top and Joint Business Plan Category Management presentations to Executives to build and maintain trusted partnerships and grow the category and Red Bull. Work collaboratively with account, trade and marketing teams to develop assortment, shelf, space, price and promo recommendations. Work on assigned projects with the Senior Category Development Manager, and liaise with Category counterparts in other global markets to share best practices.

THE CATEGORY EXPERT

Manage the partnerships with key strategic customers in the development of joint business plans, recommending total Non‑Alcoholic Beverage, Energy and Red Bull opportunities and driving large‑scale Category projects. Develop a deep knowledge of Red Bull customers’ strategic pillars to facilitate customer business planning processes and lead the dialogue with internal stakeholders at the customer. Lead the analysis and study of multiple data sources, develop an unassailable level of energy category insight to drive business and category recommendations. Lead business analysis and insights of sales and market share with customers. Proactively create, develop and deliver regular category reviews, plans and strategies with customers identifying opportunity gaps for incremental volume and share growth. Robust understanding of product/package mix analysis, merchandising strategy, including shelf optimization and incremental display execution. Promotional effectiveness and regular pricing strategy.

THE IN STORE SALES DRIVER

Implement category development programs by leading the dialogue with the retail customer to focus on category growth opportunities. Provide leading edge Insights and Category Management solutions related to assortment/sku mix and optimization, & price/promo effectiveness. Leverage category and shopper expertise to make shelf and space recommendations to improve the Energy Drink Category shopping experience at retailers. Develop, optimize, and maintain planograms for shopability, and optimal capacity; Analyze and communicate planogram changes and performances, while working toward best‑in‑class shelving principles.

KEY RESULTS & DELIVERABLES

Develop and execute the Impulse Mission and strategy. Drive increased moments of needs through strong marketing activations driving increased sales. Deliver OPM plan & goals per Business Plan. Seamless inter‑departmental communication flow across all key project stakeholders (Marketing & Sales). Acts as a strong, collaborative partner with the sales teams and ensure that initiatives support short and long‑term volume growth.

Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role:

• Minimum 3+ years experience in Category Development or Key Account sales in the CPG industry.
• Highly analytical, organized, and self‑motivated individual with the ability to draw insights from multiple complex data sources.
• Advanced Excel skills including pivot tables, slicers, and formulas.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills are required to express analytics and deliver presentations to various levels within the organization and externally to customers.
• Experience working with syndicated sales data (Nielsen, etc.), shopper panel data (Numerator, Nielsen Homescan, Kantar, etc.), retailers’ sales data (LDIA, Dunnhumby, IRI, Retail Link, SPS, etc.).
• In‑depth knowledge of the CPG industry and Canadian Retail Industry.
• Planograms building expertise with a software such as JDA Space Planning.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Powerpoint.
• Retailer facing experience an asset.
• University – Bachelor’s Degree.

The expected annual base salary range for this position is $98,515 to $108,885. The actual base salary for this position will depend on various factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s qualifications, skills, experience and work location. This position is also eligible for an annual bonus in accordance with the terms of Red Bull’s bonus plan.

Red Bull Canada is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process and applicants with a disability may request to be accommodated throughout the recruitment process. We will work with all applicants to accommodate their individual accessibility needs.