Group Category Manager – Takeaway, Hygiene Equipment & Consumables H/F

ECF Group; Grigny; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational company based in France is seeking a skilled Category Manager to oversee the Group-wide assortment of products. The ideal candidate will have 5–7 years of experience in product or category management in an international context. You will be responsible for negotiating global agreements with suppliers and working in collaboration with local category managers to ensure product consistency and innovation. Fluency in English and French is required, along with strong analytical and negotiation skills.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in product/category management within an international environment.
• Experience working with multiple countries and cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop the Group-wide assortment for your category.
• Coordinate with local category managers and purchasing teams.
• Negotiate international agreements with global suppliers.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Project management skills

Fluent English

Fluent French

Education

Master’s degree in business or marketing

Job description

AsGroup Category Manager, you will define and develop the Group-wide assortment for your category, ensuring alignment with the needs of all business segments(Hospitality, Healthcare, Catering, Tourism, B2B, etc.). You will coordinate with local category managers and purchasing teams to ensure consistency, competitiveness, and innovation across all markets. You will negotiate international agreements with global suppliers and support countries in implementing these partnerships.

Main Responsibilities Offer Definition & Category Strategy

• Understand market expectations across countries and ensure the right product mix.
• Analyze customer needs, trends, and competitive activity to build a strong and innovative offer.
• Work closely with local category managers to ensure global consistency of the assortment.
• Define a structured range architecture (Good / Better / Best) and ensure balance between Group suppliers and relevant local suppliers.

Private Labels & Exclusive Brands

• Ensure sufficient private label and exclusive products within the category.
• Coordinate the development of Group-level private labels with the Global Sourcing team.
• Guarantee compliance and regulatory conformity of all private label products launched in the Group.

Supplier Strategy, Negotiation & Pricing

• Establish strong relationships with key suppliers.
• Define long-term supplier strategy and manage portfolio consolidation at Group level.
• Negotiate international annual agreements, pricing, rebates (local + Group), and marketing contributions.
• Ensure margin protection and validate pricing architecture with the Group Purchasing Director.

Sales Enablement & Commercial Support

• Support sales teams with product training, category insights, and new product development.
• Act as the main contact for large customers needing bespoke product development.
• Provide marketing and digital teams with product content for websites, catalogs, and communication.
• Coordinate the launch plans for new products and innovations with local teams.

Reporting & Performance Review

• Deliver monthly reporting on category performance at global level.
• Analyze results by country and propose corrective actions.
• Lead business reviews with purchasing directors to drive category development and optimization.
• Master’s degree in business or marketing.
• 5–7 years of experience in product/category management within an international environment.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and project management skills.
• Experience working with multiple countries and cross-functional teams.
• Fluent English and French; an additional European language is an asset.

Through its recruitment policy, ECF Group is committed to diversity and local employment while evaluating applications equitably. All our positions are open to people with disabilities, given equal skills.