Category Development Manager

Heinz; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food company in London is seeking an experienced Category Development Manager to drive growth and enhance relationships with UK retailers. This role demands strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of category management. The ideal candidate will have over two years of relevant experience and will be responsible for strategic initiatives aimed at optimizing category performance. A market-leading parental leave policy and flexible working arrangements are part of the offer.

Benefits

Industry-recognised career development

Pay for performance

Employee discount on Heinz products

Flexible working approach

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in category management or development.
• Experience with market, category, and financial data analysis.
• Ability to develop insight-driven strategies.

Responsibilities

• Build and nurture strategic relationships with UK retailers.
• Uncover and lead insight-driven opportunities for category growth.
• Own range and planogram recommendations for optimal distribution.

Skills

Category management

Retail management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree

Tools

Circana

Nielsen

Numerator

DunnHumby

Job description

We have an excellent opportunity available for an experienced Category Development Manager to make a difference at Kraft Heinz. This role lies within the UK business unit, reporting into our Category Development Controller as part of our Omnichannel & Taste Elevation teams.

The relationship with external retailers, analysis of category performance, and owning the range will be your primary goals. You’ll be working in a high performing team, alongside peers always trying to reach the next level. Get ready for a lot of exposure to internal senior stakeholders!

What you’ll do

• Build and nurture strategic relationships with UK retailers, positioning Kraft Heinz as their partner of choice.
• Uncover and lead insight-driven opportunities, using shopper needs to fuel category growth.
• Own range and planogram recommendations to ensure optimal distribution and shelf space.
• Collaborate across Category and Sales to create compelling sell-in materials for new product launches and manage range opportunities.
• Lead the rhythm of reporting and analysis, translating performance data into actionable recommendations for improvement.
• Champion the voice of the customer within Kraft Heinz, shaping our agenda and innovation pipeline with actionable insights and robust market data.

What you’ll need

• Experience in category management/development (guideline 2+ years)
• Previous experience with Circana/Nielsen/Numerator and retailer insight platforms e.g. DunnHumby
• Highly numerate strategic thinker with the ability to analyse market, category and financial data to identify key trends and recommend creative solutions.
• Ideally a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalent experience.

Professional Attributes

• Consumer and Customer Focus
  • You demonstrate a passion for the consumer and a genuine curiosity for the customer, thinking of innovative solutions to drive performance.
• Communication Skills
  • At Kraft Heinz you’ll be exposed to senior management, no matter your level. Therefore it’s important you have excellent communication skills to deal with all kinds of different stakeholders.
• Analytical
  • We’re a very data driven company. You know how to translate complex data into a simple solution.
• Results driven
  • You don’t only focus on your own results, but also do what’s best for the company.
• Project management skills
  • You’re organized, structured, and always have an overview of the deliverables. You know how to bring multiple projects to a successful ending within a given timeframe.
• Great teammate
  • Achieving with the team is simply the best. You’re a team player, which means you’re sometimes a leader, sometimes a follower, but always working towards the same common goal, together.

What we offer you

• An ambitious employer with an industry-recognised career development pathway
• A meritocratic, pay for performance approach
• A fun, collaborative office culture that celebrates good food and good times with regular events and socials
• An active network of Business Resource Groups, sponsored by leadership, that promote education, celebration, & allyship, helping to create an inclusive work environment
• Flexible and hybrid working approach, including ability to work from abroad
• Family-friendly; market leading parental leave benefits & sponsored nursery scheme
• Employee discount on Heinz products!

Wellbeing

• Private medical cover & Digital GP
• Comprehensive Life Assurance & Group Income Protection
• Exclusive gym discounts & cycle to work scheme
• Premium membership to Calm App
• A variety of amazing sports teams & clubs!
• 3 volunteering days per year (e.g. Soup Kitchen, Magic Breakfast)

Location(s): London - The Shard

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.