Category Development Manager - Food

Vertical Advantage; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertical Advantage is recruiting for a Category Management professional in Greater London. The role focuses on unlocking category value and growth opportunities with retailers by translating market data into actionable plans, building strong relationships with external retail contacts, and partnering with brand marketing, Innovation, and MS&P teams.

Responsibilities include establishing long-term category plans, supporting NPD initiatives, delivering category insights, optimizing ranges, and

Qualifications

• Experience in category / Category Insight within the FMCG sector or a strong data lead agency (e.g. Nielsen, Kantar, IRI, dunnhumby).
• Effective interpersonal skills and a strong ability to negotiate.
• Strong understanding of category development.

Responsibilities

• Establish the category by developing and executing a long-term plan and strategy.
• Work with the commercial and marketing teams to support NPD initiatives according to category and customer-centric thinking.
• Generate key category insights by overlooking and analysing consumer behaviours and market trends, identifying new business opportunities.
• Optimise ranges by developing and leading Category Management projects.
• Help deliver financial and strategic objectives.
• Unlock category growth in the grocery channel within 2 of the most strategic accounts.

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Greater London - Commutable from South/Central London in 30/35 mins

The Business:

We’ve partnered with a category-leading FMCG business working in the Food & Drink industry that owns some of the most well-known brands in the category. The company generates a turnover of well over £1 billion globally and is a business that offers loads of great benefits, an exciting culture, training, and progression opportunities.

The Role:

You will be focused on unlocking category value and growth opportunities with retailers through the translation of market data & insight into actionable plans. You will need to broaden the sphere of influence and build close relationships with key external contacts with the retail customers.

Work closely with the brand marketing, Innovation, and MS&P teams and ensure clear category, consumer, shopper, and retailer rationale for the brands and retailer considerations are operated on in the planning/innovation process.

Main Responsibilities

• Establish the category by developing and executing a long-term plan and strategy
• Work with the commercial and marketing teams to support NPD initiatives according to category and customer-centric thinking
• Generate key category insights by overlooking and analysing consumer behaviours and market trends, identifying new business opportunities
• Optimise ranges by developing and leading Category Management projects
• Help deliver financial and strategic objectives
• Unlock category growth in the grocery channel within 2 of the most strategic accounts

Key Requirements

• Experience in category / Category Insight within the FMCG sector or a strong data lead agency (e.g. Nielsen, Kantar, IRI, dunnhumby)
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Effective interpersonal skills and a strong ability to negotiate
• Strong understanding of category development