Category Manager

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading FMCG company is seeking a Category Manager in Aylesbury, UK, to transform market data into actionable insights and collaborate with retail partners. The ideal candidate will have FMCG experience, strong analytical skills, and the ability to drive sustainable category growth. Responsibilities include developing strategic category initiatives and integrating customer strategies into recommendations. This role offers an exciting opportunity to enhance brand performance through effective partnerships.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience, ideally FMCG.
• Inquisitive and analytical with data.
• Ability to build strong relationships.

Responsibilities

• Co-create category vision and strategy.
• Develop category initiatives with retailers.
• Integrate customer strategies into recommendations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Team working

Good communication skills

Influencing skills

Tools

Nielsen

Mintel

Dunnhumby

IGD

Job description

CATEGORY MANAGER

Haddenham, UK

As a Category Manager at McCormick you will be transforming market and shopper data into actionable insights and collaborating with our key retail partners to deliver longer term sustainable brand and category growth. You will also have the opportunity to build compelling category vision, strategies and selling stories in order to drive portfolio optimisation and excellent execution at the point of purchase which will delight both our customers and consumers. This role is perfect for someone who can combine analytical rigour with creative commercial thinking which translates into tangible growth and secures a competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Category Vision & Strategy

• Co-creation of Category vision and strategy
• Identify category growth opportunities aligned to total business objectives and build channel/retailer specific plans to deliver

Range & Space Planning

• Development, implementation and evaluation of Category initiatives with key channels/retailers to deliver optimum ranging solutions
• Partner with Marketing, Commercial, and retailers to build merchandising and space recommendations that enhance shopper experience and conversion

Pricing & Promotions

• Working in conjunction with RGM, Marketing and Commercial teams to recommend and implement pricing strategies which will optimize profitability and deliver category, brand and shopper KPI's
• Planning, coordination and evaluation of promotional activities to ensure that all KPI's are met and market performance is optimised

Customer Centricity

• Integrate channel/customer strategies into category recommendations.
• Build strong retailer partnerships and drive continuous improvement for mutual growth.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Cross-functional collaboration with Consumer Insight, Marketing, Shopper Marketing and Commercial teams to secure and activate against growth platforms and category strategies to deliver sustainable and profitable brand and category growth
• Input into compelling category and insight led selling stories for NPD and branded propositions

Market Performance Tracking & Expertise

• Share industry trends and competitive intelligence with the UK Consumer team.
• Analyse market performance, consumer trends and shopper data (Nielsen, Mintel, IGD, Dunnhumby)
• Understanding of shopper and consumer behaviour across key categories and channels/retailers
• Generation of UK specific category insights which can be filtered into the UK innovation and NPD pipeline and the LTP

Supplier Relationship Management

• Build collaborative relationships with third party agency partners and suppliers

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Relevant experience - ideally FMCG
• Inquisitive, analytical - background working with data
• Problem solving
• Team working,
• Good communication skills
• Influencing skills and stakeholder management
• Ability to build strong cross-functional relationships
• Knowledge of data platforms: Nielsen, IGD, Mintel, Dunnhumby

Agencies

McCormick as needed will work with external recruitment vendors through our Agency Portal. Unless previously contacted, McCormick does not accept unsolicited resumes from external recruiting agencies.

McCormick & Company is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, colour, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies.