Category Manager

JR United Kingdom; Dunstable; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic and innovative bakery brand as a Category Manager and play a pivotal role in shaping category performance across major UK grocery retailers. This is an exciting opportunity to leverage your insights expertise and commercial acumen in a fast-growing company renowned for its excellence in the bakery sector. You will bridge sales and marketing, translating data into actionable strategies that drive results. If you're passionate about spotting trends and making a tangible impact, this role offers the chance to grow and thrive in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years experience in Category or Insights role within food or FMCG.
• Commercially astute and confident in turning data into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Manage category performance across key UK Grocery accounts.
• Build relationships with retail partners using data-led insights.
• Identify trends and growth opportunities for category strategies.

Skills

Analytical Mindset

Advanced Excel Skills

Communication Skills

Stakeholder Management

Understanding of Shopper Behaviour

Presentation Skills

Job description

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Step up and shape the future of one of the UK’s fastest-growing bakery brands

The Opportunity

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Whether you’re currently a Category Executive or working in an insights role and eager to move up, this is your chance to join a market-leading, innovation-driven bakery business as their new Category Manager.

With a reputation for excellence and a product portfolio that includes both beloved brands and own-label lines, this company is rewriting the rules in the bakery category. From everyday breads to premium morning goods, their products are found in homes across the UK and increasingly, across the globe.

Backed by five years of impressive growth, from £200m to £400m in revenue, they’ve launched the fastest-growing bakery brand in the UK and continue to expand through bold NPD, a new state-of-the-art European production facility, and success across Retail, Wholesale, Foodservice, and Export channels.

Now, as demand continues to soar, they’re looking to bring in an ambitious, data-savvy Category Manager to join their award-winning team.

What You’ll Do

As Category Manager, you’ll use your insights expertise and commercial awareness to drive category performance across major UK grocery retailers. You’ll act as the bridge between sales and marketing, translating data into strategy, and strategy into results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and manage category performance across key UK Grocery accounts
• Build collaborative relationships with retail partners, supporting with data-led insights and ad hoc analysis
• Identify trends and growth opportunities to shape category strategies
• Lead compelling presentations for both internal stakeholders and retail partners—including brand planning sessions and reviews
• Support listings and distribution growth with robust, insight-backed rationale
• Keep a finger on the pulse of the market through competitor analysis and regular store visits

Who We’re Looking For

You’ll ideally have 2–3 years’ experience in a Category or Insights role within food or FMCG, and be ready for a step up. You’ll be commercially astute, naturally curious, and confident in turning data into actionable insights. If you love spotting trends, influencing decisions, and seeing your ideas make a tangible impact, this is the role for you.

Key Skills:

• Strong analytical mindset and advanced Excel skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management
• A good understanding of shopper behaviour and UK grocery retail
• Confident presenting complex data in a clear, engaging way
• Commercially driven, collaborative, and ready to grow with the business

Location:

Hybrid working – 2–3 days per week at the company’s Bedfordshire HQ

Salary & Benefits:

Interested?

For more information or a confidential chat, reach out to Nikki Bott, [emailprotected] .