Category Manager

Alexander Steele Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary and EOT bonus

Matched Pension contributions up to 5%

Healthcare and life cover

Free breakfast provided

23 days holiday which increases with length of service

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a Category Manager for a prominent food business in Greater London. In this hybrid role, the successful candidate will produce market analysis, support sales initiatives, and contribute to strategic recommendations based on data-driven insights. The ideal applicant will have a strong background in the food industry along with excellent analytical and presentation skills, with a salary of up to £60,000 and various employee benefits.

Qualifications

• University-educated, ideally holding a 2:1 degree or higher in a relevant data, analytics, or numerical discipline.
• Minimum of 1 year of directly relevant experience in data analytics.
• Strong preference for candidates with a background in the food industry.

Responsibilities

• Support sales and marketing teams by creating engaging, customer-focused presentations for both existing and prospective clients.
• Provide category development recommendations to help customers optimise product ranges and drive growth.
• Monitor industry and consumer trends, providing insights on growth potential and category performance.

Skills

Market Analysis

Presentation Skills

Customer Relationship Management

Education

2:1 degree or higher in a relevant discipline

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

16 hours ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Alexander Steele Recruitment provided pay range

This range is provided by Alexander Steele Recruitment. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Category Manager

Hybrid role (4 days in office, WFH Fridays)

Up to £60,000

About our Client

A long-established UK food business specialising in sourcing and supplying a wide range of high-quality ambient ingredients to both retail and foodservice markets.

The Role

As Category Manager you will report directly to the Marketing Manager (with additional frequent contact with the Sales & Marketing Director). You will be responsible for providing detailed, account-specific category insights and quality market analysis in line with scheduled and ad-hoc requirements. You will be required to offer proactive recommendations on growing sales in response to market trends. You will also work closely support the sales team in preparing in-depth customer presentations.

Key responsibilities

• Support sales and marketing teams by creating engaging, customer-focused presentations for both existing and prospective clients.
• Provide category development recommendations to help customers optimise product ranges and drive growth.
• Prepare and deliver presentations in agreed formats, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Compile and present draft data within agreed timescales for internal review.
• Develop and enhance the company’s research function, leveraging data to inform strategy and business growth.
• Build in-depth knowledge of customers, brands, and market data to support commercial decisions.
• Produce and maintain regular market and competitor analysis reports, highlighting key trends and opportunities.
• Monitor industry and consumer trends, providing insights on growth potential and category performance.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, and data providers.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams across sales, marketing, procurement, technical, supply chain, and finance.
• Support wider marketing activities by undertaking ad-hoc research projects as required.

Candidate Profile

• Strong preference for candidates with a background in the food industry, though experience in other FMCG sectors will be considered.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, with advanced skills in Excel and PowerPoint.
• University-educated, ideally holding a 2:1 degree or higher in a relevant data, analytics, or numerical discipline.
• Full driving licence.
• Experience with market research platforms such as Circana, IRI, Nielsen, or Kantar is desirable.
• Minimum of 1 year of directly relevant experience in data analytics.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong time-management skills.

What we Offer

• Up to £60k salary
• Discretionary and EOT bonus
• 23 days holiday which increases with length of service
• Matched Pension contributions up to 5%
• Healthcare and life cover
• Work from home on Fridays
• Free breakfast provided

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Sales, Marketing, and Research

• Industries

  Food and Beverage Manufacturing, Food and Beverage Retail, and Wholesale Food and Beverage

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