Category Manager

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Uxbridge; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food company based in Uxbridge is seeking a Category Manager to drive category growth and influence UK retailers. The successful candidate will analyze data to create compelling strategies that resonate with retail partners. Essential qualifications include over 2 years in FMCG and category management experience. You'll benefit from competitive salary, enhanced pension contributions, and opportunities to influence market strategies within an engaging team environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Enhanced pension contributions

Professional development opportunities

Employee wellbeing support

Recognition programmes

Qualifications

• Experience in category management, preferably in FMCG roles.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort with data analysis.
• Proven ability to build strong customer relationships.

Responsibilities

• Analyze data to drive category growth and insights.
• Develop clear category strategies and recommendations.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners.

Job description

Join Our Team as a Category Manager!

Location: Uxbridge (office-based)

Reports to: Category Controller

Are you a storyteller with a commercial edge?

Do you thrive on turning data into opportunities?

Are you ready to influence some of the biggest retailers in the UK?

At Pilgrim's Europe, we're on a mission to drive category growth, shape shopper behaviour, and create long-term wins for our customers - and we're looking for someone exceptional to help lead the way.

This is your chance to own the category conversation, challenge the norm, and become the go-to trusted advisor for our retail partners.

What You'll Be Doing

• Dive into data and uncover the stories behind the numbers.
• Turn insights into clear, compelling recommendations that inspire action.
• Bring the shopper and consumer voice to every internal decision.
• Share regular category updates that get teams thinking differently and moving faster.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with our retailers.
• Influence customers with clear category vision and thought leadership.
• Lead total category range reviews and shape the future product landscape.
• Become the expert voice customers rely on to drive growth - not just for Pilgrim's, but for the whole category.
• Support the development of category strategies that unlock new opportunities across channel, shopper and occasion.
• Tailor strategies into customer-ready plans that deliver true triple wins (Category, Customer, Pilgrim's).
• Make category-first thinking contagious across your cross-functional team.
• Partner with internal teams and external agencies to bring bold ideas to life.

What You'll Bring

• Confident and engaging communication with strong storytelling flair
• Ability to build trusted, influential customer relationships
• Analytical strength and ease working with multiple data sources
• Curiosity, commercial awareness and a genuine love for understanding shoppers
• Confidence to translate insight into simple, powerful messages
• Passion for collaboration and driving positive change

Experience Desired:

• 2+ years in FMCG roles
• Category management experience (own label or brand-led)
• Working with UK Grocery Multiples
• Experience partnering with external agencies

Who You Are

You'll thrive at Pilgrim's if you:

• Stay open, receptive and ready for new challenges (Availability)
• Respect and value other viewpoints (Humility)
• Deliver on commitments, even under pressure (Discipline)
• Lead with honesty and authenticity (Sincerity)
• Focus on what really matters to drive impact (Simplicity)
• Take full accountability and push hard for success (Ownership & Determination)

Why Pilgrim's Europe?

Because here, your voice matters and your impact is real.

You'll enjoy:

• A competitive salary with regular performance reviews
• Enhanced pension contributions
• A clear path for professional development and career progression
• Opportunities to influence some of the UK's biggest retailers
• A supportive, collaborative culture where your ideas are heard
• Employee wellbeing support
• Recognition programmes to celebrate innovation and results
• Access to employee savings and discount schemes

Ready to influence the future of the category?

Apply now and take your next step with Pilgrim's Europe - where insight meets opportunity, and where you can make a real difference.

The company

Pilgrim's Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland, including Fridge Raiders, Rollover, Denny, Richmond, Oakhouse and Moy Park, alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork, lamb and chicken, working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.

Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products.

Across Pilgrim's Europe we combine 20,000 of the best people in the industry, united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality, most delicious and innovative food, which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK, Ireland and Europe every day. Our Pilgrim's Europe team are based in our Pilgrim's UK, Moy Park, Pilgrim's Food Masters and Pilgrim's Shared Services businesses.

What we'll bring to the table

• Competitive Salary
• Competitive Holiday Entitlement
• Pension Contribution
• Family Friendly Policies
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• Life Assurance

Our values

• Determination
• Simplicity
• Availability
• HumilityDiscipline
• Sincerity
• Ownership