Category Marketing Manager

pladis Foods Limited; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

pladis Foods Limited is seeking a Category Marketing Manager, Gifting, to shape and deliver Godiva’s gifting growth agenda. You’ll translate category strategy into actionable portfolio plans, innovation programmes and seasonal initiatives, partnering with regional teams to bring them to market.

Combining consumer understanding with commercial analysis, the role focuses on premium gifting across boutiques, cafés, premium retail and Global Travel Retail, driving category growth and premiumisation.

Qualifications

• Essential FMCG marketing experience in premium segment.
• Strong category management and portfolio planning skills.
• Proven ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Experience developing and launching gifting or premium product lines.

Responsibilities

• Analyse consumer behaviour, shopper needs and category trends to inform portfolio decisions.
• Lead projects from concept to launch with cross‑functional teams across Design, Insights, R&D, Commercialisation and Supply Chain.
• Develop gifting collections and seasonal programmes for boutiques, cafés and Global Travel Retail.
• Build business cases and assess profitability and portfolio implications for prioritisation.
• Collaborate with regional teams to adapt propositions and support launch readiness and execution.
• Track performance against KPIs and recommend portfolio improvements.

Skills

FMCG marketing

Category management

Analytical skills

Innovation pipeline

Commercial acumen

Cross-functional collaboration

Execution focus

Job description

## Category Marketing ManagerApply: Chiswick Park: Full time: Posted Today: JR31170Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.To succeed at pladis you need to be **purpose-led**, **resilient** and **positive** to succeed here because we expect pace and **agility**, we insist on **collaboration** and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impactClick “Apply” to get started.The Category Marketing Manager, Gifting will help shape and deliver Godiva’s global gifting category growth agenda. Reporting to the Director, Gifting, Boutique and Premium Experiences, the role translates category strategy into actionable portfolio plans, innovation programmes and seasonal initiatives, partnering with regional teams to bring them to market.Combining consumer understanding, commercial analysis and project leadership, the role will develop compelling gifting propositions across boutiques, cafés, premium retail and Global Travel Retail. It will contribute to category growth and premiumisation, strengthening Godiva’s position in premium chocolate gifting. **What will be your key deliverables?*** Consumer and market insight: Partner with Insights team to analyse consumer behaviour, shopper needs, competitor activity and category trends, translating findings into clear portfolio and innovation recommendations.* Innovation and renovation: Lead selected projects from concept through to launch, coordinating cross-functional teams across Design, Insights, R&D, Commercialisation and Supply Chain to deliver against agreed scope, timelines and commercial objectives.* Seasonal and channel propositions: Develop gifting collections and seasonal programmes, including boutique-exclusive and café propositions, and assortments tailored to Global Travel Retail.* Commercial evaluation: Develop business cases and assess sales potential, profitability and portfolio implications to inform investment and prioritisation decisions.* Market deployment: Partner with regional marketing and commercial teams to adapt global propositions to local needs and support launch readiness and execution.* Performance and optimisation: Track portfolio, innovation and seasonal performance against agreed KPIs, combining results with market feedback to recommend improvements to assortment, execution and portfolio productivity.* Governance and stakeholder alignment: Prepare category reviews, project updates and decision materials, ensuring stakeholders have clear visibility of progress, risks and required actions.**Essential*** Relevant experience in FMCG marketing premium segment, category management, innovation or portfolio management, particularly within chocolate or confectionery.* Strong analytical skills, with the ability to translate consumer, market and performance data into actionable recommendations.* Understanding of gifting behaviour, occasion-based marketing and seasonal planning.* Experience developing innovation pipelines and taking products from concept to launch.* Commercial acumen, including an understanding of sales, profitability and the factors that drive category growth.* A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively across functions, markets and cultures.* Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and a focus on execution.**Desirable*** Experience leading cross-functional projects and managing multiple priorities through to delivery.* Knowledge of portfolio architecture, assortment planning and pricing.* Exposure to boutique, café, premium retail or Global Travel Retail channels.* Experience in a global or regional marketing role within a matrix organisation.* An interest in premium brands, consumer trends and creating distinctive gifting experiences.* Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to build clear recommendations and influence stakeholders without direct authority.pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.