Customer Category Manager

Nestlé; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food and beverage company is seeking a Customer Category Manager on a fixed-term contract. In this hybrid role, you will develop and manage Customer Category Plans for diverse retailers while fostering strong relationships to drive category growth. Ideal candidates will have proven category or sales experience, strong data analysis skills, and a customer-centric approach. Apply before the closing date for this unique opportunity.

Benefits

Attractive Salary

Potential bonus

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Demonstrable record of success in delivering growth.
• Ability to draw out key insights and recommended actions.
• Effective relationship-building in matrix and multifunctional teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Customer Category Plans for retailers.
• Build external relationships with Buying/Merchandising Teams.
• Execute Nestlé Category Strategy tailored to retailers' needs.
• Provide insights for effective promotional use and in-store executions.
• Lead the Category agenda within the ICP process.
• Monitor industry and competitor activities.

Skills

Category or Sales experience

Strong data analysis

Building strong relationships

Customer centric approach

Flexibility and agility

Love of learning

Job description

Position Snapshot

Business Area: Nestlé UK&I – Coffee

Position: Customer Category Manager: Fixed term contract up to 12 mths

Location: Gatwick – Hybrid working: min 2 days per week in our office

Attractive Salary + potential bonus + other fantastic benefits

Championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business.

At Nestlé, we are proud to support and provide equality of opportunity that supports employees to effectively blend their work life and commitments through hybrid and flexible working arrangements, so speak to us to understand what this could look like for you.

Position Summary

Working as part of our Commercial Development Team within Nestlé Coffee, we have an exciting Customer Category Manager position available on a 12 month fixed term contract where you will be responsible for the development, management and execution of our Customer Category Plans for a number of retailers across Mults, Value Retailers & Wholesale & Convenience.

A day in the life of a Customer Category Manager…

The purpose of the role is to develop tailor and deploy, at a Customer level, channel and category plans and point of purchase solutions, to deliver Nestlé market share growth and overall category growth, whilst ensuring impartiality with the customer.

• Building external relationships, you will be the first port of call and a trusted source for Buying/Merchandising Teams for any category questions, insight & recommendations.
• Execution of Nestle Category Strategy, personalisation of the Category Strategy to meet the retailer’s needs and generate engagement and commitment.
• Executing the Category Drivers for the channel within your customer via the delivery of the POP Vision, through adjacency & flow recommendations to retailers at range reviews and throughout the year.
• Deliver best in class insight, engaging retailers with promotional insight to influence the effective use of promotions, developing and implementing best in class examples of latest online and in-store executions.
• Deep understanding of the role of the Shopper within your Customer.
• Lead the Category agenda within the ICP process, ensuring our internal plans are fit for purpose for our customers.
• Closely monitor industry and competitor activity, to ensure our strategic commercial vision is in line with market demands in a constantly changing, competitive environment that we work in.

What Will Make You Successful

• Category or Sales experience, with a demonstrable record of success in delivering growth for Nestlé & our customers.
• Strong data analysis and ability to draw out the key insights along with recommended actions to be taken.
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and externally within matrix and multifunctional teams.
• Understand the importance of working in a customer centric way.
• Evidence of flexibility and agility and use of initiative to solve challenges rapidly and often creatively.
• Love of learning, understanding 'why?' and ability to share this both externally and internally in a compelling way.

What You Need To Know

We will be considering candidates as they apply and we will occasionally close job advertisements early in the event we receive sufficient applicants, so please don’t delay in submitting your application.

Job advert posting date 07/11/2025

Job advert closing date 21/11/2025

At Nestlé, our values are rooted in respect. When we embrace diversity and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business. People of all gender identities, ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT+ community are strongly encouraged to apply. If there is anything we can do to accommodate you to participate fully in the application process, please let us know. We take pride in championing inclusion and diversity, our people make up a number of Colleague Networks who represent different experiences and communities who hold us accountable in creating a sense of belonging for all, and our values create the conditions for us to respect the unique contribution you bring. Find out more about our Colleague Networks here: Diversity, equity and inclusion | Nestlé (nestle.co.uk)

We are committed to equal opportunity for all and we may collect relevant data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process. Be yourself, everyone else is taken!