Junior Category Manager

COREcruitment Ltd; City Of London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

COREcruitment Ltd is recruiting a Junior Category Manager (Ambient) for a well-established food business in London. The role involves supporting the development and performance of the ambient category, working with the commercial, sales, marketing and procurement teams to identify opportunities, optimise ranges and deliver commercial objectives.

This office-based role in London offers progression in a fast-paced environment with accountability and exposure to category planning, pricing and new

Qualifications

• Experience in a commercial role within food/FMCG.
• Strong analytical skills with Excel and performance reporting.
• Interest in category management and commercial performance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines.

Responsibilities

• Support development and implementation of ambient category strategies.
• Analyse sales data, market trends, and competitor activity to identify opportunities.
• Assist with range reviews, product assortment planning and new products.
• Monitor KPIs including sales, margin, volume and promotions.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing and procurement to drive category plans.
• Support pricing reviews to improve profitability and product performance.
• Ensure accurate product and pricing information across systems.
• Monitor competitor ranges and market developments to stay competitive.
• Support product availability, forecasting and stock optimisation with supply chain.
• Prepare category reports and presentations for decision making.
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders and support customer initiatives.
• Contribute to new product development aligned with market trends.

Skills

Analytical skills

Category management interest

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Team collaboration

Tools

Excel

Job description

Junior Category Manager (Ambient) – Well Established Food Business – London - £40K + Benefits

My client is a well-established food business with a great reputation, impressive growth and ambitious future plans.

They are currently looking for a Junior Category Manager to join their team.The successful Junior Category Manager will work closely with the wider commercial, sales, marketing and procurement teams, you will support the development and performance of the ambient category, helping to identify growth opportunities, optimise product ranges and deliver against key commercial objectives.

This role is office based 5 days a week is the perfect opportunity for a talented category manager who is looking to join a fast-paced business who will offer full accountability and genuine progression opportunities.

Responsibilities include:

• Support the development and implementation of category strategies to drive sales growth, profitability and market share.
• Analyse sales data, market trends, competitor activity and customer insights to identify commercial opportunities.
• Assist with range reviews, product assortment planning and the introduction of new products.
• Monitor category performance against key KPIs, including sales, margin, volume and promotional effectiveness.
• Work closely with sales and marketing teams to develop category plans, promotional activity and customer presentations.
• Support pricing reviews and identify opportunities to improve profitability and product performance.
• Help maintain accurate product, pricing and category information across internal systems.
• Monitor competitor ranges, pricing strategies and market developments to ensure the business remains competitive.
• Collaborate with procurement and supply chain teams to support product availability, forecasting and stock optimisation.
• Prepare category reports, sales analysis and presentations to support commercial decision-making.
• Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders and support customer-facing category initiatives.
• Contribute to new product development and innovation projects, ensuring the category remains aligned with evolving market and consumer trends.

The Ideal Junior Category Manager Candidate:

• Experience in a Category Assistant, Assistant Category Manager, Junior Category Manager or similar commercial role within food, FMCG, grocery or foodservice.
• A genuine interest in category management, food trends and commercial performance.
• Strong analytical skills, with confidence working with Excel, sales data and performance reporting.
• Commercially aware, with an understanding of sales, margin, pricing and promotional activity.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to work collaboratively across different departments.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, with a willingness to learn and take ownership of projects.
• Ambition to develop a long-term career within category management and the wider food industry.