Junior Category Manager

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

Job summary

COREcruitment Ltd. is seeking a Junior Category Manager (Ambient) in London to support category development, perform data analysis and assist with range planning.

This fast-paced role offers exposure to commercial, sales, marketing and procurement teams and promises clear progression opportunities. The ideal candidate will have experience in a similar commercial role within FMCG/foodservice, strong analytical skills with Excel, and a proactive, detail-oriented mindset to drive category

Qualifications

• Experience in a Category Assistant, Assistant Category Manager, Junior Category Manager or similar commercial role within food, FMCG, grocery or foodservice.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

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.