Senior Category Growth Manager (Hybrid UK)

Bayer; England; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Healthcare

Pension scheme

Flexible hybrid working

Volunteering days

Home office support

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Bayer is seeking a Senior Category Development Manager to drive growth with strategic retail partners across the UK. Based in Reading with hybrid working, you will shape category strategy, engage with buyers, and translate insights into action to boost shelf presence and revenue.

You will lead category reviews, analyse shopper trends, and collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Category teams to maximise performance. Strong stakeholder management and data expertise are essential.

Qualifications

• Degree educated with significant experience in Category Management, Development, Insights, or Sales.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in FMCG, Consumer Health, OTC, or related sectors.
• Strong understanding of the UK retail environment and category management principles.
• Experience building strategic retail partnerships and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Highly analytical with expertise in shopper, market, and retail insights.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience using data and insight platforms such as IRI, Kantar, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies and customer plans with key retail partners, translating shopper, market, and category insights into actionable growth opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with buyers, senior buyers, merchandising, and planning teams, becoming a trusted category advisor and strategic partner.
• Lead category reviews, promotional evaluations, range optimisation, and fixture recommendations to maximise category performance, shelf presence, and value growth.
• Analyse market trends, shopper behaviour, competitor activity, and retail data to identify opportunities, influence decision-making, and strengthen Bayer's category vision.
• Drive category management best practice across the business, working closely with Sales, Marketing, and Category teams to maximise commercial performance and revenue growth.
• Own customer KPI development and performance tracking while playing a key leadership role within local category teams to support strategic decisions for key brands.

Skills

Category Management

Category Development

Category Insights

Sales

Strategic partnerships

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree educated

Tools

IRI

Kantar

Job description

Bayer is seeking a Senior Category Development Manager to drive growth with strategic retail partners across the UK. Based in Reading with hybrid working, you will shape category strategy, engage with buyers, and translate insights into action to boost shelf presence and revenue.

You will lead category reviews, analyse shopper trends, and collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Category teams to maximise performance. Strong stakeholder management and data expertise are essential.