Senior Category Manager

Advocate Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Advocate Group is recruiting a Senior Category Manager to shape commercial strategy and influence business performance at a senior level in the UK food/FMCG sector. You will lead category strategy, drive growth and partner with major retailers through data-led storytelling and actionable insights.

You will build relationships, translate insights into commercial recommendations and drive continuous improvement across the function, with line management responsibilities in a newly created role.

Qualifications

• Proven Category Management experience within the food, beverage or wider FMCG sector.
• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to translate insight into measurable business outcomes.
• Experience presenting category recommendations to senior stakeholders and retail customers.
• Excellent analytical, communication and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies that unlock growth and strengthen customer partnerships.
• Lead category reviews, range optimisation, pricing recommendations and promotional strategy using robust consumer, shopper and market insight.
• Identify emerging trends, market opportunities and whitespace to shape innovation and long-term category direction.
• Build credible relationships with internal stakeholders and major retail customers, influencing decisions through data-led storytelling and commercial recommendations.
• Deliver actionable insight using category data sources including Circana, Nielsen and Kantar to support business planning and customer engagement.
• Champion category excellence across the business, embedding best practice and driving continuous improvement.

Skills

Category management

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder influence

Data storytelling

Communication

Tools

Circana

Nielsen

Kantar

Job description

Are you an experienced Category Manager ready to shape commercial strategy and influence business performance at a senior level?

The Advocate Group is partnering with a leading food business to recruit a Senior Category Manager. This is a high-impact opportunity to support category strategy, influence key customer decisions, and drive sustainable growth across a strategically important portfolio.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and execute category strategies that unlock growth and strengthen customer partnerships.


• Lead category reviews, range optimisation, pricing recommendations and promotional strategy using robust consumer, shopper and market insight.


• Identify emerging trends, market opportunities and whitespace to shape innovation and long-term category direction.


• Build credible relationships with internal stakeholders and major retail customers, influencing decisions through data-led storytelling and commercial recommendations.


• Deliver actionable insight using category data sources including Circana, Nielsen and Kantar to support business planning and customer engagement.


• Champion category excellence across the business, embedding best practice and driving continuous improvement.

What we're looking for:

• Proven Category Management experience within the food, beverage or wider FMCG sector.


• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to translate insight into measurable business outcomes.


• Experience presenting category recommendations to senior stakeholders and retail customers.


• Excellent analytical, communication and influencing skills.

A newly created role reporting into the Category Director you'll be pivotal in the growth of the function (with planned line management responsibilities) and development of strategic customers.

If you're looking for a role where you can combine strategic thinking with commercial execution and genuinely influence category growth, we'd love to hear from you.

For more information, contact John at The Advocate Group.

The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner to the UK FMCG and consumer products sectors.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of race, sex, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. By applying for this role, you agree to our Privacy Policy available on our website. The Advocate Group is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.