Category Manager

Aachi Group; Chennai District; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Aachi Group is seeking an experienced Category Manager with a strong FMCG sales background to drive growth and profitability of assigned product categories in India. You will develop category strategies, identify market opportunities, and collaborate with Sales, Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Finance to meet business objectives.

Responsibilities include managing category lifecycles, pricing strategies, and market insights.

Qualifications

• MBA in Marketing or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies to achieve sales, market share, and profitability targets.
• Own the performance of assigned product categories from planning to execution.
• Analyze category performance and recommend corrective actions to maximize growth.
• Manage the complete product lifecycle, including launches, rationalization, and portfolio optimization.
• Leverage FMCG sales experience to identify market opportunities and improve category performance.
• Coordinate with Sales, Supply Chain, Production, Procurement, and Finance for seamless execution of category plans.

Skills

Category management

FMCG sales

Market development

Pricing strategy

Cross-functional coordination

Education

MBA in Marketing

BBA/BA/Commerce background

Job description

About the Role

Aachi Masala is seeking an experienced Category Manager with a strong FMCG sales background to drive the growth and profitability of assigned product categories. The incumbent will be responsible for developing category strategies, identifying market opportunities, driving product innovation, and working closely with Sales, Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Finance to achieve business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Category Management

• Develop and execute category strategies to achieve sales, market share, and profitability targets.
• Own the performance of assigned product categories from planning to execution.
• Analyze category performance and recommend corrective actions to maximize growth.
• Manage the complete product lifecycle, including product launches, rationalization, and portfolio optimization.

Sales & Market Development

• Leverage FMCG sales experience to identify market opportunities and improve category performance.
• Work closely with field sales teams across General Trade, Modern Trade, E-commerce, and Export channels.
• Monitor sales performance, distribution, outlet productivity, and retail execution.
• Conduct regular market visits to gather retailer and consumer insights.

Product & Pricing

• Coordinate with R&D for new product development and product improvements.
• Develop pricing strategies based on market trends, competition, and profitability.
• Evaluate product performance and recommend portfolio enhancements.

Consumer & Market Insights

• Conduct market research and analyze consumer buying behaviour.
• Track competitor activities, pricing, promotions, and new product launches.
• Convert consumer and market insights into actionable business strategies.

Marketing & Promotions

• Plan category-specific promotions and activation programs.
• Collaborate with Brand and Digital Marketing teams for campaigns and product launches.
• Evaluate campaign effectiveness and return on investment (ROI).

Cross-functional Coordination

• Coordinate with Sales, Supply Chain, Production, Procurement, and Finance to ensure seamless execution of category plans.
• Support sales teams with product knowledge, category presentations, and training materials.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare monthly MIS reports and category performance dashboards.
• Monitor key metrics including sales growth, market share, profitability, inventory, and forecast accuracy.
• Present category reviews and business recommendations to senior management.

Qualifications

• MBA in Marketing or equivalent Postgraduate qualification.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, or related discipline.

Experience

• 810 years of experience in FMCG.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on FMCG Sales experience is mandatory.
• Experience in Category Management, Product Management, Trade Marketing, or Brand Management is preferred.
• Experience in Foods, Spices, Packaged Foods, or Consumer Products will be an added advantage.

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in driving category growth within the FMCG industry.
• Strong understanding of the Indian retail landscape and distribution channels.
• Ability to convert sales insights into category strategies.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment.
• Willingness to travel for market visits and customer engagement.