Category Development Manager -Commercial

CGR Services; Auckland; On-site; NZD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Woolworths Group in New Zealand is seeking a strategic Commercial Partner to lead pricing, promotions and buying strategy, driving value across the NZ business. You will translate high-level initiatives into actionable growth with category teams.

Ideal candidates have category management or analytics experience, strong data storytelling, and stakeholder engagement across a matrixed org. This role offers opportunities to influence commercial outcomes and develop capabilities.

Qualifications

• Experience in category management, merchandise trading, or commercial analytics in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Strong foundation in data analytics and ability to translate data into commercial strategies.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills across a matrixed organisation.

Responsibilities

• Strategic & Commercial Partner: advise trade departments and align activities with broader goals.
• Performance optimisation: drive pricing and promotions with actionable insights during reviews.
• Program & governance: implement commercial tools and ensure targets and compliance.
• Collaboration & facilitation: work with Merchandise, Analytics, and Commercial teams to drive growth.
• Capability building: coach category teams to adopt new tools and processes.
• Operational support: provide strategic support to Head of Commercial & Customer Value.

Skills

Category management

Merchandise trading

Commercial analytics

Data & analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Collaboration

Coaching & mentoring

Adaptability

Resilience

Job description

We are Woolworths Group | Ko Woolworths Tātou

We are Woolworths Group. 200,000+ bright minds, passionate hearts, and unique perspectives across Australia and New Zealand. Connected by a shared Purpose - 'to create better experiences together for a better tomorrow'. That Purpose fuels our ambition to explore new ideas, make brave commitments, and innovate better ways to meet the food and everyday needs of more than 24 million customers every week.

If you're excited to turn today's blue-sky thinking into a better tomorrow for future generations, you'll find yourself supported and enriched in a dynamic, inclusive, and empowering workplace. With a culture of genuine care, a flexible approach to work, and opportunities across the group to grow your career and make a meaningful impact, the possibilities for what we can achieve together are endless.

About the Role | Mō te Tūranga

Partnering with Merchandise Trading, you will provide commercial leadership in pricing, promotions, buying strategy, and commercial optimisation. Reporting to the Head of Commercial & Customer Value, you will drive strategic alignment and empower category teams with the tools and insights to elevate performance. Acting as a bridge between strategy and execution, you will translate high-level initiatives into actionable growth and measurable outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic & Commercial Partner: Act as the primary commercial advisor for trade departments, aligning activities with Woolworths NZ’s broader strategic and financial goals.

• Performance Optimisation: Drive pricing and promotional performance by delivering actionable insights and managing end-to-end commercial outcomes during category and range reviews.

• Program & Governance: Champion the implementation of commercial tools and frameworks while ensuring strict adherence to targets, guardrails, and compliance processes.

• Collaboration & Facilitation: Partner across Merchandise, Analytics, and Commercial teams to drive growth, while organising forums to facilitate engagement with the Merchandise Leadership team.

• Capability Building: Coach and upskill category teams to effectively execute commercial strategies, adopt new tools and embed improved ways of working.

• Operational Support: Manage cost recovery opportunities and provide strategic, ad-hoc support to the Head of Commercial & Customer Value.

About You | Mou

To be successful in this role, you will bring a blend of retail commercial acumen, analytical curiosity, and exceptional relationship building skills.

Ideally, you will have:

• Demonstrated experience within category management, merchandise trading, or commercial analytics, ideally gained within a fast paced retail environment.

• A strong foundation in, and passion for, data and analytics, with a proven ability to translate complex data into practical commercial strategies.

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with a natural ability to build credibility and influence across a matrixed organisation.

• A collaborative mindset, thriving in environments where you can coach, mentor, and upskill others to adopt new tools and processes.

• Resilience and adaptability, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver end to end results that drive financial success.

Everyone belongs at Woolworths Group | No Woolworths tātou

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are key to realising our purpose of better together for a better tomorrow. We recognise the value our team’s diversity brings to our business, customers, and communities and that teams with diverse experiences and backgrounds enrich our group and are better able to innovate and solve problems. As one of the largest employers in Australia and New Zealand, we aim to create a truly inclusive workplace where everyone feels that they belong, can be their best selves, and reach their full potential.

We encourage all candidates to apply; please let us know in your application if we can support you with any adjustments in the hiring process.