Category Development Lead

HRTX; Makati; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

HRTX in Makati, Philippines is seeking a Category Development Lead to drive growth and commercial performance through shopper-centric strategies and category management initiatives. The role involves developing category growth strategies, leveraging consumer insights, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate strategies into actionable results.

The ideal candidate should possess a Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of relevant experience in category development or marketing. Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills are essential, along with the ability to influence stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in Category Development, Shopper Marketing, or related functions.
• Strong understanding of category management principles and shopper behavior.
• Experience working with market data and sales analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category growth strategies based on consumer trends.
• Gather and analyze consumer and shopper data for actionable growth.
• Lead the development of annual shopper marketing and category activation plans.

Skills

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Presentation skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Economics, Management, Statistics, or related field

Job description

The Category Development Lead is responsible for driving category growth and commercial performance through the development of shopper‑centric strategies, category management initiatives, and data‑driven business recommendations. The role leverages consumer, shopper, customer, and market insights to identify growth opportunities, strengthen retail execution, and enhance customer partnerships. This position serves as a key link between Marketing, Sales, Trade Marketing, and Commercial teams to ensure category strategies are translated into actionable business results.

Key Responsibilities:

Category Strategy & Growth Management

• Develop and implement category growth strategies based on consumer trends, shopper behavior, market dynamics, and channel opportunities.
• Lead category assessments and identify opportunities to improve assortment, pricing, merchandising, promotions, and distribution.
• Develop category plans that support both business objectives and customer growth strategies.
• Create compelling category recommendations supported by market intelligence and business insights.

Shopper Insights & Analytics

• Gather, analyze, and interpret consumer, shopper, customer, and retail data to identify actionable growth opportunities.
• Monitor market performance, competitor activities, and shopper trends to support strategic decision‑making.
• Translate insights into practical recommendations that improve shopper engagement and category performance.
• Develop shopper segmentation and behavioral analyses to strengthen commercial strategies.

Trade & Shopper Marketing

• Lead the development of annual shopper marketing and category activation plans.
• Design and implement in‑store programs, merchandising initiatives, retail activations, promotions, and shopper engagement campaigns.
• Ensure marketing initiatives are tailored to the needs of different channels and customer segments.
• Support the development of customer‑facing selling stories and category presentations.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Establish key performance indicators to evaluate category and shopper marketing initiatives.
• Conduct post‑activity evaluations and identify opportunities for optimization and continuous improvement.
• Prepare business reviews, category scorecards, and performance reports for management and commercial teams.
• Track effectiveness of promotions, activations, and category‑building programs.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Brand Marketing, Sales, Commercial, Trade Marketing, Supply Chain, and Finance teams.
• Support customer business planning through category insights and growth recommendations.
• Facilitate business reviews and planning sessions with key stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between brand strategies, customer objectives, and shopper needs.

Capability Building & Process Improvement

• Champion category management and shopper‑centric best practices across the organization.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to category planning, reporting, and retail execution.
• Promote the use of analytics and market intelligence to improve commercial decision‑making.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Economics, Management, Statistics, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Category Development, Shopper Marketing, Trade Marketing, Commercial Planning, Customer Marketing, or related functions.
• Strong understanding of category management principles, shopper behavior, retail execution, and channel development.
• Experience working with market data, retail audit information, sales analytics, and consumer research.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, project management, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and translate insights into business‑building recommendations.
• Experience within FMCG, beverage, food manufacturing, consumer goods, or related industries is highly preferred.