Category Manager

Placements24; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive annual salary

Performance-based bonus

Health and retirement benefits

Career advancement opportunities

Employee discounts on company products

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a strategic Category Manager in Port Elizabeth to lead and grow key FMCG product categories. You will drive merchandising, pricing, and promotional strategies while understanding consumer needs and market dynamics to maximize sales and profitability.

With 4–6 years in category/brand management, you will analyze data, optimize assortment, negotiate with suppliers, and report performance to leadership in a dynamic retail environment.

Qualifications

• 4–6 years in category or brand management in FMCG retail.
• Ability to analyze sales data, market trends, and competitor activity.
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business goals.
• Analyze sales data, trends, and competitor activities.
• Manage assortment, pricing, promotions, and shelf space.
• Collaborate with suppliers for sourcing and product introductions.
• Monitor performance and report to senior management for Port Elizabeth.

Skills

Category management

Data analysis

Negotiation

Merchandising

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Commerce, or related field

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leader in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, is seeking a strategic and analytical Category Manager to lead and grow key product categories in Port Elizabeth. This role is pivotal in driving category performance by developing and executing effective merchandising, pricing, and promotional strategies. You will be responsible for understanding consumer needs and market dynamics to maximize sales and profitability for your assigned categories. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially astute individual to make a significant impact within a dynamic retail environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive category strategies that align with overall business objectives and drive profitable growth.
• Analyze sales data, market trends, and competitor activities to identify opportunities and threats within assigned categories.
• Manage product assortment, pricing, promotions, and shelf space allocation to optimize category performance and maximize sales and margin.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with suppliers to ensure competitive sourcing and effective product introductions.
• Monitor category performance against key metrics and provide regular reports and recommendations to senior management regarding the Port Elizabeth market.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Commerce, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in category management or brand management, preferably within the FMCG retail sector.
• Proven ability to analyze complex data, derive insights, and translate them into actionable business strategies.
• Strong understanding of retail merchandising, pricing strategies, and promotional planning.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary and performance-based bonus.
• Comprehensive health and retirement benefits.
• Opportunities for career advancement and professional development.
• Employee discounts on company products.
• A dynamic and supportive work environment within a leading FMCG organization.