Category Manager - Beverages (FMCG)

Placements24; Midrand; Hybride; ZAR 700 000 - 1 100 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Competitive salary and bonus

Provident fund and medical aid

Professional growth opportunities

Dynamic collaborative environment

Generous annual leave and benefits

Hybrid work flexibility

Résumé du poste

Placements24 is seeking a strategic Category Manager to oversee a beverage portfolio from its Midrand offices in Gauteng. The role combines analytical rigor with commercial execution, guiding assortment, pricing, and promotions while collaborating with marketing, sales, and operations to hit profitability targets.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in FMCG category or brand management, strong data skills, and a proven track record of supplier negotiations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Management, Economics, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Category Management, Brand Management, or a similar commercial role within the FMCG sector with a focus on beverages.
• Demonstrated success in driving category growth and achieving commercial targets.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills, with proficiency in retail data analysis tools.
• Excellent understanding of retail operations, merchandising, and promotional planning.
• Proven ability to manage supplier relationships and negotiate effectively.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment.

Responsabilités

• Develop and implement comprehensive category strategies to drive sales, market share, and profitability for the beverage portfolio.
• Conduct thorough market analysis, consumer research, and competitor benchmarking to identify trends and opportunities.
• Optimize product assortment, pricing, and promotional activities to maximize category performance.
• Manage relationships with key suppliers and internal stakeholders, ensuring alignment on category goals.
• Develop and execute effective in-store merchandising and promotional plans in collaboration with the sales and retail teams.
• Monitor category performance against targets and provide regular reports with actionable insights and recommendations.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to ensure brand strategies support category objectives.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives within the category management function.
• Manage the category budget effectively, ensuring optimal allocation of resources.
• Stay informed about industry trends, regulatory changes, and competitive activities affecting the beverage market.

Connaissances

Data analysis

Retail data analysis

Excel

PowerPoint

Supplier relationships

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Merchandising

Promotional planning

Communication

Presentation

Formation

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Management, Economics, or a related field

Outils

Microsoft Office Suite

Excel

PowerPoint

Description du poste

About the Role

Our client, a distinguished leader in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, is seeking a strategic and analytical Category Manager to oversee their prominent beverage portfolio. This hybrid role, operating from our client's offices in Midrand, Gauteng , demands a professional with a keen understanding of market dynamics, consumer trends, and retail strategy within the beverage category. You will be responsible for driving category growth, optimizing product assortments, developing promotional plans, and managing relationships with key suppliers and retail partners. The ideal candidate is passionate about consumer products, possesses strong commercial acumen, and excels at leveraging data to make informed decisions. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of popular beverage brands and contribute to the continued success of a dynamic organization. You will work collaboratively with marketing, sales, and operations teams to ensure category objectives are met and exceeded, focusing on profitability and market share expansion. The role requires a proactive individual who can identify opportunities and challenges within the competitive beverage market.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive category strategies to drive sales, market share, and profitability for the beverage portfolio.
• Conduct thorough market analysis, consumer research, and competitor benchmarking to identify trends and opportunities.
• Optimize product assortment, pricing, and promotional activities to maximize category performance.
• Manage relationships with key suppliers and internal stakeholders, ensuring alignment on category goals.
• Develop and execute effective in-store merchandising and promotional plans in collaboration with the sales and retail teams.
• Monitor category performance against targets and provide regular reports with actionable insights and recommendations.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to ensure brand strategies support category objectives.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives within the category management function.
• Manage the category budget effectively, ensuring optimal allocation of resources.
• Stay informed about industry trends, regulatory changes, and competitive activities affecting the beverage market.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Management, Economics, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Category Management, Brand Management, or a similar commercial role within the FMCG sector , with a specific focus on beverages.
• Demonstrated success in driving category growth and achieving commercial targets.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills, with proficiency in retail data analysis tools.
• Excellent understanding of retail operations, merchandising, and promotional planning.
• Proven ability to manage supplier relationships and negotiate effectively.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Must be able to work effectively in a hybrid model, spending time in the office in Midrand, Gauteng and working remotely.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-related bonus.
• Access to a provident fund and comprehensive medical aid plan.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A dynamic and collaborative work environment.
• Generous annual leave and company benefits.
• Hybrid work flexibility.