Category Manager (Foods)

SET Recruitment Consultants; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1 400 000 - 1 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking an experienced Category Manager in foods to join a global FMCG Group in Cape Town. This role focuses on driving revenue growth and portfolio diversification within a competitive market. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in sales management and strategic account handling, coupled with a strong educational background in business or marketing. The position offers a salary between R1.4m - R1.6m.

Qualifications

• 8 - 10 years of progressive sales experience, at least 5 years in a senior/national management role in FMCG.
• Proven track record of sustained sales growth and managing high-performance teams.
• Expertise in strategic negotiation and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive national sales strategy.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key accounts.
• Oversee sales forecasting and budgeting.

Skills

Sales strategy development

Key account management

Market intelligence

Negotiation skills

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field

Job description

Overview

Category Manager (Foods)

R1.4m - R1.6m

Cape Town

Global, JSE listed FMCG Group has excellent career opportunity for highly seasoned Category Manager in foods. Reporting to the Sales and Marketing Executive you will be responsible for driving revenue growth, and successfully diversifying their portfolio across other foods categories within a competitive market.

Key responsibilities

Sales Strategy Development and Execution:

• Formulate, implement, and continuously enhance a comprehensive national sales strategy for the categories in order to achieve and exceed annual revenue and market share objectives.
• Work collaboratively with the Divisional Sales Managers to align sales initiatives with overall business goals and marketing campaigns.
• Identify new business opportunities, emerging market trends, and potential risks, translating insights into actionable sales plans.

Key Account Management:

• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with key national accounts, retail partners, and distributors.
• Negotiate commercial terms, resolve escalated issues, and identify joint value-creation opportunities with strategic partners.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality customer service as a preferred partner in the respective new food categories entered into.

Sales Operations and Reporting:

• Oversee sales forecasting, budgeting, pipeline management, and resource allocation of the categories in order to maximize efficiency and ensure successful market entry.
• Implement and manage robust sales processes, tools, and CRM systems to drive data-driven decisions and accountability.
• Deliver accurate, timely sales reports and insights to the Executive: Marketing and Sales highlighting successes, challenges, and strategic recommendations.

Market Intelligence and Competitive Analysis:

• Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and market dynamics to ensure successful new category entries.
• Gather and synthesize market intelligence, providing thought leadership and strategic input to senior management regarding product positioning and new market entry.

Compliance and Risk Management:

• Ensure adherence to all relevant legal, regulatory, and ethical standards in all sales activities and client engagements.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks to the organization’s reputation, financial performance, and client relationships.

Category & Team Leadership

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales Management, or a related field (Hons preferred).
• 8 -10 Years experience progressive experience in sales, with at least 5 years in a senior/national management role, ideally with the FMCG sector.
• Proven track record of delivering sustained sales growth and managing high-performance teams across multiple regions.
• Expertise in key account management, strategic negotiation, and stakeholder engagement at a senior level.