Category Manager

Our client is the category leader across a wide range of sub-categories, their responsibility is to be the consumer, shopper & category expert. This expertise will be used to enhance customer relationships and to deliver mutual insight led growth.

The candidate for this role will be an integral part in building, developing and maintaining credible, long term, category lead relationships, internal & external.

JOB SUMMARY

Develop category understanding to provide actionable insights

• We are operating in a world that is increasingly information rich & insight poor, we need to support our retail partners by providing clear & actionable insight platforms that can help to grow their categories.
• Turn insights into actions within retailers by executing, analysing and evaluating category plans

Deliver continuous insight through performance monitoring

• Create, develop and deliver regular category updates for internal & external stakeholders
• Provide business analysis and insights of sales, pricing, promotion, opportunity gaps for incremental volume
• Deliver new item introductions and performance analysis
• Provide new product/package mix analysis
• Turn insights into actions for the Amex team by identifying key opportunities.

Utilise and understand Nielsen, Kantar WHICH Data, Household Panel, market demographic data, EPOS and loyalty data and systems used to generate the information for category reviews.

• Provide leading edge Category Management solutions:
• SKU optimisation, optimum product mix
• Proper shelf position (strike zone)
• Space planning solutions

Monitor implementation and review of range recommendations

• Be the voice of the shopper and consumer
• Bring the shopper & consumer view to the Amex team aiding the delivery of Shopper insights and recommendations in the delivery of NPD, promotional plans and JBP building.
• Understand how the shopper is how shopping ambient grocery, identify opportunities to put Unilever products in danger of purchase outside of the main fixture.

Hygiene factors

• Live and breathe category management processes and templates, be a 'champion' at maintaining category standards. Master the 'house basics' as a given and focus energies on operating at the 'higher house levels'

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Strong communication skills are required to express analytics to various levels in the organisation; as well as, the ability to deliver presentations and training
• In-depth knowledge of the consumer goods industry including class of trade, customer groups, category, competitive products, competitive strategies and industry trends
• Must be able to effectively interact with peers, sales management and senior management
• Be to work effectively in a team environment
• Familiar with Plan-o-gram software, such as Spaceman
• Must be highly proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel
• Excellent analytical skills are needed not only to evaluate, but to provide useful, actionable tools that are clear, meaningful, and delivered in a timely manner
• Strong project management and planning competencies
• Innovative, solution-oriented mindset with problem solving and strategic thinking skills
• Self-motivated and able to work independently