Category Development Manager
6 days ago
Redhill
Title:Category Development Manager (G7) Location:Redhill, Surrey (Hybrid working - 2 days working from home per week) Summary: Deliver insight-led category recommendations and execute customer-facing category plans across cheese & wider dairy categories; supporting the development of category strategies. Translate them into actionable range, space and in-store recommendations. Work closely with Commercial, Marketing, RGM & Innovation to build compelling category stories, support range reviews & new product launches helping to drive measurable commercial outcomes with key retail customers. Reporting Line: Senior Category Manager Direct Reports:None • Support the development and delivery of category strategies for selected retailers by owning defined workstreams, analysis and outputs aligned to Lactalis UK’s commercial plan., • Translate market, shopper and customer insight into clear category, ranging and space recommendations that improve performance and support sustainable growth., • Develop strong category knowledge across cheese and relevant dairy categories, using insight to support internal decision-making and deliver credible recommendations to customers., • Support the category commercial agenda across range optimisation, distribution, space and NPD, partnering with RGM to inform pricing, promotion and trade investment recommendations across branded and own label portfolios., • Support the customer category agenda by developing and delivering evidence-based category rationales, insights and recommendations to customer stakeholders., • Prepare analysis and recommendations for listings, relisting & range reviews, ensuring proposals are insight-led, robust & commercially sound., • Work cross-functionally with Commercial, Marketing, RGM & Innovation to embed category recommendations into customer plans and support delivery through the plan cycle., • Communicate recommendations clearly through strong storytelling and insight, tailoring messages to different stakeholders and escalating risks and opportunities as needed., • Support category inputs into the Integrated Business Planning process, including demand assumptions, risks, opportunities, and scenario analysis in line with the annual budget., • Deliver agreed category initiatives and actions that support volume, net sales and contribution targets for owned sub-categories, tracking performance and highlighting corrective actions., • Ensure category insight and thinking inform brand planning, portfolio prioritisation and account planning processes., • Build personal capability in category management by seeking feedback, adopting best practice tools and continuously improving the quality of analysis and recommendations., • Contribute to the Sales Strategy & Development team by sharing learnings, supporting peers and maintaining high standards in insight, data accuracy & executional delivery., • Strategic delivery of Cheese Category Strategy with selected customers, • Improvement in customer perception of Lactalis as a category growth leader and trusted partner, • Delivery of volume, net sales and contribution targets for owned subcategories, • Successful delivery of NPD distribution and ranging objectives, • Quality and robustness of category inputs into the IBP process, • Category Development experience in the UK grocery market or a similarly developed retail environment, • Ability to influence customer and internal stakeholders through insight-led, evidence-based recommendations, • Strong analytical capability with the ability to translate data into commercial action, • Good understanding of shopper, category and customer dynamics, • Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills, • Strong written and verbal communication skills, • Ability to create clear, compelling narratives internally and externally, • Experience leading category relationships with Top 5 grocery retailers or Co-op, • Working knowledge of retailer insight platforms such as Dunnhumby & Nectar The job description is intended to reflect the broad responsibilities of the role. While not exhaustive, variations will be consistent with the seniority and expectations of a G7 position. Please be advised that we can only accept applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK #J-18808-Ljbffr