Head of Category
8 days ago
London
Head of Category Our client is a category-defining global business that has produced innovative products across multiple categories that support modern-day lifestyles. They have grown into a global leader in the functional wellness space and are now sold in stores worldwide, including all major UK and international retailers. This role is all about building a centre of excellence for category, insight and performance across Europe – shaping how the business thinks, decides and wins in a fast-growing functional category. You’ll blend data, sharp storytelling and real commercial edge to unlock growth with retailers, out-of-home partners and internal teams. The role • Lead and mature the EU Insights & Commercial Strategy function – setting the frameworks, tools and ways of working that turn data into decisions and clear actions., • Build a single, joined-up view of performance across NIQ, Kantar, Circana, retailer portals and DTC data, creating one trusted source of truth for the business., • Design repeatable playbooks for opportunity sizing, forecasting, post-event analysis and category storytelling that can be picked up and used by commercial teams., • Own category captaincy across Better-For-You and No/Lo., • Create retailer-facing category visions and decks that land a clear future for the category and position the brand as the growth partner of choice., • Map missions, occasions, adjacencies and shelf architecture, then translate that work into tangible, incremental value for retailers and the wider category. Commercial impact • Partner closely with Sales and RGM to drive decisions on range reviews, PPA, promo strategy, mix, space and visibility – always anchored in clear, commercial insight., • Build simple, punchy dashboards and performance packs for senior leadership, calling out what is really driving rate of sale, incrementality and customer lifetime value., • Use data and storytelling to strengthen retailer negotiations and unlock distribution, space and activation across key customers and channels. Strategic partner to the business • Work hand in glove with Marketing, NPD and Finance on everything from sizing the prize and white-space identification through to innovation tracking and post-launch reviews., • Bring consumer and shopper insight into brand and campaign planning, helping to prioritise where to invest for the biggest return., • Inform future product, pack and pricing architecture with a clear view of need-states, willingness to pay and retailer economics. About you • 8+ years in category management, commercial strategy, insights or RGM within FMCG/CPG, ideally with strong premium experience., • Comfortable in the data: experienced with tools like Nielsen/NIQ, Kantar, Circana, IRI, SIP and Dunnhumby, and confident stitching multiple sources together., • A natural storyteller who can turn complex analysis into clear, compelling, commercially useful narratives for commercial and non-commercial stakeholders., • Proven experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, NPD and Finance to deliver growth plans., • Entrepreneurial mindset – you enjoy building, iterating and getting stuck in, rather than simply running a mature process., • Energised by high-growth, fast-paced environments where you can genuinely shape the future of a category-defining brand. Package & ways of working • HQ: London. Office based with flexibility to work from home, • Salary, bonus and equity all DOE, with clear progression opportunities for the right person, • 24 days’ holiday + Bank Holidays, • Pension (3% employer / 5% employee), • Private healthcare, • Monthly product allowance, • Dog-friendly office., • Working-from-abroad policy*., • Sabbatical after a period of service* If you are passionate about shaping the next phase of growth for an exciting brand, do hit apply.