Category Development Lead

2 weeks ago

London, Greater London, United Kingdom innocent Full time

About the Role

As our Category Development Lead for the UK & Ireland, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the success of our products within key retail channels. You'll lead and inspire a team dedicated to developing best-in-class category management strategies, driving growth, and building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Your Responsibilities

  • Cultivate and nurture relationships with key retail partners and internal teams, ensuring a collaborative and successful outcome for all parties involved. Effectively communicate our value proposition through compelling storytelling and strategic influence.
  • Lead and motivate a team of direct and indirect reports, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in category management practices.
  • Leverage your extensive experience in FMCG category management to develop and execute data-driven strategies that optimize performance across various retail channels, including convenience stores, quick service restaurants (QSR), wholesale, foodservice, discounters, and traditional grocery accounts.
  • Demonstrate strong stakeholder management skills at both senior internal and external levels (minimum Senior Buyer level) to effectively navigate complex business landscapes.
  • Possess a proven track record of direct line management experience, guiding and developing team members to achieve their full potential.
  • Effectively balance short-term category development requirements with long-term strategic goals, ensuring that both immediate needs and future growth are addressed.
  • Analyze data sets from Nielsen/IRI and Kantar platforms, extracting actionable insights and identifying key trends to inform strategic decision-making.
  • Exhibit exceptional organizational and multi-tasking abilities, paying meticulous attention to detail while fostering a similar mindset within your team.
  • Maximize the value derived from strategic agency relationships, leveraging their expertise to enhance category development initiatives.

What You'll Gain

  • Lead a highly collaborative and supportive team dedicated to building strong customer relationships and driving category success.
  • Make a tangible impact both externally with retailers and internally by championing the category within cross-functional teams.
  • Develop your leadership skills through direct and indirect team management, including coaching and mentoring wider team members.
  • Take ownership of leading the category development agenda across the UK & Ireland market.
  • Become a valued member of the UK&I Go-to-Market Leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making at a senior level.
  • Champion a consumer-centric approach, ensuring that drinkers and shoppers are at the heart of all category development decisions.
  • Partner strategically with key stakeholders to drive sustainable growth for the category.

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