Category Customer Controller

A Little Bit About Lindt
We are a premium chocolate manufacturer established in 1845 operating in over 86 countries around the World. Guided by our Global purpose to Enchant the World with Chocolate and UK vision of Creating Moments to Make Everyone Feel Special, we have around 400 team members in the UK across our Head Office, Retail, and Field Sales divisions. We are a Top 20 Great Place to Work and are proud of our incredible people, our unique values-led culture and our iconic market leading brands such as LINDOR & GOLD BUNNY.

We're also proud of being one of the few 'bean-to-bar' chocolate makers in the world, where we control every step of our chocolate production
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Where you will be based
This role will be based in Feltham, London until Spring 2026, when it will then be based in Richmond upon Thames. (Hybrid Working: in the office 60% and WFH 40%)

How you could help us to Enchant the World with Chocolate
You will lead and develop a team which manages the relationships with multiple Customers whilst establishing clearer Category best practice and opportunities through our developing Channels. This is through experience, expertise and coaching of individuals and developing clear Customer Category strategies to achieve influence and grow Lindt sales & Category Management KPIs across our Perfect Store principles of Distribution, Availability, Visibility, Interruption and Display.

Key Responsibilities
Develop Key Grocery Customers & Impulse Channel

• Set direction for the team in line with overall Category & Perfect Store Agenda.
• Develop Customer Category plans & resources to deliver the long-term plan (1-5 years) utilising our Category Vision to create mutually beneficial growth plans (Lindt, the Category / Customer).
• Develop external relationships for Key Customers (Senior Category or Buying team level) aligned with Commercial stakeholders & Head of Category to maximise Lindt influence to deliver NTS ambitions.
• Bring the outside in. Be the expert & represent your Customer / Channel insights, external performance & intel throughout the year to build cross functional relationships enabling planning & solutions for course correction in the short term to meet targets and evolving longer term plans.
• Set team objectives & support them to deliver plans to influence the key range reviews of customers across All Year Round and Seasons across our Category Vision, Merchandising Vision & Perfect Store principles of DAVID to maximise distribution, availability, visibility, interruption & display for Lindt.

Category Team Leadership

• Contribute to the development & implementation of the Category Game Plan alongside, ensuring transparency & shared understanding of deliverables both in year and into the longer term.
• Lead or support strategic projects on behalf of the externally facing Category team that contribute to future shaping of Category Vision & Perfect Store and where relevant share best practice Globally.
• Represent the Category team via relevant inputs, outputs within the Lindt Business Planning Cycle (Demand Management Review), contributing towards & influencing decisions in key forums & escalations in wider meetings, where necessary
• Build and develop wider Category team relationships & culture to enable us to work as one team.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach & inspire a team of Category Managers (varying seniority levels) through coaching, feedback, 121's, clear and targeted development & succession plans whilst supporting the overall Category team people agenda and our purpose, vision and strategy.
• Ensure capability plans in place for direct team to be the experts in Category Management tools required for the success in their roles and where required aligning this for the total team.

What Experience You'll Bring

• Experienced in various Category Management roles, with proven results across multiple customers for both Manufacturer and Customer.
• Have successfully managed a team with track record of leading category managers / managers within a team to strong individual results across large multiple accounts over a measurable period of time.

• Strategic thinker - Category competencies across the UK Market:

• From insights to how these drive category growth in retailers

• Understanding both brand strategies and Customer strategies / KPI's and being able to interpret these into Account level plans, commercially viable strategies and tactics for both retailer and manufacturer.
• Managing planning and delivery of strategic projects with Customer/Manufacturer such as implementing and evaluating research to category plans & store trials.
• Understanding of shopper merchandising principles & role in Category growth.

• Tracking performance vs. targets – distribution, space, range

• Able to prioritise for both self and team weekly, monthly and annual objectives

• Strong communication / networking skills - able to build relationships and influence at all levels – cross functionally internally and external
• Excellent analytical and data interpretation skills, leading to strong track record of innovative problem solving for both Lindt and Customers.
• Strong agency management skills and understanding of how to lead category management projects from concept, brief to interpretation and execution internally and externally.

How you will be rewarded financially
Internal: Level 3
In addition to salary, for the Category Customer Controller position this will be between £68,000 - £84,000, you will receive a benefits package including; car allowance, bonus, pension, life cover, chocolate allowance; chocolate give-aways, chocolate discount, £100 personal incentive, birthday day off and so much more

Being yourself every day
We want everyone at Lindt feel safe to be themselves, ensuring they are empowered, represented, celebrated and included in our workplace. You'll notice this throughout the recruitment process; in our 'dress for your day' policy and through our proactive DE&I strategy.

Living our values everyday
At Lindt UK, our values guide us in everything we do. Being Passionately Lindt, Always Evolving, Building Real Relationships, Acting Responsibly and Making An Impact are an integral part of life here at Lindt.

What You Can Expect From Us
In return for everything that you'll bring, we can offer you an exciting role in a fast-growing organisation, where we'll provide an environment where you will thrive, feel supported and fulfil your career aspirations, all while supporting your physical and mental wellbeing.