Category Manager (Grocery) in Maidenhead

Let's be honest about what you're really weighing up. It's not the job title. It's the question underneath it: Will this role help me grow, make an impact and learn from people who'll challenge me to be better? Marvel FMCG are exclusively partnered with AB World Foods on their recruitment for a Top 4 Category Manager.

You’ll own something real from day one. This isn't a role where you shadow someone for a year and wait for permission. You’ll own the World Flavour category for Asda - the data, the range reviews, the growth story and the relationship. You walk into rooms where decisions get made and your voice is one of them. The brands behind you aren't small either. Brands shoppers already know, trust and bring into their homes every week. You're not fighting to get the category noticed. You're helping shape what millions of shoppers discover on shelf and inspiring them to explore flavours from around the world.

Who you'd actually be joining: AB World Foods is the business behind some of the UK's most loved world food brands. A £280m business with around 1,000 employees, ABWF combines category-leading brands, ambitious growth plans and a genuine passion for helping consumers discover new flavours. And they're not doing it alone. AB World Foods is part of Associated British Foods, a £19.5bn international group operating across 56 countries. That means you get the pace and energy of a brand-led food business, backed by the scale, investment and long-term stability of one of the world's leading consumer goods groups.

The portfolio speaks for itself:

• Patak's – the UK's No.1 Indian food brand.
• Blue Dragon – the UK's No.1 Pan-Asian brand with 13 Great Taste Awards.
• Tabasco, Levi Roots, Al'Fez and Capsicana – bringing flavours from around the world to British kitchens every day.

The ambition does not stop in the UK. AB World Foods has exciting growth plans across Europe, the US, Australia and Canada, making this a brilliant time to join the business. A business that’s genuinely Brand Proud and Consumer Driven, committed to doing right by its people and the planet, and ambitious about where it goes next.

This is the part we're very excited about: Category Excellence. Sales Academy. Winning Management Skills. They aren't there to tick a box. They're designed to help people build capability, confidence and long-term careers. You'll work with your manager to create a development plan focused on where you want to go next, not simply where you've been. It's a culture built around continuous learning, honest feedback and giving people the opportunity to step up when they're ready.

If you're the kind of person who enjoys being stretched, learning from others and finding better ways to do things, you'll be in good company. You don't need 'Category Manager' on your CV yet. Read this part twice if you're already talking yourself out of applying. Maybe you're in Sales and you're fascinated by the story behind the numbers. Maybe you're a Buyer who's seen first-hand how category decisions get made. Maybe you're in Revenue Growth Management and ready to broaden your commercial experience. Or maybe you're already working in Category and looking for a role where you can take on more ownership, work with leading brands and continue developing your career.

We're not counting years against a checklist. We're looking for people who are curious, commercially minded, honest about what they don’t know yet and hungry to close that gap fast. We value experience. We don’t worship it. Where you’re heading matters more than exactly where you’ve been.

What great looks like in this role:

• You find the human story hidden within the data and tell it in a way people remember.
• You build powerful relationships that outlast any single deal.
• You put the consumer at the heart of your thinking.
• You’re nimble, keeping your head when things are ambiguous and fast-moving.
• You bring energy and a point of view, not just competence.

If that sounds like you on a good day, you're probably closer than you think.

Ways of working: This role can be based in either Maidenhead or Leigh. Hybrid working with 3 days a week in the office.

How can we make the recruitment process more accessible for you? We’re always open to adjustments and welcome feedback on how we can improve the experience. Feedback matters. We aim to respond to all applications as quickly as possible because clarity, communication and respect should be a given.