Head of Category & Customer Strategy
Head of Category & Customer Strategy

Head of Category & Customer Strategy

Sevenoaks Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead category strategy and drive growth in trade marketing for Bel's cheese and fruit platforms.
  • Company: Join Bel Group, a global leader in branded cheeses and innovative dairy products.
  • Benefits: Be part of a sustainable company with strong brands and a focus on consumer responsibility.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic industry while developing your leadership skills.
  • Qualifications: 3+ years in Category Management, strong analytical skills, and experience in FMCG required.
  • Other info: Ideal for proactive candidates eager to challenge the status quo and build lasting customer relationships.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

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The Bel Group is a major player in the food industry through portions of dairy, fruit and plant-based products, and one of the world leaders in branded cheeses. Its portfolio of differentiated and internationally recognized brands includes The Laughing Cow, Kiri, Babybel, Boursin Nurishh, Pom’Potes and GoGo squeeZ, as well as some 30 local brands. Together, these brands helped the Group generate sales of €3.6 billion in 2022.

Do you want to join a company with strong brands that puts consumers and responsibility at the heart of the decision-making process? Then Bel is made for you!

Are you bold, pragmatic, and determined? Do you want to contribute to the transformation of an international agri-food company? Then come join us and measure the impact of your talent and energy in realizing an ambitious and sustainable company project!

#IWorkForAllForGood

About the Role: As the Head of Category & Customer Strategy, you will take on a senior leadership role within the sales team adopting a strategic position to drive the growth in Category, Trade Marketing and Bel Business Planning. This role will be a key player in external engagement on Bel UK’s two growth platforms (fruit and cheese-based snacks) on all the grocery channels for UK and Ireland. Additionally, this role will be responsible for the management and development of 2 direct reports (Category & Trade Marketing Managers).

This position will report directly into the UK & Ireland Sales Director.

Key Responsibilities:

  1. Owning the Category strategy and vision development: This role will lead the creation of compelling and insight led category growth plans (from vision and execution) – aligning the needs of Bel, our customers and consumers.
  2. Development of insight-driven Category growth strategy on our cheese and fruit platforms highlighting the needs of our shoppers and customers with a channel approach (Major mults & Convenience & HD & Ecommerce).
  3. Lead the development of Category Selling Story blueprint for our categories, innovation, renovation and RGM initiatives (PPA, promo, price) in our UK and Ireland markets.
  4. Ensuring the integration of Category Strategy into Brand Strategy and Plans, and drive portfolio optimisation with cross-functional stakeholders.
  5. Work to achieve Category captaincy to enable the Sales Leadership team in developing and nurturing closer and more strategic customer relationships – including senior customer engagement to help build the strategic agenda.
  6. Analyse the sellout data monthly to recommend action plans to internal stakeholders and retailers.

Champion shopper excellence via a strong Trade Marketing approach:

  1. Proactively lead ‘shelf excellence’ including range, fixture layout and POS creation to aid shopper navigation and increase penetration.
  2. Plan & coordinate yearly omni-channel shopper activation calendars (incl. merchandising planning) based on channel and brand plans.
  3. Present and align the channel & shopper strategy and recommendations with the UK/IR Leadership Team.
  4. Manage and plan channel budget spend.

Lead the internal Annual planning cycle (Bel Business Planning):
This role will ensure the coordination with all internal stakeholders of the UK business unit (marketing/sales/finance, supply chain) to deliver a strong budget output internally and a compelling growth plan externally.

Skills/Experience:
• Proven track record of a minimum of 3 years extensive Category Management and Category Strategy experience in FMCG (essential) – preferably in food + beverage.
• RGM track record and implementation (essential).
• Strong analytical skills and ability to analyse big set of data while drawing key summary insights & recommendations (essential).
• A good knowledge / understanding of UK grocery/convenience/HD channels & merchandising experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong customer relationships based on trust.
• Experience with Nielsen/Circana/Kantar/Dunnhumby/EPOS data.
• Ability to manage a variety of stakeholders internally & externally (customers, agencies).
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills to various levels of seniority.
• Sound strategic understanding, commercial acumen and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Experience managing a team.

Profile: We’re excited to meet candidates with a growth mindset, those who are analytical and solution-focused in their approach. In addition to this, we are keen to meet candidates who possess a natural flair for being proactive and are comfortable in challenging the status-quo with out-of-the-box and critical creative thinking. We encourage candidates to apply who are particularly customer-focused and have genuine passion for building long-lasting relationships for business development. If you’re eager to be a part of a high-growth company and lead in a dynamic industry, we’d be thrilled to have you apply.

If you think that this job is for you, please click now on the button ‘Apply’. The recruitment team of your site will contact you very soon.

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Head of Category & Customer Strategy employer: Bel Group

At Bel Group, we pride ourselves on being a leading employer in the food industry, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our comprehensive development programs and the opportunity to lead impactful projects within a dynamic team. Join us in the UK, where you can make a meaningful contribution to our renowned brands while enjoying a supportive environment that values responsibility and consumer focus.
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Contact Detail:

Bel Group Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Category & Customer Strategy

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarize yourself with Bel's brand portfolio and their growth platforms, especially in cheese and fruit-based snacks. Understanding their market positioning will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their strategic goals during discussions.

✨Tip Number 2

Leverage your analytical skills by preparing insights from relevant data sources like Nielsen or Kantar. Being able to present actionable insights will demonstrate your capability to drive category growth effectively.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your experience in building strong customer relationships. Prepare examples of how you've successfully engaged with stakeholders in previous roles, as this is crucial for the Head of Category & Customer Strategy position.

✨Tip Number 4

Be ready to discuss your leadership style and how you've managed teams in the past. Highlighting your ability to lead and develop others will resonate well with the expectations for this senior role.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Category & Customer Strategy

Category Management
Category Strategy Development
Trade Marketing Expertise
Analytical Skills
Data Analysis
Customer Relationship Management
Stakeholder Management
Commercial Acumen
Cross-Functional Leadership
Presentation Skills
Strategic Thinking
Budget Management
Experience with Nielsen/Circana/Kantar/Dunnhumby/EPOS Data
Problem-Solving Skills
Team Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Understand the Company: Before applying, take some time to understand Bel Group's mission, values, and product portfolio. Familiarize yourself with their brands and recent initiatives in the food industry to tailor your application accordingly.

Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasize your experience in Category Management and Strategy within the FMCG sector. Provide specific examples of how you've driven growth and developed successful strategies in previous roles.

Showcase Analytical Skills: Given the importance of data analysis in this role, make sure to highlight your analytical skills. Mention any experience you have with tools like Nielsen or Kantar, and provide examples of how you've used data to inform strategic decisions.

Demonstrate Leadership Abilities: Since this position involves managing a team, be sure to discuss your leadership experience. Share examples of how you've successfully led teams, developed talent, and fostered strong relationships with stakeholders.

How to prepare for a job interview at Bel Group

✨Understand the Category Landscape

Make sure to familiarize yourself with the current trends in the FMCG sector, especially in dairy and fruit-based products. Be prepared to discuss how these trends can influence Bel's category strategy.

✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills

Prepare to demonstrate your ability to analyze large data sets and draw actionable insights. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive category growth or improve customer relationships in your previous roles.

✨Emphasize Relationship Building

Highlight your experience in building strong customer relationships. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've nurtured partnerships that led to successful outcomes in your past positions.

✨Demonstrate Leadership Experience

Since this role involves managing a team, be prepared to discuss your leadership style and experiences. Share how you've successfully led teams in the past and how you plan to develop your direct reports at Bel.

Head of Category & Customer Strategy
Bel Group
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  • Head of Category & Customer Strategy

    Sevenoaks
    Full-Time
    43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-02-28

  • B

    Bel Group

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