Senior Category Manager - Major Grocer

Location: Hemel Hempstead – Hybrid

Job Length: Permanent

Working Hours: Monday – Friday

Benefits:

• Monthly product allowance – alcoholic & non-alcoholic options available
• Private Medical options
• Life Assurance
• Company bonus scheme
• Access to 24/7 GP services
• Enhanced pension contribution
• Access to a range of high street discounts

About the Role

The Senior Category Manager works closely with the Head of Category to set the direction for long‑term growth across key customers and channels, developing customer‑category visions, leading cross‑functional initiatives, and positioning the company as a trusted advisor to retail partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the strategy and development of annual operating category plans to drive execution against the category vision, range and merchandising blueprints.
• Translate consumer, shopper, and market trends into strategy, identifying opportunities for growth and competitive advantage.
• Set direction and lead the team to align against range and space targets, measuring progress and managing messages through the business cycle.

Customer Thought Leadership & Execution:

• Establish and nurture strategic relationships with key customer stakeholders, positioning the company as a trusted category authority.
• Lead the execution of the customer/channel category roadmap through range reviews and initiatives to maximise point‑of‑purchase outcomes.
• Develop category selling stories and tools, and lead customer immersions to influence implementation of category solutions.
• Drive delivery of category building initiatives and trials with customers.
• Lead strategic agendas across hot topics such as health and wellness, sustainability, deposit return scheme, and nutrition legislation.

Team Leadership & Capability Building:

• Line‑manage and mentor Category Managers and Executives, supporting capability development and succession planning.
• Drive team culture grounded in collaboration, excellence, and performance.
• Champion continuous improvement and shared learning across the broader function.
• Implement development plans to improve standards continuously.
• Advocate the power of category to other functions, upskilling capability and understanding.
• Manage relationships with agency partners such as Dunnhumby to ensure value delivery.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with Insights, Category Strategy, Sales, and Brand/Channel operations to embed category thinking in brand planning.
• Provide inputs into business cases across NPD and EPD with account‑level information on marketing opportunities.
• Evaluate the impact of actions taken and feed learnings into future planning.
• Represent category leadership in steering groups, channel forums, and leadership meetings.

Performance Tracking & Learning:

• Set, track, and evaluate performance against space, range and distribution targets aligned to the range and merchandising blueprints.
• Translate insights from results into future‑facing planning recommendations and continuous improvement.

Budgets:

• Manage the allocated category development budget against agreed customer data contracts and research projects.
• Complete expenses and sign off team expenses in a timely manner.

Key Performance Measures:

• Delivery of volume and value growth targets agreed through the AOP.
• Win market share through improved distribution, range and space gains.
• Improved results in the Advantage Group Survey.
• Improvement in perfect store measures.
• Improved employee engagement scores and positive feedback.

Knowledge, skills & experience required:

• Experience in category leadership roles within FMCG, with direct responsibility for customer accounts.
• Proven experience managing teams and leading strategic, cross‑functional initiatives.
• Comfortable working with senior‑level stakeholders in retail and internal settings.
• Familiarity with market data, space planning tools (e.g., JDA) and customer insight platforms (loyalty data).

Qualifications:

• Degree‑level education in Business, Marketing, Economics or equivalent; additional commercial or leadership qualifications (e.g., MBA) preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Carlsberg aims to create equal access to opportunity regardless of social identity, and we encourage everyone to apply regardless of gender, nationality, race, religion or any other characteristics protected by law.