The Company of Animals is a leading global developer, manufacturer and distributor of premium pet accessories, with subsidiaries in UK, US, Netherlands and Australia, and sales in over 50 countries. Our award-winning portfolio includes Pet Head, Halti, Coachi, Baskerville and Pet Corrector.
Role Overview
This is a 12 month fixed-term role covering a period of maternity leave.The Category Manager is responsible for driving the growth and performance of the Pet Head brand across key markets and channels.
This is a data-led role, combining category insight, commercial analysis, brand strategy, NPD/EPD and go-to-market execution. You’ll use sales, consumer, competitor and channel data to identify growth opportunities, shape investment priorities and ensure marketing and product activity delivers against clear commercial objectives.
Working closely with Sales, Product, Operations, Digital and Marketing, you’ll help turn insight into action and drive the performance of the Pet Head portfolio.
Main Job Tasks Responsibilities:
Working with key stakeholders to review and drive the Grooming and Health category performance across key territories.
- Own the annual Pet Head brand and category plan, including budgets, priorities and KPIs.
- Analyse sales, category, customer, channel and consumer data to identify growth opportunities and risks.
- Develop competitor and market intelligence, including: positioning, pricing, promotions, product launches, advertising, in-store activity and social media, to inform commercial and marketing decisions.
- Monitor marketing and commercial performance, identifying what is working, what isn’t and what we should do next.
- Complete regular internal reporting to share insights, learnings and best practice across markets to continuously improve performance.
- Identify opportunities to improve distribution, rate of sale, product mix and overall portfolio performance.
Lead NPD/EPD project delivery, working in close partnership with the Director of Products, manufacturers, and the sales and operations teams:
- Partner with Product on the NPD/EPD pipeline, using data and consumer insight to assess opportunities, prioritise investment and improve the portfolio.
- Lead cross-functional delivery of key launches and initiatives from strategy through to execution.
- Provide data and recommendations to inform product lifecycle, investment and portfolio decisions.
- Develop differentiated USPs and positioning based on consumer needs and market opportunity.
- Partner with the Director of Products to continuously improve product and packaging propositions.
- Lead new product launches from concept to global implementation, with clear objectives and measures of success.
- Review post-launch performance and use learnings to optimise future product and investment decisions.
Deliver go-to-market packages providing relevant trade communication and assets supporting tactical execution.
- Develop commercially focused go-to-market plans for new and existing products across key markets and customers.
- Develop selling-in materials that clearly communicate the consumer proposition and commercial opportunity.
- Work closely with Sales to identify customer opportunities and support distribution, visibility and rate of sale.
- Measure the effectiveness of trade activity and use learnings to improve future plans.
- Manage internal designers and external agencies to deliver high-quality assets efficiently and within agreed budgets and timelines.
Develop effective consumer marketing plans and manage their implementation across key regions.
- Create and implement consumer marketing plans designed to build demand and drive product performance.
- Develop campaigns and content informed by consumer, category and performance data.
- Work with the Social Media Manager to grow the Pet Head audience and drive meaningful engagement and demand.
- Partner with Digital and external agencies on PR and digital campaigns, with clear objectives and KPIs.
- Analyse monthly sales by product and channel alongside marketing activity to understand impact and identify opportunities to optimise investment.
- Share best practice, performance insights and learnings across markets.
- Provide product and brand training internally and with key accounts to strengthen product knowledge and commercial performance.
Success in this role will be measured not simply by the volume of activity delivered, but by the quality of commercial decisions and the resulting performance of the Pet Head portfolio.
Key measures may include:
- Brand and category sales performance
- Growth by market, channel and product
- Distribution and rate of sale
- Product and portfolio performance
- NPD/EPD performance against agreed commercial objectives
- Marketing effectiveness and return on investment
- Budget management and investment effectiveness
- Customer and consumer engagement
- Quality and speed of insight-led decision making
- Successful delivery and optimisation of key commercial initiatives
Experience:
- Strong commercial and analytical mindset, with the ability to turn data into clear actions.
- Experience in category management, brand management, consumer marketing or a similar commercial role.
- Comfortable working with sales, customer and marketing data and using it to make decisions.
- Strong understanding of consumer behaviour, competitive markets and brand positioning.
- Experience managing NPD/EPD and working cross-functionally.
- Confident in constructively challenging existing approaches and using evidence to support recommendations
- Able to balance strategic thinking with getting things done.
- Ability to partner well with cross-functional teams.
Location & Working Requirements
The role is based at our Chertsey, Surrey office, with regular attendance required - candidates should therefore be able to commute to the Chertsey office as required for the role.
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