At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive category performance with strategic, data-driven plans and impactful retail activations.
- Company: Dynamic company focused on pets, people, and the planet.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive salary, and a culture that celebrates diversity.
- Other info: Join a team that values uniqueness and encourages personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a role that bridges commercial and marketing strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in category planning within FMCG or retail and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Location: We welcome applications from those looking for hybrid working, based 2 to 3 days per week in our Handforth (Cheshire) Office.
About the Role
As a key driver of category performance, you will be responsible for defining and delivering strategic, data driven plans that accelerate category growth and increase market share. You will bring the customer to the centre of all commercial planning, ensuring customer insight shapes decision making and drives meaningful outcomes. Acting as a vital bridge between Commercial and Marketing, you will collaborate closely across teams to develop and execute compelling retail activation plans. This includes leading activity across range changes, point of sale execution and integrated marketing, translating strategy into impactful in store and shopper focused activation.
Key Responsibilities - What you'll be doing
- Strategy Development - Creating long term Commercial strategies and category roles aligned to business objectives
- Data & Insight Analysis - To work with Trade Planning Manager, Ranging and Clustering team, VM, Buying and Supply teams to identify market trends and customer behaviour, spotting opportunities for growth and range gap analysis through thorough understanding of categories, competitors and the market
- Represent the voice of the customer through attending and driving customer listening groups, challenging Commercial teams on range, price and promotion mechanics to ensure a customer centric category plan
- Create a marketing activation plan by category aligned to business strategy and sync plan
- Collaboration with Marketing, Buying, Supply Chain, VM, ranging and clustering and space teams
Key Measurables
- Category strategy established with category roles identified aligned to Commercial objectives and Head of Category intent
- Collaborating with Marketing to create activation plan by category
- Growth in customer numbers by category
- Growth in customer satisfaction scores
- Sales/ profit growth in high focus categories
About You - What you'll bring to the role
- Previous Category Planning experience within an FMCG or retail environment
- Confident communicator who can facilitate cross functional discussions and drive alignment
- Comfortable managing and influencing multiple stakeholders and balancing short term trading needs with long term strategic goals
- Highly organised and methodical planner with strong project management skills and attention to detail
- Strong commercial acumen, with experience of analysing performance and market data
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don't perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you.
Category Planning Manager in Cheadle employer: Energy Jobline ZR
As a Category Planning Manager based in Cheadle, you will thrive in a dynamic and inclusive work environment that champions collaboration and innovation. Our hybrid working model allows for flexibility while fostering a culture of growth and development, ensuring you have the resources and support to excel in your role. With a strong commitment to diversity and community engagement, we empower our employees to make meaningful contributions that resonate with our mission to create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Planning Manager in Cheadle
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those already working in category planning. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its market position. Understand their products and customer base so you can showcase how your skills align with their goals during the conversation.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your previous experience in category planning can drive growth and enhance customer satisfaction. Make it clear that you’re all about data-driven decisions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Planning Manager in Cheadle
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Category Planning Manager role. Highlight your previous experience in FMCG or retail, and show how your skills align with the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Showcase Your Data Skills:Since this role is all about data-driven decision making, don’t forget to mention any experience you have with data analysis. Share specific examples of how you've used insights to drive category growth or improve customer satisfaction. We love numbers!
Communicate Clearly:As a confident communicator, it’s important to demonstrate your ability to facilitate discussions and influence stakeholders. Use clear and concise language in your application to show us that you can effectively convey your ideas and collaborate across teams.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Energy Jobline ZR
✨Know Your Categories
Before the interview, dive deep into the categories relevant to the role. Understand market trends, customer behaviours, and competitor strategies. This knowledge will not only impress your interviewers but also help you articulate how you can drive category growth.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Since this role heavily relies on data-driven decision making, be prepared to discuss your experience with data analysis. Bring examples of how you've used insights to shape strategies in previous roles. Highlight any tools or methodologies you’re familiar with that can aid in this process.
✨Collaboration is Key
This position requires working closely with various teams. Be ready to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated across departments in the past. Emphasise your communication skills and how you’ve facilitated discussions to align different stakeholders towards a common goal.
✨Customer-Centric Mindset
Demonstrate your understanding of putting the customer at the heart of category planning. Prepare to discuss how you've gathered customer insights in the past and how those insights influenced your strategies. This will show that you can effectively represent the voice of the customer in your planning.
