At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead category strategies for Spreads, Bakery, and Biscuits to drive market growth.
- Company: Join Ferrero, a global leader in the FMCG sector with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and a vibrant team culture.
- Other info: Opportunity to develop leadership skills and collaborate across functions.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping market-winning strategies in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in category or trade marketing within FMCG.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
About the Role: At Ferrero, we are committed to winning in market through strong category leadership, insight, and execution excellence. As a Category Development Controller – Spreads, Bakery, Biscuits, you will be the key Trade Marketing lead for your assigned categories, responsible for shaping and delivering market‑winning category strategies across multiple channels. Reporting to the Head of Category Development, you will lead the development of bottom‑up category plans, translating brand strategy into actionable, commercially driven plans across modern trade, traditional channels, OOH, and eCommerce. You will define the role each customer and channel plays within the category, ensuring plans are clearly communicated and effectively executed by Sales teams. This is a highly visible leadership role, requiring strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders to drive sustainable category growth and market share.
Main Responsibilities: You will be accountable for the development and delivery of Trade Marketing category plans, ensuring full alignment with brand strategy and wider business objectives. This includes identifying growth opportunities, defining listing strategies, shaping activation guidelines, and building clear channel and customer roles within the category. You will lead category and customer performance analysis, using internal and external data sources to identify key drivers, risks, and opportunities. You will translate complex data into compelling insights and recommendations, supporting strategic decisions and ensuring clear communication across the business. Working closely with Sales teams, you will play a key role in customer planning and negotiations, ensuring category strategies are effectively translated into customer plans. You will oversee the customer offer process, ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment with business priorities, while also tracking execution and performance in store. You will take ownership of category leadership, developing and embedding multi‑channel “winning plans”, including defining the role of packs, creating “Picture of Success” guidelines, and delivering category growth stories to both internal and external stakeholders. You will ensure strong execution through planograms, assortment strategies, and merchandising principles, driving consistency and impact across channels. You will also lead price and promotional strategy at category level, working closely with Revenue Growth Management to translate pricing frameworks and promotional strategies into actionable plans. You will evaluate performance, optimise plans, and ensure delivery of revenue, margin, and market share objectives. As a people leader, you will manage, coach, and develop your team, fostering a high‑performance culture aligned with Ferrero values. You will support capability development, empower individuals, and ensure strong collaboration across functions.
About You: You are an experienced and commercially driven category or trade marketing leader, with a strong track record of delivering growth within a complex FMCG environment. You bring deep expertise in category strategy, shopper insight, and customer engagement, with the ability to translate data into compelling, actionable plans. You are confident influencing at senior levels, working cross‑functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and external partners to drive alignment and execution. Your strategic mindset allows you to anticipate market trends, define clear category roles, and build plans that deliver both short‑term performance and long‑term value. You are a strong people leader, with experience managing and developing teams, and a passion for building capability and driving high performance. You combine attention to detail with a big‑picture mindset and are comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
Category Growth Lead – Spreads, Bakery & Biscuits employer: Ferrero International S.A.
Ferrero is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, where innovation and collaboration are at the forefront. As a Category Growth Lead in the vibrant FMCG sector, you will benefit from extensive professional development opportunities, a commitment to employee well-being, and the chance to make a significant impact on market strategies. With a focus on nurturing talent and driving sustainable growth, Ferrero provides a rewarding environment for those looking to excel in their careers.
Contact Details:
Ferrero International S.A. Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Growth Lead – Spreads, Bakery & Biscuits
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their products and market strategies, especially in the Spreads, Bakery, and Biscuits categories. This will help you tailor your answers and show you're genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the role of Category Growth Lead. Highlight your commercial acumen and strategic thinking skills, and don’t forget to showcase your ability to influence cross-functional teams.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and are keen to contribute to our category leadership at Ferrero.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Growth Lead – Spreads, Bakery & Biscuits
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Category Growth Lead role. Highlight your experience in category strategy and trade marketing, and show us how your skills align with our needs at Ferrero.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; we want to see your impact! Use specific examples of how you’ve driven growth or improved performance in previous roles. Numbers and results speak volumes!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key points stand out. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role – we want to understand your message easily.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ferrero International S.A.
✨Know Your Categories Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the Spreads, Bakery, and Biscuits categories. Understand current market trends, key competitors, and consumer preferences. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're ready to lead category strategies.
✨Prepare Data-Driven Insights
Since the role involves translating complex data into actionable plans, come prepared with examples of how you've used data in past roles. Think about specific metrics you've tracked and how they influenced your decisions. This will showcase your analytical skills and strategic thinking.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a people leader, it's crucial to convey your management style during the interview. Be ready to discuss how you've developed teams in the past, fostered collaboration, and driven high performance. Share specific examples that highlight your ability to coach and empower others.
✨Practice Cross-Functional Collaboration
This role requires working closely with various teams like Sales, Marketing, and Finance. Prepare to discuss how you've successfully collaborated across functions in previous positions. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them to achieve alignment and execution.
