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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Analyse data, create insights, and support category plans in a dynamic food business.
- Company: Join Kepak, a leading food company with a focus on sustainability and teamwork.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, employee discounts, health insurance, and educational assistance.
- Why this job: Kickstart your career in a vibrant environment with real impact on food innovation.
- Qualifications: GCSEs in English and Maths; interest in FMCG or related fields preferred.
- Other info: Two-year apprenticeship with clear career progression opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 800 - 1167 ÂŁ per month.
Kepak is one of Europe's leading food companies with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. Kepak’s vision is to be a successful, sustainable, future ready Food Business with differentiation at its core, that is a great place to work. This vision is underpinned by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food & Teamwork.
Overview
Category sits within the Insight, Innovation & Marketing (IIM) team. Our vision for the Category team is to be recognised as a key driver of growth, value creation, and differentiation within the Group, to deliver divisional growth and performance objectives, to operate cost effectively, to bring the lens of consumer, customer, and future trends into decision‑making, and to be passionate about operating to or beyond industry best practice standards.
Role Purpose
Our Category Apprenticeships are designed to give apprentices a great start to their careers by teaching essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours. You will work closely with the Category Manager to analyse data, create actionable insights, and support the delivery of category plans.
Key Responsibilities
- Data Analysis: Gather and analyse data from sources such as Nielsen, Kantar, IGD, store visits, and others to identify key trends, challenges, and opportunities.
- Updates: Provide regular updates on consumer behaviour, category performance, and competitor activity.
- Presenting: Present findings in a clear and engaging manner, ensuring the message is understood and acted upon.
- Category Reporting: Update and administer regular reports and dashboards to track category performance, sharing insights with internal teams and retail partners.
- Retailer Support: Assist the Category Manager in preparing presentations and insights for retailer meetings.
- Range Reviews: Support new range launches, conduct store visits, perform gap‑analysis, and review post‑change performance.
- Market Research: Stay updated on category, consumer, and market trends and provide relevant insights to the team.
- Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work cross‑functionally with Innovation, Sales and Marketing to support the team.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Support internal teams and external agencies with creative projects such as point‑of‑sale design, insight videos, and PowerPoint decks; assist with stakeholder communication and trade exhibitions.
- Ad Hoc Projects: Support the Category Manager and Senior Category Manager with ad hoc analysis and projects as required.
Role Deliverables / KPI’s
- Understand the category function and wider Kepak business.
- Keep reports up to date.
- Deliver gap analysis every month.
- Apprenticeship learning.
- Meet deadlines.
- Build team relationships.
- Demonstrate the company values: Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, Teamwork.
Critical Interfaces
- Divisional Marketing Teams: Collaborate to develop and drive category strategies that support divisional goals.
- Commercial Teams: Work closely to build winning category strategy and growth plans for retailers.
- Innovation / NPD Teams: Provide insights to inform the future product pipeline.
- External Agencies: Liaise with external agencies to produce creative projects such as point‑of‑sale design, insight videos, and PowerPoint decks.
Key Competencies
- Customer Orientation: Understand and respond to customer needs.
- Commercial Acumen: Understand market drivers, profitability, and competitive forces within the industry.
- Negotiation Skills: Support the closing of deals that are beneficial for both the customer and the company.
- Analytical Thinking: Analyse data and market conditions to make informed decisions.
- Resilience: Handle a changing workload and frequent travel with a positive attitude, learning from failures and continuously improving.
- Project Management: Plan, execute, and oversee projects to successful completion.
Other Role Information
- Travel: This role requires travel to various company locations and events.
- Career Path: Apprentices are expected to progress into Category executive roles, with opportunities to advance to more senior positions based on performance.
Program Details
The apprenticeship programme lasts 2 years, starting on 7 September 2026, with a starting salary of ÂŁ18,000, increasing to ÂŁ20,000 in year 2. Learn more about the programme at Kepak Careers.
Requirements
- Minimum GCSEs in English and Maths at grades 9–4 (or equivalent).
- Ideally studying or qualified in a related subject (e.g. business, social sciences, psychology, IT, analysis, or graphics).
- Strong interest in FMCG, retail, or a similar industry (internship or work experience valued).
- Demonstrate a strong work ethic, discipline, ambition, and a growth mindset.
- Comfortable working with data and problem‑solving; basic experience with Excel, PowerPoint, and AI platforms.
- Attention to detail and data interpretation skills.
- Good communication skills; confident collaborating with and presenting to internal teams.
- A team player who is eager to learn, proactive, and able to contribute to a collaborative team.
- Curious mindset to understand consumer behaviour and market trends.
- Work with data securely and in line with GDPR, data analysis rules, and NDAs.
- Completes Introduction to Working in Grocery course.
- Creative mindset with interest in marketing and bringing ideas to life in‑store.
- Interest in grocery retail and shopper behaviour in the UK and Ireland is desirable but not essential.
Core Values Alignment
- Responsibility – Work on your own initiative and take accountability for your actions.
- Ambition – Challenge yourself to be the best you can be and be driven to succeed.
- Passion for Food – Passionate about every aspect of the industry.
- Teamwork – Build positive relationships quickly with people from all cultures and career stages.
Benefits
- Employee Discount Scheme
- Service‑Related Annual Leave
- Discounted Health Insurance
- Educational Assistance / L&D
- Discounted Meat Products
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
Kepak Category Management & Insights Advanced Apprenticeship - England in Kirkham employer: Kepak Group
Contact Detail:
Kepak Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Kepak Category Management & Insights Advanced Apprenticeship - England in Kirkham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with current or former employees at Kepak. Building relationships can open doors that you didn’t even know existed.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Kepak’s values and recent projects. Show us how your skills align with their mission of responsibility, ambition, and teamwork. Tailor your answers to reflect their passion for food!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your presentation skills! Since the role involves presenting insights, get comfortable sharing your findings clearly and engagingly. You could even do mock presentations with friends or family to build confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at Kepak and ready to kickstart your career.
We think you need these skills to ace Kepak Category Management & Insights Advanced Apprenticeship - England in Kirkham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the values and skills mentioned in the job description. Show us how your experiences align with our vision of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, and Teamwork.
Show Off Your Data Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, highlight any relevant experience you have with data interpretation or tools like Excel. We want to see your analytical thinking in action!
Be Clear and Engaging: When presenting your ideas in your application, keep it clear and engaging. Use straightforward language and structure your thoughts logically so we can easily understand your message.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, you’ll find all the details about the apprenticeship programme there.
How to prepare for a job interview at Kepak Group
✨Know Your Data
Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, make sure you brush up on your skills with tools like Excel. Familiarise yourself with key metrics and trends in the FMCG sector, as being able to discuss these confidently will impress your interviewers.
✨Show Your Passion for Food
Kepak values a passion for food, so be prepared to share your thoughts on current food trends or your favourite products. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also aligns with their core values, making you a more attractive candidate.
✨Prepare Engaging Presentations
You'll need to present findings clearly, so practice creating concise and engaging PowerPoint slides. Think about how you can visually represent data to make it easier to understand, as this will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively.
✨Emphasise Teamwork
Kepak places a strong emphasis on teamwork, so come ready to discuss examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others. Highlight your ability to build relationships and work cross-functionally, as this is crucial for the role.
