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- Tasks: Lead a high-performing team to drive grocery category growth and influence major retailers.
- Company: Global FMCG drinks brand with a focus on innovation and strategic partnerships.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership development, and the chance to shape industry strategies.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a competitive market while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in category management or sales, with strong grocery experience.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team and contribute to shaping the future of soft drinks.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.
Home Based
Global FMCG Drinks brand
We are looking for an experienced Category Management Lead – Grocery to lead a high-performing team and deliver best-in-class soft drinks category management across key UK grocery customers. This role is responsible for building deep, strategic partnerships with major grocery retailers, driving category growth ahead of the market, and delivering “perfect store” execution with a strong focus on main placement.
You will operate at senior customer level, influencing Buying Managers, Heads of Merchandising and Category Directors, while shaping long-term category strategy and future-facing thought leadership.
Key Responsibilities- Lead & Coach the Grocery Category Team
- Lead, coach and develop a team of 4 Grocery Category Managers (overall team of 8)
- Build technical category expertise and coach individuals to their strengths.
- Create a strong talent pipeline for future category and commercial roles.
- Develop & Deliver Grocery Category Strategy
- Own and lead the grocery-specific category strategy in partnership with the Grocery Channel Manager.
- Develop category principles, projects and plans and deploy them across the channel.
- Drive availability and distribution agendas using store-level data and insights.
- Soft Drinks Category Expertise
- Be the soft drinks expert across core and emerging sub-categories.
- Use world-class shopper and sales insights to grow total category performance ahead of market.
- Stay ahead of market trends, regulation and industry changes (e.g. HFSS, DRS, Soft Drinks Industry Levy).
- NPD & Innovation
- Lead the delivery of the NPD pipeline within grocery.
- Use channel-specific data to influence innovation strategy.
- Ensure strong, insight-led selling stories and competitive distribution at launch.
- Senior Customer Engagement
- Build and manage multi-tier relationships across key customers, including: Buying Managers, Heads of Merchandising, Category Directors.
- Influence long-term, strategic decisions that go beyond individual sub-categories.
- Leadership Within Customer Marketing
- Be a key leader within the Customer Marketing leadership team.
- Contribute to overall commercial strategy, team culture and people development.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in category management, sales or retail.
- Strong customer-facing background.
- Grocery experience is essential.
Skills & Attributes:
- Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
- Confident senior-level influencer.
- Excellent coaching and people leadership skills.
- Highly analytical with strong insight capability.
Why This Role?
This is a high-impact leadership role with national responsibility, offering the opportunity to shape the future of the soft drinks category in one of the most competitive retail environments. You’ll work at the forefront of category strategy, influence major commercial decisions, and develop a best-in-class team.
Category Controller - Grocery - Global FMCG Drinks in Slough employer: New Chapter Consulting
Contact Detail:
New Chapter Consulting Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Controller - Grocery - Global FMCG Drinks in Slough
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Understand their category strategies and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their growth in the grocery sector.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Bring examples of your past successes in category management to the table. Use data and insights to demonstrate how you've driven category growth in previous roles.
✨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 Controller - Grocery - Global FMCG Drinks in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Category Management Lead – Grocery. Highlight your experience in category management and any specific achievements in grocery that align with what we’re looking for.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your strategic thinking and customer engagement skills. Tell us how you’ve influenced decisions at a senior level and how you can bring that expertise to our team.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see your coaching and leadership abilities. Include examples of how you've developed teams or built talent pipelines in your previous roles. This will help us understand how you can lead our Grocery Category Team.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at New Chapter Consulting
✨Know Your Category Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the soft drinks category. Familiarise yourself with current trends, key players, and market dynamics. This will not only show your passion but also help you engage in meaningful discussions about category strategy.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading and coaching teams. Think of specific situations where you developed talent or drove team performance. This will demonstrate your capability to lead a high-performing team effectively.
✨Build Relationships in Your Answers
Since this role involves influencing senior customer relationships, be ready to discuss how you've successfully built partnerships in the past. Use examples that illustrate your ability to connect with Buying Managers and Category Directors.
✨Bring Data to the Table
As an analytical thinker, be prepared to discuss how you've used data to drive category growth. Share insights from previous roles where you leveraged store-level data to influence decisions and strategies, showcasing your analytical prowess.
