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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a high-performing team to shape the Meals category strategy.
- Company: Join Pilgrim's Europe, a values-led organisation focused on growth and collaboration.
- Benefits: Gain valuable exposure, influence innovation, and enjoy a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a senior role with major UK grocery retailers.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in FMCG with proven leadership and category strategy experience.
- Other info: Regular travel to sites and customers for hands-on market insights.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Uxbridge Head Office (office-based)
Department: Category Marketing
Reports to: Category & Insight Director
Direct reports: 4
Travel: Regular travel to sites and customers
About the role
At Pilgrim's Europe, our Category & Insight team provides a clear, forward-looking category vision that drives sustainable growth across the business. As Category Marketing Controller – Meals, you will play a critical leadership role in shaping and delivering this vision for one of our most important categories. Based at our Uxbridge head office, you will be the recognised expert for the Meals category, leading and developing a team of Category and Customer Marketing professionals. You'll use deep consumer, shopper and category insight to create compelling strategies that unlock growth for both Pilgrim's Europe and our customers. Working closely with Commercial, Innovation and Operational teams, you will identify future consumer-led opportunities, influence key decisions and help build a robust pipeline that supports long-term category success.
Key responsibilities
- Lead, coach and develop a high-performing Category Marketing team
- Play a significant role in shaping and delivering the Group Marketing strategy, ensuring the Meals category is strongly represented
- Develop, communicate and execute Meals category strategies across all growth levers, including channel, shopper and customer-specific plans
- Build strong, trusted relationships with major retail customers, delivering thought leadership and acting as a proactive category partner
- Provide clear, commercially compelling insight and recommendations to customers and internal commercial teams
- Champion the consumer and shopper perspective across operational business units to support effective decision-making
- Partner with Innovation & Development to build a long-term, insight-led innovation pipeline
- Manage allocated budgets for consumer research to address category knowledge gaps and opportunities
- Travel periodically to sites and customers to stay closely connected to operations and market needs
What we're looking for
Experience & knowledge (essential):
- 5+ years' experience in FMCG, with strong Meals or relevant category expertise
- Proven leadership experience (3+ years), including line management
- Demonstrable success in building and executing category strategies
- Experience working closely with major UK grocery multiple retailers
- Background in own-label category management
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills at all levels
- Confident communicator with strong written, verbal and storytelling capability
- Ability to distil insight into clear, actionable and commercially focused solutions
- Experience working closely with innovation, commercial and operational teams
Ideal behaviours
- Strong alignment with the Values of Pilgrim's Europe
- Strategic, collaborative and consumer-focused mindset
- Proactive, credible and confident in building relationships internally and externally
Why Join Us?
- Shape the future of the Meals category in a senior, influential leadership role
- Be based at our Uxbridge head office, working closely with senior stakeholders
- Lead and develop a talented team with genuine ownership and visibility
- Act as a true category partner to major UK grocery retailers
- Turn insight into strategies that deliver real commercial impact
- Influence the long-term innovation pipeline, not just short-term plans
- Gain valuable exposure through travel to sites and customers
- Join a values-led organisation where ambition, collaboration and accountability matter
Ready to make an impact? If you're a strategic category leader with a passion for the Meals category and a track record of turning insight into growth, this is your opportunity to make a real difference. Based at our Uxbridge head office, you'll be at the heart of shaping category strategy, customer partnerships and long-term success. Apply now and help define the future of Meals at Pilgrim's Europe.
Category Controller employer: Pilgrim's Europe
Contact Detail:
Pilgrim's Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Controller
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on LinkedIn, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with yours. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're not just looking for any job, but that you genuinely want to be part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of your past achievements and how they relate to the role. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and make them memorable.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining us at Pilgrim's Europe and making an impact in the Meals category.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Controller
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Category Controller role. Highlight your experience in FMCG and any specific achievements in the Meals category. We want to see how your background aligns with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about the Meals category and how your strategic mindset can drive growth. Keep it engaging and relevant to the role.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a team, make sure to highlight your leadership experience. Share examples of how you've developed teams and executed successful category strategies in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pilgrim's Europe
✨Know Your Category Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the Meals category. Understand current trends, consumer behaviours, and key competitors. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're genuinely passionate about the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Highlight specific instances where your leadership made a difference in executing category strategies or influencing stakeholders. This will illustrate your capability to lead and develop a high-performing team.
✨Build Relationships with Key Stakeholders
Think about how you can establish strong relationships with major retail customers. Be ready to discuss your approach to stakeholder management and how you've influenced decisions in previous roles. This will show that you understand the importance of collaboration in this position.
✨Turn Insights into Action
Be prepared to discuss how you've transformed insights into actionable strategies in your past roles. Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to distil complex information into clear, commercially focused solutions that drive growth.
