Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead category growth for savoury and seasonal products at Tesco, building strong customer relationships.
- Company: Join pladis, a global leader in biscuits and confectionery, dedicated to quality and happiness.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible work options, health plans, generous holidays, and discounts on gym memberships.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team that values collaboration, innovation, and making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in category management and strong communication skills are essential; Tesco experience is a plus.
- Other info: We celebrate diversity and provide equal opportunities for all applicants.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 42000 £ per year.
Category Development Manager
Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast-growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure, and people? Then this is the place for you.
As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.
To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient, and positive because we expect pace and agility. We insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision, a roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivaled opportunities to learn and make an impact.
What will this role achieve?
The role of the pladis Category Management team is to help our retail customers and pladis grow sales of snacking products through the provision of industry-leading shopper, retailer, and market insights. These enable robust decision-making on product ranges, merchandising, business planning, and promotions. Our success has been recognized with a Top 3 ranking in the Impulse Advantage Survey!
Reporting into the Snr Category Manager, this Category Development Manager is accountable for providing category leadership and developing and implementing plans that deliver category growth specifically for Savoury & Seasonal for Tesco, developing a working relationship with Buying teams with a view to becoming the go-to category partner of choice for the optimization of range, distribution, space, location, promotions, and availability of these categories, which will ultimately also help grow pladis’ business in these areas.
What will be your key deliverables?
- CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS: Build an ongoing relationship with the Buyers, as well as the category planning manager, to broaden engagement and become the go-to person for category advice & range reviews/seasonal plans.
- CATEGORY GROWTH PLANS: In conjunction with the Category Controller/Category Manager, build a Category Growth plan for Biscuits that identifies new ways to unlock consumption and purchase for Tesco Savoury & Seasonal categories.
- CATEGORY FUNDAMENTALS: Develop and implement differentiated strategies and tactics for focus categories & customer(s) that improve range, distribution, location, availability, promotions, and space.
- INSIGHTS TO ACTIONS: Interpret all available industry, category, customer, and shopper data turning it into useful insights that are communicated regularly to focus customer(s).
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Share the best ways of working on an ongoing basis via relevant team forums.
- BRAND CHAMPION: Set up and ensure delivery of seasonal tracking for Seasonal Biscuits.
Bring your experience.
Essential:
- Proven experience & understanding of category management
- Understanding of the UK retail market
- Desire to engage with customer contacts
- Strong communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
- Strong numeric and literacy skills
- Excellent problem-solving, data analysis, and interpretation skills.
Desirable:
- Tesco experience
What will the interview process be?
- 1st stage interview – 45 minutes competency-based interview based on our company values and your experiences.
- 2nd stage interview – 60 minutes – a technical interview to understand your skill set/case study or presentation interview.
What does pladis offer you?
- Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – this is the business’s annual bonus scheme.
- Opportunity to self-enrol into Health Cash Plan
- Private medical Insurance
- Stakeholder Pension Scheme
- Life Assurance Cover upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme
- 25 days + bank holidays
- Holiday Enhancement Scheme
- 1 Volunteering Day per year
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Discounted gym membership – Carlisle and Chiswick only
- Discount and Cashback Scheme
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme
- Financial Wellbeing Support
- Access to great training and development opportunities
Our Values
Purpose led – We’re energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite.
Agile – We’re ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.
Positive – We’re highly motivated, optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better.
Resilient – We’re persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward.
Collaborative – We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together.
Best mix of ingredients
pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we’re a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that’s as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process.
pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Category Development Manager employer: pladis Foods Limited
Contact Detail:
pladis Foods Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Development Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in the UK retail market, especially regarding savoury and seasonal products. This knowledge will help you engage more effectively with Tesco's buying teams and demonstrate your understanding of their needs.
✨Tip Number 2
Build a strong network within the industry by attending relevant trade shows and networking events. This can provide you with valuable insights and connections that may give you an edge during the interview process.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully implemented category growth plans in previous roles. Highlight your ability to turn data into actionable insights, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your communication skills by practising how to present your ideas clearly and confidently. Being able to influence stakeholders at all levels is key, so consider mock interviews to refine your approach.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Development Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in category management and the UK retail market. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to build customer relationships and develop growth plans.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for the role and the company. Mention how your values align with pladis' purpose-led, agile, positive, resilient, and collaborative culture.
Showcase Your Skills: Emphasise your strong communication skills and ability to influence at all levels. Provide examples of how you've used data analysis and problem-solving skills to drive category growth in previous roles.
Prepare for Interviews: Familiarise yourself with pladis' values and be ready to discuss how your experiences reflect these traits. Prepare for both competency-based and technical questions by reviewing common interview scenarios related to category management.
How to prepare for a job interview at pladis Foods Limited
✨Understand the Company Values
Before your interview, make sure you know pladis' core values: purpose-led, agile, positive, resilient, and collaborative. Be prepared to discuss how your experiences align with these values, as they are crucial for success in this role.
✨Showcase Your Category Management Experience
Since the role requires proven experience in category management, come ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully managed categories in the past. Highlight any relevant achievements, especially those that demonstrate your understanding of the UK retail market.
✨Prepare for Competency-Based Questions
The first stage of the interview will focus on competency-based questions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers, ensuring you clearly illustrate your problem-solving skills and ability to influence at all levels.
✨Be Ready for Technical Questions
During the second stage, expect technical questions or a case study presentation. Brush up on your data analysis and interpretation skills, and be prepared to discuss how you would develop category growth plans based on insights from shopper and market data.
