Head of Category in Slough

Our client is a category-defining global business that has produced innovative products across multiple categories that support modern-day lifestyles. They have grown into a global leader in the functional wellness space and are now sold in stores worldwide, including all major UK and international retailers.

This role is all about building a centre of excellence for category, insight and performance across Europe – shaping how the business thinks, decides and wins in a fast-growing functional category. You’ll blend data, sharp storytelling and real commercial edge to unlock growth with retailers, out-of-home partners and internal teams.

The role

• Lead and mature the EU Insights & Commercial Strategy function – setting the frameworks, tools and ways of working that turn data into decisions and clear actions.
• Build a single, joined-up view of performance across NIQ, Kantar, Circana, retailer portals and DTC data, creating one trusted source of truth for the business.
• Design repeatable playbooks for opportunity sizing, forecasting, post-event analysis and category storytelling that can be picked up and used by commercial teams.
• Own category captaincy across Better-For-You and No/Lo.
• Create retailer-facing category visions and decks that land a clear future for the category and position the brand as the growth partner of choice.
• Map missions, occasions, adjacencies and shelf architecture, then translate that work into tangible, incremental value for retailers and the wider category.

Commercial impact

• Partner closely with Sales and RGM to drive decisions on range reviews, PPA, promo strategy, mix, space and visibility – always anchored in clear, commercial insight.
• Build simple, punchy dashboards and performance packs for senior leadership, calling out what is really driving rate of sale, incrementality and customer lifetime value.
• Use data and storytelling to strengthen retailer negotiations and unlock distribution, space and activation across key customers and channels.

Strategic partner to the business

• Work hand in glove with Marketing, NPD and Finance on everything from sizing the prize and white-space identification through to innovation tracking and post-launch reviews.
• Bring consumer and shopper insight into brand and campaign planning, helping to prioritise where to invest for the biggest return.
• Inform future product, pack and pricing architecture with a clear view of need-states, willingness to pay and retailer economics.

About you

• 8+ years in category management, commercial strategy, insights or RGM within FMCG/CPG, ideally with strong premium experience.
• Comfortable in the data: experienced with tools like Nielsen/NIQ, Kantar, Circana, IRI, SIP and Dunnhumby, and confident stitching multiple sources together.
• A natural storyteller who can turn complex analysis into clear, compelling, commercially useful narratives for commercial and non-commercial stakeholders.
• Proven experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, NPD and Finance to deliver growth plans.
• Entrepreneurial mindset – you enjoy building, iterating and getting stuck in, rather than simply running a mature process.
• Energised by high-growth, fast-paced environments where you can genuinely shape the future of a category-defining brand.

Package & ways of working

• HQ: London. Office based with flexibility to work from home.
• Salary, bonus and equity all DOE, with clear progression opportunities for the right person.
• 24 days’ holiday + Bank Holidays.
• Pension (3% employer / 5% employee).
• Private healthcare.
• Monthly product allowance.
• Dog-friendly office.
• Working-from-abroad policy.
• Sabbatical after a period of service.

If you are passionate about shaping the next phase of growth for an exciting brand, do hit apply.