About the role:
The Category Managers are responsible for growing profitable categories by satisfying our customer's needs and growing market share in line with strategic goals.
The purpose of the role is to be the Champion of categories across both convenience and retail networks. As the Category Manager, you will manage the business unit and the offering in a manner that translates to higher volume sales and profit.
Role Expectations and Outcomes:
- Lead and manage the product innovation for various categories.
- Ensure a customer-centric approach is adopted.
- Provide all facets of commercial category management including ranging, pricing (& gross margin), trend analysis, promotional activity, new product development (NPD), and identifying new range opportunities.
- Manage all areas of operational compliance, training, rollouts & other support resources required to ensure successful execution consistently at site level.
- Manage and develop supplier relationships to achieve desired business goals.
- Partner with the marketing and operations teams to implement plans and initiatives that drive awareness and optimise sales across numerous categories.
- Conduct regular site visits to audit and uplift staff capability in maintaining only the highest category offering for our customers, consistently.
- Manage analytics of category performance and identify gaps in operational effectiveness related to excellence in in-store execution of category ranges and product quality.
- Be the point of call and engage in immediate problem resolution and action planning to correct issues.
Skills and experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, retail, marketing, or a related discipline is desirable.
- Experience in category roles and development of commercial strategies.
- A successful track record in executing category strategies in market with demonstrated improvement in commercial outcomes.
- Impressive negotiation capacity and excellent communication skills.
- Strong understanding of contemporary consumer marketing and retail trends and opportunities.
- Excellent working knowledge of category management processes, systems, and tools.
- Previous experience working in a team environment, influencing stakeholders to achieve results.
- Ability to navigate and effectively work in agile, fast-paced, and ever-evolving entrepreneurial environments with a focus on accountability and execution.
- Sound financial and commercial acumen and ability to work within a highly cost-effective framework and environment.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience in managing people, engaging stakeholders, driving performance, and supporting decision-making processes.