Category Manager (World Food)

Category Manager (World Food) - County Antrim.

Summary:

The Category Manager will be part of the Merchandising Category Team. They will be responsible for developing, delivering and refining a category plan that supports the category role and delivers the company's stated financial budgets (e.g. range management including NPD, promotions, cross-sell, direct to customer & pricing). They will also deliver excellent category insights of total performance vs LY & budget.

Key Accountabilities:

• Using customer, market & supplier insights and category performance analysis to lead the wider merchandising team to create a category strategy to meet in-year sales & cash margin targets, in line with the specific category role

• Review & analyse category performance, turn insights into actions with vendors by executing, analysing, and evaluating category plans.

• Create, develop & deliver monthly category updates

• Devise long-term development strategies for product category

• Set direction and guidance for product specifications and requirements for the customer base

• Determine market needs/gaps & create strategy for new growth

• Completely own & deliver all in year deliverables, including range plan & NPD (within a SKU count budget), promotions, direct to customer activity, cross-sell & intelligent pricing recommendations

• Support delivery of strategic priorities, as driven by Merchandising Manager & Director

• Develop strategic supplier business plans with category partner suppliers, to drive growth and support margin investment opportunities

• Manage customer facing element of product data and all product customer pitch information

• Manage own brand packaging plan

• Work with global sourcing, legal & merchandising teams to negotiate terms with vendors

Interested applicants should have:

• Ideally a third-level degree in a Business / Procurement / Food related discipline

• High level of commercial expertise with at least 3-5 years' relevant commercial procurement experience within the World Food market

• Previous World Food product knowledge

• Proven World Food sourcing experience and in-depth knowledge of the World Food market

• Results-based with a demonstrated track record of applying financial, commercial or procurement skills to a range of business-related objectives, such as delivering cost savings or enhancing the quality of services provided to businesses

• A proactive approach to problem solving and issue resolution.

• Experience using consumer insights, competitive assessment, pricing, promotional planning and financial analysis.

• Excellent PC and Microsoft Office skills including Excel to intermediate-advanced level is a minimum requirement

• Advanced PowerPoint and experience presenting to large audiences

• Full clean driving license

• The role will involve some travel, so a degree of flexibility is required

It is desirable, but not essential, to have:

• Professional qualification in Category Management or Merchandising

• Fluency in Mandarin or Cantonese