Category Manager – New Markets
Salary: £55-57k + Bonus
Location – Milton Keynes
Hours – fulltime, Monday - Friday
A leading player in the consumer goods/electronics industry is seeking a Category Manager for New Markets. This role requires a strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset to drive category growth, optimise market share, and enhance profitability. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in category management or sales within the consumer goods/electronics or FMCG industry.
Duties
- Category Development
- Promote and own the category with an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Steer and optimise the local category to achieve market share, turnover, and profitability targets.
- Define, budget, and coordinate category-specific marketing and sales activities.
- Prepare and support local product launches.
- Develop best practices and facilitate knowledge exchange.
- Daily alignment with Sales & Category Director, Head of Marketing, KAM, Product Trainer, Customer Service, Controlling, and Supply Chain.
- Coordinate with HQ for assortment and pricing information.
- Engage with retailers, media agencies, and promoter agencies to support the sell-in and sell-out processes.
- Deploy a local category development plan with a three-year outlook.
- Analyse market, competitor information, and consumer insights to identify growth levers.
- Forecast stock requirements and create business cases with ROI presentations.
- Develop country strategy for all Go-To-Market elements including product definition, pricing, distribution channels, and marketing and sales strategy.
- Act as the UK ambassador within the project team.
- Define annual category action plans and promotional sales.
- Ensure adherence to brand guidelines and legal requirements.
- Lead negotiations during major account discussions.
- Prepare sell-in arguments and category storylines, including assortment, technical topics, competitors, and market trends.
- Implement the project development plan according to defined milestones.
- Track and review the effectiveness and efficiency of activities, budget utilisation, and target achievements.
- Provide regular reports to all project stakeholders.
- Manage local product tests and coordinate product-related activities with the supply chain.
The Candidate
- Minimum of 4 years of experience in category management or sales within the consumer goods/electronics or FMCG industry.
- Proven experience in product launches, generating consumer/shopper insights, and analysing market data.
- Expertise in executing campaigns in collaboration with sales and marketing.
- Strong budgeting and project management skills.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong synthesis between marketing and sales.
- Ability to convince stakeholders to support category initiatives.
- Experience in negotiations with retailers.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- Commercially minded with strong analytical skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
- SCRUM and/or agile working experience.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with strategic thinking abilities.
- Professional appearance and independent work ethic.
- Commitment to seeing projects through the full life cycle.
- Eagerness to learn and adapt to changes.