Category Management Manager
Posted Updated
Description
The Category Management (CatMan) Manager for National Chains & Supermarkets serves as a strategic advisor to key retail partners. Leveraging syndicated data, POS metrics, and shopper insight studies, this role identifies category growth opportunities and designs actionable 4P (Product, Placement, Price, Promotion) strategies. The CatMan Manager partners cross-functionally across Field Sales, Customer Marketing, and Retailer Merchant teams to optimize the supply chain to the point of sale and drive category leadership at the shelf.
Key Responsibilities:
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Category Strategy & Best Practices: Complete and execute Best Practice frameworks across assigned categories. Utilize syndicated retail data (Nielsen/Kantar) and consumer research to evaluate channel, segment, and pack-size trends, shopper decision trees, and purchase frequency/basket dynamics.
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Commercial & Shopper Analytics: Analyze partner account POS data alongside macro-market data to identify whitespace, leakage, and category growth opportunities. Develop data-driven recommendations across assortment, pricing architecture, promotional effectiveness, and space allocation.
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Merchandising & Space Planning: Develop, finalize, and tailor generic and account-specific planograms (POGs). Align shelf layouts with shopper decision hierarchies to maximize linear foot productivity and ensure brand visibility at the point of sale.
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Stakeholder & Partner Collaboration: Lead regular cross-functional category reviews between internal teams and retail buyer/merchandising teams. Act as an objective, indispensable category advisor to retail partners.
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Strategic Presentations: Build and deliver compelling, executive-ready category business reviews, line reviews, and strategic joint business planning (JBP) decks.
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Pilot Execution & In-Field Testing: Coordinate pilot tests and rollouts with Field Sales and field promotion teams. Track test versus control stores before, during, and after implementation to measure ROI, shelf compliance, and incremental volume drivers.
Required Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, International Relations, Data Analytics, or a related field.
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At least 4+ years of experience in Category Management, space planning, and assortment analysis.
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Demonstrated hands-on experience utilizing syndicated market databases (specifically Nielsen and Kantar).
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Intermediate to advanced English language proficiency (written and verbal).
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Proficiency in Google Suite and/or Microsoft Office.
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Team management skills and ability to connect the dots
Preferred Qualifications:
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Experience working with ISCAM database analytics or retail customer point-of-sale platforms.
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Prior category management or commercial analytics experience within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or FMCG industry.
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Team/relationship building, as well as influencing and negotiation abilities
- Demonstrated business acumen and strategic problem-solving abilities to discover data-led shopper insights and execute commercial solutions.