Job Purpose
Work closely with Marketing & Sales Team to develop long term category strategy (including both category & brand growth) define /Create Assortment Management, including core stock keeping unit list & distribution, responsible for shelf management (planograms, merchandising & flows)
Principle Accountabilities
Category Strategy
- Developed fact based category management insights as well as platform that delivers incremental category and overall business growth
- Work with the Marketing and S&CM Teams to identify/priorities business growth opportunities and develop integrated category plans and sell in stories.
- Provide monthly updates to the Exec and Sales Team on category growth and share development Focus should be on how to drive both category and BDF performance.
Category & Shelf Management
- Routinely analyse category, consumer, and shopper, brand, competitor, and trade information and regularly conduct Point of Purchase audits.
- Identify and provide fact-based recommendations to leverage incremental growth opportunities and assist the business with gap fill initiatives in order to deliver the business financial objectives.
- Analyse both category and BDF performance and make recommendations on shelf management/planograms, through use of Space Planning tools.
- Develop Space planning capability within the wider BDF sales team.
- Present these findings to relevant Retailers in line with their category planning timetable.
Assortment Management
- Provide strategic category recommendations incl. development of BDF must-stock sku list.
- Work closely with S&CM and Marketing in providing a channel assortment strategy for all BDF categories, and bring visibility to the distribution of the channel assortment, to identify gaps.
- Work closely with Launch Activation Managers to agree/closing distribution targets for innovation, possible exit sku’s if necessary.
Customer Engagement
- Commercial Lead on All Category reviews jointly agreed with Customers.
- Through collaboration with customer Category teams and utilizing Customer information platforms, (Dunhumby/5one etc.) propose category recommendations for various customers and formats, focusing on ranging and category flows, as well as category range rationalizations.
- Present directly to Customer Category Management Teams
- Support KAM in presentation of category management information to Category Buyer/ Planners at agreed meetings
- Planning and prioritizing Customer meetings and engagements.
Internal Capability and Trade Engagement
- Ownership of Category Management capability building within the BDF Sales team.
- Provide regular updates to the Sales Leadership Team on effectiveness of Category management initiatives, making recommendations on changes that should be implemented.
- Pro-actively report issues and provide insights and opportunities.
- Regularly Trade Visits to review trends and competitor activities.
Candidate Requirements
Education
- Bachelor of commerce degree or suitable tertiary qualification/experience
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years in a Commercial / Category role in an FMCG Company
Skills
- Computer literate i.e. proficient in Microsoft office (Advanced Excel, Powerpoint, Word)
- Advanced Excel, Nielsen Answers, JDA Spacing Planning, SAP
- Strong understanding of customer systems (Dunhumby/5one etc.)
Abilities
- High degree of analytical capability
- Excellent verbal & written communicator with strong presentation skills
- An international mindset is an advantage, covering aspects of open mindedness, cross cultural tolerance, adaptability, a willingness to change and a holistic view on a FMCG business
- Able to work autonomously and as a team member
Desired Skills:
- Strong understanding of customer systems (Dunhumby/5one etc.)
- Computer Literate
- Advanced Excel
- Nielsen Answers
- JDA Spacing Planning
- SAP
Desired Work Experience:
- 5 to 10 years Middle / Department Management
Desired Qualification Level:
- Degree