Category Executive

Are you commercially minded, passionate about food and looking to develop your career within category management?

We’re working with a leading UK foodservice business looking to recruit a Category Executive to join its established commercial team.This is a varied role offering exposure across category strategy, customer and competitor insight, new product development, range optimisation, marketing and commercial performance.

Working closely with Category Managers and teams across Buying, Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Technical and National Accounts, you’ll help ensure the business has the right product ranges and propositions to meet changing customer needs.

This could be an excellent opportunity for someone currently working within category, buying, commercial, product or food marketing who is looking to take the next step in their career.

The Role

As Category Executive, you’ll support the development and delivery of category strategies, using customer, competitor and market insight to identify opportunities and drive category performance.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting Category Managers in developing and delivering insight-led category strategies.
• Gathering and analysing market, customer and competitor insight to support category and range reviews.
• Undertaking competitor reviews and supporting customer research to ensure ranges meet the needs of different customers and channels.
• Identifying gaps within existing ranges and opportunities for new product development.
• Supporting the development and launch of new own-brand products.
• Contributing to range optimisation and making recommendations around the overall product proposition.
• Identifying opportunities to grow own-brand, branded and exclusive product ranges.
• Working with internal teams to turn category strategy into effective customer-facing activity.
• Supporting product launches, promotional activity and wider category initiatives.
• Helping create product and category content across digital and printed channels.
• Working closely with Sales and National Accounts to ensure category plans reflect customer requirements.
• Collaborating with Technical and food specialists to maintain product quality and ensure product information and packaging meet the required standards.
• Supporting internal and external events and other category initiatives.
• Helping ensure category projects and marketing activity are delivered on time and to the required standard.

About You

We’re interested in speaking with commercially minded candidates who enjoy working with products, customers and data and can build strong relationships across different teams.

You’ll ideally have:

• Experience within category management, buying, commercial, product or marketing.
• Previous experience within foodservice, food manufacturing, retail, wholesale or a related FMCG environment would be advantageous.
• A genuine passion for food and/or product marketing.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to interpret customer and market insight.
• Experience working with multiple internal stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• The confidence to influence and communicate with people at different levels.
• Strong organisational, planning and time-management skills.
• A proactive and results-focused approach.
• The confidence to challenge existing ways of working and contribute new ideas.
• Good attention to detail and the ability to manage several projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.

We’d also be interested in hearing from candidates currently working as a Category Assistant, Buying Assistant, Assistant Buyer, Commercial Executive, Product Executive or Marketing Executive who have relevant experience and are looking for an opportunity to progress.

The Package

• £30,000 basic salary
• Additional company benefits
• Excellent opportunity to develop your career within category management
• Broad exposure across Buying, Sales, National Accounts, Marketing, Supply Chain and Technical teams
• Opportunity to work within a large, established foodservice business and develop your commercial and category management experience

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a long-term career within category management.

You’ll work alongside experienced Category Managers while gaining exposure to a broad range of commercial activities, from analysing customer and competitor trends and supporting range reviews through to new product development, marketing activity and identifying opportunities for category growth.

The position offers plenty of variety and the opportunity to work collaboratively with teams across the wider business, giving you an excellent platform from which to develop your commercial and category management experience.

If you’re commercially minded, passionate about food and looking for the next step in your career, we’d be keen to hear from you.

Apply today for a confidential conversation and further information.