A busy shopper heads into the store, short on time but hungry for something quick, something familiar, something that just hits the spot. They make a beeline for the chilled aisle. They don’t browse. They don’t hesitate. They know exactly what they’re looking for — and it’s there, right where it should be.
That moment doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because someone, somewhere, made the right call on range, space, price, and promotion. Someone read the data, knew the shopper, and influenced the retailer to make it happen.
That someone could be YOU.
We’re looking for a Senior Category Manager to lead one of the UK’s best-loved food categories for one of the most recognisable brands both front and back of store.
Put yourself in the shoes of the customer - spot gaps in the market, guide the conversations that decide what comes off shelf and, most importantly, what lands next. Safe to say, this isn’t a back-office role.
Run merchandising reviews and help shape point of purchase tactics too. That might mean trialling new layouts, managing store tests, or advising on rollouts to make sure the in-store experience actually reflects shopper behaviour - not just guesswork. You’ve been in a store before, you’ll figure it out.
You’ll own promotional planning, from recommending mechanics to tracking performance and evaluating results. And when it comes to insight, you’ll be hands-on. Using platforms like Dunnhumby, Retail Link, retailer data and Kantar to understand what’s happening in the category and why, then presenting that back in a way that gets people to act.
This role demands you work closely with nearly every part of the business. Top to bottom – from sales to marketing, from supply chain to NPD. You’ll lead conversations that shape the strategy but also roll up your sleeves when the detail matters. You’ll get a real sense of how such a big player in the UK supplier scene operates at every level.
There’s a team leadership element too. Utilise your vast experience to coach and develop someone directly reporting into you and play a wider leadership role within the Category Development team. Relish the opportunity to share knowledge, build capability, and simply put… set the standard for how category management should be done.
To make this work, you’ll need significant FMCG category management experience and a track record of working directly with major retailers. You’ll be commercially sharp, with the ability to balance category growth with cost and margin considerations. Ensure you know your way around range reviews, tail management, segmentation, shopper research and all the things that make great category plans actually land.
This role is hybrid but with a significant proportion home-based, you’ll be out and about for customer visits too. The site is in the East Midlands so something within reach would be useful.
If you like the idea of owning a big category in one of the UK’s best-loved food sectors, and you’re ready for a role that mixes commercial thinking with real influence, this could be the one…
Seniority level
* Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Employment type
Full-time
Job function
* Job function
Product Management
* Industries
Food and Beverage Retail
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