Customer Category Manager - JS & Waitrose

As Customer Category Manager, you will act as a trusted partner to both customers and internal stakeholders, playing a key role within the Customer Category, Trade Marketing and Sales teams. This position is focused on delivering objective, insight-led category advice that supports growth for both the retailer and our brands.

You will lead the development of category strategies, using a deep understanding of shopper, consumer and market dynamics to drive distribution, share of shelf and long-term strategic collaboration. Working closely with customers, you will help shape joint category plans, influence innovation pipelines, and contribute to the creation of new segments. 

You will also play an important role in range reviews, merchandising strategy and in-store execution, while supporting the Head of Customer Category on broader macro changes within the aisle. In addition, you will be responsible for the line management and development of a Category Executive.

You will be accountable for delivering best-in-class category performance analysis, taking ownership of translating market, shopper and consumer insights into clear, actionable recommendations for customers. This includes leading period reporting and ensuring accurate, insightful commentary on category performance, while proactively identifying risks and opportunities.

You will play a key role in customer range reviews, managing analysis to uncover distribution and ranging opportunities, and contributing to the end-to-end review process. Alongside this, you will develop and deliver compelling category sell-in stories, supporting innovation launches and identifying opportunities for range extensions based on strong category rationale and commercial insight.

Building strong, collaborative relationships is central to the role. You will work closely with Sainsbury’s and Waitrose to strengthen category partnerships, while also leading cross-functional engagement internally across Sales, Trade Marketing and insight teams. Through these relationships, you will ensure alignment on category priorities and drive a consistent, strategic approach to growth.

You bring strong experience within FMCG and a solid foundation in category management, with a clear understanding of how to translate data into actionable insight. You are highly analytical and comfortable working with a range of insight sources such as Dunnhumby, Nielsen and Kantar, alongside advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.

You are a confident communicator with strong influencing and relationship-building skills, able to engage both internal stakeholders and external customers effectively. You are comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and are proactive in identifying opportunities to drive category growth.

Experience in managing or developing others would be advantageous, along with a passion for working collaboratively to deliver best-in-class category strategies.

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Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative, and highly rewarding.
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