Category Manager – County Limerick

Category Manager – County Limerick (hybrid).

Job Summary:

This role is responsible for developing, delivering and refining a category strategy that supports the category role and delivers the company's stated financial budgets (e.g. range management including New Product Development, promotions, cross-sell, direct to customer & pricing). You will also deliver excellent category insights of total performance vs LY & budget.
The role requires a candidate who will take full end to end responsibility for the strategy of a product category from drafting the category roadmap, managing the vendor relationships, managing the product mix and Earned Income.

Key Accountabilities:

• Deliver the fixed annual budgets planned on EI, JBPS, Promos & retro deals
• Develop vendor relationships with a vision of partnership
• Collaborate with QA, Technical & marketing team on the deployment of brands within own category & also cross-category in order to enhance value
• Ensure performance of product range and take corrective actions when required
• Manage NPD with merchandising specialists, development & technical teams
• Review market trends and opportunities
• Review competitor offerings
• Access commercial performance of current range
• Develop, issue and analyse category tenders to secure most competitive bids
• Working with QA & Technical to ensure vendor reliability and compliance with requirements of quality and CSR policies
• Assess current pricing and margin performance
• Represent the company and the Merchandising Team at Food Shows

• Develop appropriate promotional strategies to drive profitability

Requirements for this role:

• Third Level Degree in a Business / Procurement / Food related discipline
• High level of commercial expertise with at least 3-5 years' relevant commercial procurement experience within the world food market or similar
• Results-based with a demonstrated track record of applying financial, commercial or procurement skills to a range of business-related objectives, such as delivering cost savings or enhancing the quality of services provided to businesses
• A proactive approach to problem solving and issue resolution.
• Experience using consumer insights, competitive assessment, pricing, promotional planning and financial analysis.
• Excellent PC and Microsoft Office skills including Excel to intermediate-advanced level
• Advanced PowerPoint and experience presenting to large audiences
• Full clean driving license
• The role will involve travel, so a degree of flexibility is required