Category Development Manager, Grocery

Role overview

As a Category Development Manager for Grocery, you will play a key role in shaping growth for the Soft Drinks category from the Uxbridge site. The position sits within a highly competitive market where the team is expected to build an inspiring, data-led vision for the category now and into the future across different retail environments. Success in this role depends on strategic thinking, long-term planning, strong analytical ability, and the confidence to influence customers and internal partners.

Reporting to the Senior Category Manager, you will help design and roll out category strategies that unlock growth opportunities. The Grocery category development function is currently ranked #2 in the Advantage Group Survey and #1 in AFH channels.

Key responsibilities

• Help define a clear future direction for the Soft Drinks category by building a growth framework and a relevant strategy for key environments and customers.
• Create strategic account plans that pinpoint opportunities to improve performance.
• Promote the company's strategic thinking and value story with retailers through engagement with buyers, merchandisers, and category directors.
• Deliver range relays, macro space resets, tender and renegotiation support, channel strategy plans, and customer business planning sessions.
• Build and sustain a strong customer contact approach that deepens engagement and supports mutually beneficial relationships.
• Work closely with internal partners such as National Accounts, R&MGM, and Insights to align execution with category and brand priorities.
• Provide high-quality category analysis and regular insight reports for customers.
• Coordinate with external data and category providers to ensure access to strong-quality information for different customers and environments.
• Support process improvement by automating range reviews and leading strategic initiatives such as channel strategy and Platinum store projects across key customers.

Skills and experience

• A genuine passion for category growth, combined with proactive ownership and resilience.
• Strong listening and influencing ability across different organisational levels and with customers.
• Confidence in shaping opinions across varied stakeholder groups.
• A resilient, determined, and driven approach to work.
• A mindset that embraces innovation, change, agility, and curiosity.
• Solid knowledge of Nielsen, CGA, Lumina, GfK, and similar data sources.
• Experience working with large customers is highly valued.
• Strong numerical and analytical capability.
• Previous FMCG category management experience and good knowledge of the Grocery channel are preferred.

Application notes

Interested candidates should submit a recent CV, after which a member of the Talent Acquisition team will be in contact.

Equal opportunity and accessibility

The organisation is committed to equal opportunities, inclusion, diversity, and fair treatment for everyone.

As the business has expanded into alcohol ready-to-drink products such as Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola, candidates who prefer not to take part in alcohol-related sales, customer interactions, or promotions are encouraged to raise this with the Talent Acquisition contact. The team will confirm whether the role includes any activities connected to the alcohol portfolio.

The recruitment process is intended to be as comfortable and accessible as possible. Applicants are invited to share any requirements, adjustments, or requests that would help make the process easier.

Additional information

This is a site-based role in Uxbridge, England, United Kingdom.

The position is full-time and based onsite.

No salary, vacancy count, or start date was specified in the source information.