Category and Insights Manager

Role overview

This opportunity is for a partner company in the United States, and that employer will handle applications as well as all subsequent hiring steps. The position is centered on the intersection of data analysis, retail strategy, and shopper behavior. In this role, you will turn complex market information into practical insights that help drive category expansion and strengthen brand performance. You will examine shopper patterns, competitor activity, and new food trends to uncover growth opportunities across retail channels. Working alongside teams in Sales, Marketing, Innovation, and Finance, you will translate analysis into clear business stories that support retail partners and guide internal decisions. The job calls for both strong analytical discipline and commercial judgment, along with the ability to connect quantitative findings to real consumer needs. You will also contribute to innovation and brand strategy by identifying unmet market opportunities. This is a high-visibility position that blends hands-on analysis with strategic influence across the organization.

Key accountabilities

• Take ownership of category performance tracking and shopper insight development, using syndicated and consumer data to shape recommendations that support retail growth and brand positioning.
• Manage syndicated information sources to monitor category, brand, and competitor results across major retail channels.
• Study sales, pricing, distribution, and merchandising patterns to surface growth drivers, business risks, and unmet opportunities.
• Create category narratives and client-ready presentations with Sales to strengthen retail conversations and support sell-in efforts.
• Carry out consumer and shopper research using both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand behavior, motivations, and usage occasions.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, and ongoing reporting tools that convert performance data into actionable business guidance.
• Contribute to innovation and brand planning by delivering evidence-based recommendations for new product ideas and category placement.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Innovation, and Finance to ensure insights align with wider business goals.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical depth, category management experience, and the ability to transform data into persuasive commercial messaging in a fast-paced consumer goods setting.

• At least 5 years of experience in category management, business analytics, or consumer insights, ideally in consumer packaged goods or food and beverage.
• Background working with grocery, mass, natural, and/or specialty retail channels.
• Hands-on experience with syndicated data platforms such as Nielsen, IRI, SPINS, or similar retail and shopper analytics tools.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint capability, with Tableau or Power BI experience viewed as an advantage.
• Strong understanding of retail dynamics, category strategy, and shopper marketing fundamentals.
• Ability to analyze complex information and present it in a clear, compelling way.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, including experience influencing internal stakeholders and external retail partners.
• Interest in food, consumer behavior, and changing lifestyle and entertaining trends.

Benefits

• Competitive pay package aligned to experience and location.
• Health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Paid time off plus company holidays.
• Opportunities for learning, growth, and career development.
• Exposure to strategic initiatives with broad business impact.
• Collaborative, fast-moving workplace.
• Participation in innovation and brand-building work.
• Travel opportunities throughout the United States.

Application and data processing notes

Applications are reviewed by the partner employer, which also manages interviews, assessments, and the rest of the hiring process. The application review process is designed to be quick, objective, and fair, using automated matching to compare candidates against the role’s core requirements before sharing a shortlist with the employer.

By applying, candidates acknowledge that their personal information may be processed to evaluate suitability for the role and shared with the hiring employer where appropriate. This processing is described as being based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual steps under applicable data protection laws, including GDPR. Candidates may request access, correction, deletion, or objection to processing at any time.

Automated tools may be used to support parts of the recruiting workflow, including resume review, application analysis, response evaluation, and identification of potential inconsistencies or verification signals. These tools assist the recruitment team but do not replace human judgment, and final hiring decisions are made by people.