Category Manager

We invite applications for the position ofCategory Manager (Maternity Leave Cover)We are building a future that embraces innovation, sustainability, and diversity.

We are a business that will bring out the best in you - providing great opportunities for people with ambition and drive. People are at the heart of our company – It is undoubtedly the pride and passion of our colleagues that makes us stand out from the crowd. Our success simply would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our employees.

If you are as excited about our future as we are, then we’d love to hear how you can help us shape it. We are always looking for new talent to help build and grow our company and our brands. Our careers are journeys paved with richness, accomplishments, and a few beers and ciders with friends or strangers along the way.

Your journey will be one of close connections and growing friendships as is the beating heart of our company. We collaborate with colleagues in every single other function to do what HEINEKEN does best: brew the highest quality, premium beers, and ciders.

Reporting to: Off Trade Channel ManagerJob Grade: 15Based in: Cork or DublinContract Type: Specified Purpose – Maternity Leave Cover

Role Purpose

Working as a part of a dedicated Category & Customer Marketing team and reporting to the Category & Shopper Marketing Controller, the Category Manager will be part of a team that are focused on enhancing the way shopper’s shop one of their favourite categories.

You will spend your time being externally focused working collaboratively with our key retailer partners to grow the beer & cider category across the Convenience and Specialist channels. You will be curious; love learning and have a passion for generating powerful insights that are translated into stories that inspire and connect driving tangible business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead HEINEKEN’s category relationship with key retailers through a strategic partnership with our customers’ teams to analyse the future trends in the market & build collaborative plans focused on our category growth strategy.
• Work pro-actively in supporting customer range reviews, merchandising changes, store trials and adhoc projects, providing recommendations and solutions that are grounded in sound data.
• Generate powerful consumer & shopper insights and consult with key internal and external stakeholders to collaboratively shape plans that drive real growth and elevate the shopper experience across the convenience & specialist channels.
• Contribute to the annual category & brand planning process to clearly drive the strategic direction for our key customers, while always ensuring the category growth agenda is top of mind.
• Responsible for reviewing monthly data and translating market and category trends, HEINEKEN portfolio and competitor performance, tracking NPD, and identifying potential growth opportunities including space, distribution and merchandising, to support the management team, key accounts and marketing team in the delivery of the annual business plan.
• Support the broader business unit (Managing Director, Commercial Director, Customer Marketing Controller, NAMs) with ad-hoc market analysis and development of corporate presentations, etc.

Education and Experience

Curious, a love for learning and a real passion for category.

Prior experience in FMCG and knowledge of Category Management.

Able to work on own initiative and as part of a wide cross functional team.

Solid experience of category management process & first-hand experience of managing customer relationships.

Good communication, negotiating and influencing skills.

Be currently working as a Category Manager, Category Analyst or Senior Category Executive with 3 – 5 years relevant experience.

Present internally and externally regularly in an engaging and impactful way.

Have a sound understanding of the Irish Grocery channels.

Be an experienced user of Data Management Platforms e.g. Nielsen, SRAI, Dunnhumby and Space Planning Software.“Embracing and celebrating diversity is core to HEINEKEN’s purpose of “brewing the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world”. We believe that people as diverse as our brews – including and not limited to gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religious belief, nationality, social background, disability and thinking style – enrich our lives and strengthen our business.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates as we champion a culture of belonging that provides fair and equal opportunities for all”.