Job Description

Category Specialist

Area: Bellville, Cape Town

Package: R55000 Cost to Company (Inclusive of medical aid and provident fund) per month

Duties & Responsibilities

The role reports to the Marketing Manager. Location is in Cape Town, with travels for research projects, internal meetings, industry events and customer visits.

Duties & Responsibilities

- To build and follow-up the Category strategy in all consumer channels (FMCG, DIY, Stationery, Digital/Websites)

- To define the Margin level and Retail Price positioning of the Category

- To participate in the NPD roadmap in collaboration with R&D, other SUs and regions/countries

- Global product management, development and maintenance within the Category for the Consumer channels

- Design and re-design packaging layouts for Consumer products

- Global Innovation roll-out management

- Aligning best POS practices with Global Consumer market

- Support new Market development

- To ensure the Margin level and Retail Price positioning of the Category is aligned with company expectations

Category / Channel strategy:

- Contribute to the 5-year strategic plan, in line with annual global roadmaps, in collaboration with regions/countries

- Follow-up the annual roadmap with regions/countries

- Measure KPIs and track the progress in the regions

- Visit the regions/countries to stay up to date with market development

- Visit trade shows

Category management:

- Monitor GP/MVC targets and define corrective action plans when needed

- Participate in pricing alignment within Global accounts, channels and markets

- Analyse competition, our performance and our product offer, and make adaptations in order to ensure a winning category offer

- Follow up with the regions on the category performance and collaborate on initiatives to support the agreed roadmap

- Help the region in shelf planning and share global best POS execution practices

- Ensure Brand and Packaging consistency within the Category

Product development:

- Manage the NPD process, be involved in the R&D process validation for the category/channel projects

- Feed the NPD process with news, ideas and ensure a well filled pipeline

- Build R&D or Purchasing programs in collaboration with other SUs in order to optimize the cost and product offering with the Category

- Together with Purchasing, R&D develop new concepts with external suppliers

Packaging / Layout design:

- Update the designs within the category, to ensure distinctiveness and competitive advantage

- Approval of local packaging designs within the category, ensuring a global layout, branding and product name consistency

- portfolio with new and innovative packaging formats; assess industry trends and identify relevant suppliers

- Conduct consumer tests to ensure market acceptance

Trade support:

- Monitor RSPs and define corrective action plans when needed

- Analyse competition, our performance and our product offer, and make adaptations in order to ensure we win

Skills & Requirements

5-year strategic Category / Channel plan

Annual Roll Out plan

Turnover and GP/ MVC performance of the Category

Global Category / channel Marketing Budget

Well managed NPD and Innovation process

FMCG and Hardware marketing experience would be beneficial

Good solid understanding of the retail environment

Product development and category management is essential and not negotiable.

Degree in Marketing, Business administration or a related field

Ability to think on Strategic level

Good communicator I Team player I High degree of fluency in English

Demonstrated experience in scoping and conducting quantitative and qualitative market studies

Comfortable with figures and analysis, in particular for market data

Detail-oriented with an ability to creatively and clearly present market trends and research findings in written, graphical and verbal formats

Awareness of key trends, customers, competitors in DIY/Consumer and adjacent markets (Construction, Retail etc.)

Self-starter able to flourish in a fast-paced and flexible environment

Good interpersonal skills and an ability to identify sources of market intelligence from both internal and external networks insights

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