Joining us as a Senior Category Development Manager, you’ll be a leading voice for the Irish market within Nomad Foods, championing the needs of the customer and their Frozen category shoppers.  Sitting within the Irish Commercial team, (with the support from the wider UK Category team) you will be responsible for leading the category agenda for Ireland, both internally and externally. This includes developing and executing category plans that deliver sustainable growth for Frozen Foods, drives growth for both Birds Eye and the retailer - transforming the shoppers and retailers’ view of savoury frozen. You’ll deliver category reviews, recommendations on range and supporting the internal teams with insights across risks and opportunities.

Strategy

• Work with the Category Channel Controller & Vision Lead to translate the Category Vision into a set of relevant, actionable, long term drivers for growth across the Irish market
• Lead the development of rolling 1 – 3 year rolling category plans

In-year delivery

• Lead the execution of the key retailer category plan and contact strategy.
• Develop and execute strategies to maximise range, space, location, availability and macro space incorporating all category growth levers to be executed in account.
• Evaluate the impact & ensure that learnings feed into future planning & activation
• Own category relationship for Nomad Foods categories in the key retailers, including responsibility for category insights, performance updates, growth initiatives, Must Have Assortment Risks and Opportunities, NPD delivery, and promotional optimisation

Activity development, shaping and tailoring

• Active part of the UK & Ireland Category team, sharing the category plans for Ireland across key retailers with the wider team to enable best practice sharing both ways.
• Work closely with outside agencies and insight departments to increase shopper understanding & ensure that this is applied in the development of the category plan & execution of in-store activity.
• As directed by the Category Channel Controller, lead the development of category building initiatives from other instore environments into key retailers, eg: flow, adjacencies, Point of purchase development, mission-based merchandising, etc.

Raise the capability of the commercial & marketing teams in understanding the shopper agenda and category development plans across key retailers.

We’re looking for an experienced Category Manager, used to working across all key customers in the Irish market within a FMCG environment. Critical to the success of this role will be the ability to influence multiple stakeholders whilst working in collaboration with both retailers & internal teams (Marketing/Sales/RGM & the wider Category Development team).  We look for people who are focused on getting results, embrace learning and bring positive energy, combining initiative with a sense of teamwork and collaboration.  

• Understanding of the principles of Category Management and practical experience of category management process & first-hand experience of managing customer relationships
• Strategic thinker able to create a clear vision for the customer
• Strong understanding of shopper & market insights techniques
• Experience of leading/managing complex projects to implementation
• Commercial Experience
• Experience of data platforms (Dunnhumby/Nielsen) – you’re used to interpreting the data, generating reports and translating this into meaningful actions.