Category Manager

The Opportunity

A leading food manufacturing business is seeking an ambitious and commercially focused Category & Marketing Manager to drive category growth, consumer insight, and brand development across a diverse product portfolio.

This is a highly visible role where you will influence commercial strategy, shape innovation pipelines, and use market intelligence to identify growth opportunities across customers, channels, and brands. Working closely with commercial, product development, operations, and senior leadership teams, you will play a key role in delivering sustainable and profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Insight

• Develop and implement category growth strategies across multiple product categories.


• Analyse market, shopper, consumer, and competitor data to identify commercial opportunities.


• Monitor market trends, pricing, promotions, distribution, and category performance.


• Deliver compelling, insight-led presentations and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.


• Evaluate product performance and recommend actions to improve sales, distribution, and profitability.

Consumer Insight & Innovation

• Translate consumer and shopper insights into actionable product and proposition opportunities.


• Support the development of innovation pipelines, ensuring projects are commercially viable and consumer-led.


• Identify emerging trends and convert them into profitable growth initiatives.


• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure innovation is aligned to customer and consumer needs.

Brand & Marketing Management

• Lead brand positioning, proposition development, and marketing initiatives.


• Develop and execute plans that increase awareness, engagement, and customer preference.


• Oversee packaging and brand identity to ensure consistency and market relevance.


• Monitor campaign and product performance to maximise return on investment.

Commercial & Customer Support

• Partner with sales teams to support customer presentations, category reviews, and innovation discussions.


• Provide regular market updates, competitor intelligence, and actionable insights.


• Identify opportunities to strengthen customer relationships through category expertise and strategic recommendations.

About You

• Previous experience within FMCG, ideally food or grocery manufacturing.


• A background in Category Management, Category Development, Consumer Insight, Shopper Marketing, or Category Marketing.


• Strong experience analysing market data and turning insights into commercial actions.


• Knowledge of retailer category management processes and range review principles.


• Experience supporting innovation, proposition development, and brand growth.


• Excellent presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.


• Strong analytical capabilities with advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.

At Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer.

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