Category Manager

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Category Manager

Application Deadline: 11 September 2025

Department: Commercial Execution

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Andover

Description

Great People Work Here

In Twinings UK&I we are on a stimulating journey of transformation as we seek to achieve our exciting goal of becoming a leading brand in wellbeing drinks. We have created an organisation designed to be in flow, where everyone has a pivotal role to play, and an experience that enables you to get the most out of life at Twinings and thrive.

In 2024 we launched into the cold drinks category with our delicious Sparkling Tea, and we're now so excited to be recruiting for an ambitious and impactful Category Manager to deliver both the inspiring and credible long-term strategy and the short-term plans for cold across our grocery and out of home customers, putting Twinings Sparkling Tea on the map and growing our prominence within this fast-moving category! You'll grow visibility of Twinings cold firstly through increased listings, and secondly through increased distribution - using category fundamentals and inspiring Shopper and Consumer insight.

The Category Manager will work in partnership with our customer account managers and sales leads so we're looking for someone with strong category / senior category management experience who can deliver opportunities that hit the sweet spot for the shopper, the category, and the business. A creative, problem-solving approach will stand you in good stead, as will an enjoyment of the creative, storytelling side of category management and strong stakeholder management skills at all levels, including board level.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Category Strategy Manager, the Market Intelligence Manager, and Sales to form a compelling category vision for business development over variable time horizons.
• Create compelling shopper-based retailer strategies and plans leveraging relevant sales drivers and utilizing research, best practices, processes and tools.
• Highlight opportunities/knowledge gaps in shopper and consumer-related understanding with a view to addressing these gaps, including relevant research.
• Help develop the fixture visions, product distribution & placement targets by channel, customer and/or format.
• Evaluate and make recommendations for the use of data sources, data systems and category tools on behalf of the organization.
• Create and drive a strong engagement plan with customers to become the go to category expert.
• Influence and manage Retailer range reviews utilizing strong category fundamentals to deliver increased product listings, distributions and space.
• Deliver regular category portfolio assessments with customers across the base portfolio, activations, promotions, and events to influence areas of growth.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A strong and impactful communicator, you are not afraid to present in front of Senior internal and external Stakeholders using passionate story telling
• A good connector of people, you are someone who is happy to work cross functionally to generate key stakeholder relationships
• A strong analyst who can distil lots of information into simple key actions to drive growth
• Someone who is category literate and has advanced understanding of category management
• Someone who is agile and able to pivot as and when new information comes to light.
• A creative thinker and problem solver, you are responsible and accountable and take ownership in delivering the Cold plan.
• At least 3 years' experience gained through Category Management or Category Strategy roles within FMCG, with commercial experience prior or during that (Soft Drinks experience would be a bonus but not a necessity).
• Good knowledge of UK Retailer and Shopper landscapes.
• Knowledge of shopper data tools, working knowledge of Nielsen, and someone who is agile and able to learn or has previously used Dunnhumby and Sips.
• Experience of strategy development and implementation, with proven results.

Benefits

• Yearly bonus based on personal contribution and financial performance
• Flexible working options
• 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays and the option to buy and sell holidays
• Onsite Gym and Wellbeing Centre
• Perkbox - employee discount scheme with discounts online, in high street stores, cinema, holidays, restaurants and many more
• Pension scheme with your contributions matched for up to 10% of your salary
• Cycle to work scheme
• SimplyHealth Cash plan
• Onsite Staff shop and online staff discounts
• Bupa Private Medical Insurance
• Competitive Car Allowance
• Electric Car Scheme
• Access to LinkedIn Learning
• Access to ABF Networking, connect, collaborate, and grow across the ABF Group.
• Four week Digital Nomad
• Opportunity for a variety of marketing leading development opportunities
• 2 recharge days a year to pause and get back on top and thriving
• Birthday day off
• Inspiring connection events in line with our exciting wellbeing vision