The Category Manager is accountable for developing robust category strategies that are rooted in Pet Parent/Customer & Shopper Insights. They are responsible for leveraging category knowledge and analysis with team to drive category growth with Mars Customers through partnership with the Customer sales team and other functions. They will proactively identify strategic category opportunities for our customers at both business planning timing and on an on-going basis. Also, they will develop and disseminate category leadership best practices to be utilized with other customers working with the Customer and Category Partnership Team Lead.

This individual will be responsible for defining and executing against category growth strategies with the retailers in line with perfect store principles and initiatives. They will be focused on developing, implementing, and maintaining strategies to deliver results against (1) thought leadership (2) data & analytics (3) product launches (4) shelf management (5) industry awareness (6) developing a collaborative and influential working relationship with the customer.

What are we looking for?

• University Degree or College diploma in related field
• Significant experience in blue chip FMCG/consumer products
• Category Leadership
• Account Management experience an asset
• Knowledge of different data sources: Nielsen, Syndicated data, etc
• Space Management - JDA Prospace/ Space planner an asset
• Power BI reporting/ Advanced Excel Skills

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Develop and Implement Category Principles with retailer that will lead to category growth.
• Develop Strategic alliances with key decision makers at specific retailer.
• Develop Actionable Category insights rooted in shopper knowledge and behaviour
• Responsible for the management of and developing expertise in external market and consumer data sources (AC Nielsen and Shopper Insights), understanding the needs of the customer and what their drivers are for success.
• Focus against further validation of key strategies with shopper / consumer validated data.
• Responsible for the management and developing expertise in customer specific POS data (developing reports, collaborating with the customer); leverage data to create and deploy actionable customer specific insights
• Provides Customer specific selling-stories in support of new product launches across all manufacturers (unbiased category facts) and act as advisor on customer’s promotional calendar.
• Identifies distribution opportunities and work collaboratively with customer and manufacturers to close any identified gaps including post planogram reviews.
• Champion strategic and ad-hoc shelf management for the category to maximize category and customer’s sales and profits.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the below range CAD 99,130.00 - CAD 130,109.00. Please note: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. AI is used as a supporting tool in our recruitment process.