Category Development Manager - Online

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact

Click “Apply” to get started.

This role offers an agile 3,2 working pattern with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home/this role is based in the office 5 days a week.

As we try to reduce our carbon footprint and adapt our styles of working, pladis global’ s amazing head office in Chiswick Park offers great public transport links, agile working spaces, with both meeting and training rooms, as well as formal and informal workstations. The park also offers great restaurants and services for everything you need to suit your day. 

Parking within Chiswick Park is very limited and booked on a first come first serve basis, however if you must drive there are also other options outside of the business park itself.

What will this role achieve?

The Category Team is a focused and dedicated team with a clear ambition to be seen as the #1 category authority by retailers and a source of competitive advantage by our business. The role of the pladis Category Management team is to help pladis and our retail customers to grow sales of snacking products through the provision of industry-leading shopper, retailer and market insights that enable robust decision making on product ranges, merchandising, business planning and promotions. We work directly with customers externally, as well as cross-functionally internally, in collaboration with Sales, Marketing and Planning functions within pladis to deliver against our business goals.

The online category manager is accountable for all online customers of our Biscuits, Crisps & Snacks & Cake businesses across the Take Home mission. The Category Manager ensures development of strong trade buyer relationships & delivery of competitor leading insight at all levels, providing category leadership and developing and implementing plans that deliver category growth. Execution of the category growth plan will result in pladis being seen as the category partner of choice with our customers as well as assisting with the optimisation of range, merchandising, navigation, location and availability of the pladis portfolio online.

What will be your key deliverables?

• Customer & level of category service grid and align with Online BU. 
• Develop a customer contact strategy to be agreed with the Category Controller, encompassing contacts to network with, frequency & objectives of the contact 
• Customer & pladis online category growth plans: 
• Inspiring with best-in-class insights and channel understanding, create partnerships providing thought leadership to help UK retailers drive category (& pladis) growth. 
• Create a customer category growth plan that identifies new ways to unlock consumption and purchase for biscuits bringing it to life in a simple and compelling way that inspires the focus customer(s) to believe in the growth potential of the categories in which we operate, makes it clear what they need to do to unlock the value and reinforces pladis as the #1 category partner to achieve growth. 
• Objectively track and evaluate Category performance in the focus customer(s), identifying risks or opportunities and proactively communicating suggested course correction. 
• Work with pladis BU on pladis online strategy & annual account plans inputting and aligning our online strategy & plans with customer category strategies & opportunities 
• Range management: 
• Develop the blueprint for the winning online portfolio within our categories & work towards continuously improving the productivity of our range. 
• Work with NRM on defining the existing pack strategy for ecommerce. 
• Identify innovation opportunities within brands for future channel success. Ensure that range reviews & ranging window opportunities are also maximised for pladis online via highlighting opportunities & risks to the online portfolio to bricks & mortar CDMs leading the range reviews 
• Merchandising: 
• Proactively work with customers to improve the visibility & ease and enjoyment of shop of our categories & the pladis portfolio to improve performance and bring more shoppers and basket spend. Make proposals for test and learn activity to drive shopper footfall and spend. 
• For clarity remit is anything which is permanent visibility either at a category or pladis level, as well as events (category level) and not short term pladis marketing execution e.g advertising, execution of NPD launches and campaigns etc 
• Track critical metrics around Content & Image compliance and propose corrective action where vital 
• Navigation: 
• Work with customers and pladis online BU to optimise the navigation of traffic to and around the Biscuits category & the pladis portfolio online. Look at new and different ways of improving share of search for the category & pladis 
• For clarity this includes anything which will help with shopper navigation towards the category and the pladis portfolio on an ongoing basis but excludes ad hoc activity for NPD, execution of marketing campaigns etc 
• Track critical metrics such as share of search for category & pladis 
• Analysis and reporting: 
• Optimally interpret all available industry, category, customer and shopper data turning it into practical insights that are communicated regularly to focus customer(s) and the pladis organisation e.g Category health checks, promotional analysis and sales fundamentals. 
• Provide performance reporting & corrective action for key customers and share with online BU. 
• Ensure continuous improvement via sharing of standard process across the online BU and wider category team. 
• For clarity reporting should cover external metrics as opposed to internal facing NS, TGC etc and agency liaison around provision of insights, as opposed to agency management 
• Brand champions: 
• For the designated area of responsibility, work closely with the Brand Marketing, Innovation and MS&P teams to ensure that there is a clear category, consumer, shopper and retailer rationale for our brands and retailer operational considerations are clearly understood and acted on in the brand planning/innovation process. 

Bring your experience.

Essential

• Experience & understanding of Category Management and Shopper Marketing Principles and execution 
• Robust understanding of the UK Retail Trade across all Channels and proven experience in developing and carrying out merchandising and category recommendations in multiple customers or channels 
• Genuine desire to physically engage with customer contacts on a regular basis is crucial for this trade sector. Good influencing and relationship building skill with customers & partners 
• Proven experience with leading, developing and deploying Annual Category Growth Plans that deliver effective business results 
• Extensive knowledge of Space Planning and Insights tools and data sets spanning but not limited to JDA, Nielsen, Kantar, Coop Data, Him!, etc 

Desirable

• Purpose-Led - Energised by our promise to deliver happiness to the world with every bite 
• Agile - Ever evolving, never satisfied and never standing still 
• Collaborative - Willing to work collectively for mutual success 
• Resilient - Quick to adapt to change, fast learner and persistent in the face of setbacks 
• Positive - Self-motivated, optimistic, adventurous, and inspiring 

What will the interview process be?

• 1st stage interview – 45 minutes competency-based interview based on our company values and your experiences.
• 2nd stage interview – 60 minutes – a technical interview to understand your skill set/case study or presentation interview.

pladis does also use both Psychometric and Aptitude tests to support our processes so you may be asked to complete these as part of your process.
Some processes may differ, but we will keep you updated!

What does pladis offer you?

• Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – this is the business’s annual bonus scheme.
• Private medical Insurance
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance Cover ~ upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme 
• 25 days + bank holidays 
• Holiday Enhancement Scheme
• 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Discounted gym membership – Carlisle and Chiswick only
• Discount and Cashback Scheme – make your everyday spending work hard for you on major high street brands, supermarkets and services
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial Wellbeing Support
• Access to great training and development opportunities

Our Values

Purpose led – We’re energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite

Agile – We’re ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.

Positive – We’re highly motivated optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better

Resilient - We’re persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward

Collaborative – We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together.

Best mix of ingredients

pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we’re a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that’s as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support, live and work in, all around the world. Where every voice is heard, and difference is celebrated. Where fresh perspectives and new ideas help us grow and thrive.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform key job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.
We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.