Senior Category Manager Food  

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with suppliers, leading commercial negotiations to secure competitive assortment, pricing, and trade terms.
• Analyze key business metrics to identify assortment gaps and growth opportunities, and formulate strategies to improve supplier and category performance.
• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain and Planning teams to optimize product availability, inventory levels, and revenue performance within the category.
• Utilize internal and external market data to support data-driven decisions that drive incremental sales and category growth.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for existing supplier partners and evaluate potential new partnerships.
• Curate and manage a compelling product portfolio that not only meets customer needs but also enhances the overall customer experience.

BAU Responsibilities:

• Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers, focusing on revenue growth, COGS optimization, margin improvement, and promotional support.
• Manage and maintain supplier relationships, including handling key information, documentation, and updates related to suppliers.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure smooth end-to-end purchase order (PO) processes and supplier alignment.
• Plan and execute promotional activities with suppliers, including pitching initiatives and securing promotional support.
• Maintain supplier-related data within internal systems, including company information, points of contact, and relevant documentation.
• Monitor operational metrics such as order fulfillment, stock availability, and overall category performance.

• Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Business Management, Sales, Communication or relevant fields.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Category Management, Buying, or Commercial roles within FMCG, retail, or e-commerce industries.
• Strong experience in supplier management and commercial negotiation, including pricing, margins, promotions, and trade terms.
• Solid understanding of retail operations, including assortment planning, stock availability, and promotional strategy.
• Prior experience in retail buying, merchandising, or supplier-facing roles (e.g., Buyer, Category Manager, Retail Key Account Manager).
• Experience working with offline retail environments is a plus.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership of category performance.
• Proactive and highly initiative-driven in identifying opportunities and solving problems.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Collaborative team player who is adaptable to change and fast-paced environments.
• Able to work effectively under tight deadlines and deliver results.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint for analysis, reporting, and presentations.
• Comfortable working with data to support category strategy and decision-making.