Category Manager - Soft Drinks

About the Role

Join Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in Uxbridge as a Category Manager dedicated to the Soft Drinks category. This permanent position requires presence at the Uxbridge location three days a week. The role is integral to driving business success through strategic development and execution of category plans that stimulate growth and partnership with key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to designing a clear, engaging vision for the Soft Drinks category that fosters growth across key environments and client groups.
• Formulate and implement strategic plans with major accounts to enhance category performance.
• Lead strategic initiatives and value creation discussions with customers, including buyers and category directors.
• Manage key operational activities such as range relays, macro space resets, tenders, renegotiations, and customer business planning sessions.
• Develop and sustain constructive customer engagement practices to deepen collaboration and expand relationships.
• Work closely with internal teams like National Accounts, Activation, R&MGM, and Insights to align initiatives with overall category and brand objectives.
• Produce and deliver high-quality category analytics and insights regularly to customers.
• Leverage external data providers to ensure access to the best market insights applicable to customers and business environments.
• Champion strategic projects that promote significant changes such as channel strategy adjustments with key customers.

Required Skills and Experience

• Passion for category growth, demonstrated through proactive ownership and resilience.
• Excellent listening and influencing abilities, capable of engaging with multiple organizational levels and external customers.
• Strong capacity to influence diverse groups of stakeholders effectively.
• Resilience and determination vital for driving change.
• A mindset oriented towards innovation, agility, curiosity, and continuous improvement.
• Deep familiarity with data and insight tools like Nielsen, CGA, Lumina, and IGD.
• Experience working with major retail clients, with strong numerical and analytical skills.
• Previous experience in FMCG category management is an advantage but not mandatory.