Category Manager

Campari Group today is a major player in the global branded spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, marketed and distributed in over 190 markets around the world, with leading positions in Europe and the Americas.

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 22 countries, and employs approximately 4,000 people.

Shares of the parent company Davide Campari - Milano N.V. are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. Campari Group is today the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry.

General Description of the Role

The Category Manager is responsible for analysing industry and consumer trends, developing strategies, and overseeing pricing, promotion, and product range management to maximise sales and profitability.

The role is responsible for the development and delivery of category plans across all channels based on category and shopper insights to grow market share & category growth. The role is both inward and outward facing, with key responsibilities being driving shopper insights, building strategic partnerships and embedding Category within the business.  

The role will deliver reporting, mine insights and build category growth stories that will support customer, brand and commercial teams and Thirsty Camel initiatives. The position work with cross functional groups to support Thirsty Camel & customer growth agendas. Understanding where and how best to execute plans to deliver our business results.

Mission and Objectives

To align the organisation by creating channel strategy and plans to maximise return on investment.  Ensuring that Brand and Channel KPI's (including: Sales, Profitability, Market Share) are delivered and delivering clear actionable insight that continue to build the company and brand goals.

Key Responsibilities and Activities

Channel Strategy Development

• Provide category & shopper intelligence and support in the development of the On Premise, Off Premise and grocery strategy.

• Communicate and embed the channel intelligence and shopper insights as require with cross-functional and/or global teams

• Attendance on e-commerce workshops and e-commerce insights meetings from available data sources – internal data, Nielsen, Quantinum, Circana, IRI, IWSR and customer and internal data

• Pricing – provide consumer and customer pricing recommendations and changes considering consumer, market and competitor dynamics including optimised promotional pricing strategies.

Thirsty Camel, Brand Owner Reporting and Insight Support

• Update insights and market and category insights for Global Campari reporting

• Provide regular updates on market, brand, SKU, competitor, channel and customer performance for Brand Owner reporting (monthly) and support Brand team for Quarterly and Annual Business Reviews.

• Consolidate customer provided data (wholesalers) to enable full customer sales analysis

  • Support internal C4C (CRM System) data as required.

Set Channel Execution Standards & NPD Initiative Decks

• Working with the CCM team ensure development of Perfect Store delivery including recommendations of ranging, shelf placement and retail optimisation including retail store selling stories to ensure best in class execution.

• Alongside Brand and Key Account Managers support the marketing to develop the NPD initiative decks, provide robust category & shopper story. Ensuring that all key elements are included Go To Market plans (from Trade Marketing) and strategy set for new pricing and promotions.

• Assist with the volume build template development for all glass projects for TG1 and TG2, whilst Channel Strategy Consultant leads RTD.

Range Review and Joint Business Plan Support

• Alongside Marketing and Commercial teams provide Range Review support for RTD and glass for the Key Account managers to work with their customers.

• Aligning our initiatives to consumer strategies for NPD, distribution changes.

• Assist logistics team and retailers with understand distribution enhancement opportunities, highlight tail for rationalisation.

• Providing expertise in efficient range assortment and NPD SKU prioritization. Inclusive of determining recommended deletes and rationale to support decisions.

Demand Forecasting

• Ensure Supply and Demand teams are informed with market developments to support supply and demand planning

Category Management and Insights Hub

• Active member of Insights Hub to respond to ad-hoc briefs and assist with managing insights

• Assist with the development of key strategic insights projects

• Input into the annual Strategic Business Planning and Brand Planning processes, to highlight category drivers within the channels as required.

Brand Health Measurement and Reporting

• Manage brand health process and reporting with the Brand Team input and relevant agencies.

Innovation Process Management

• Work with Campari Innovation Team to oversee the process and timings.

• Ensure the relevant brand teams are delivering to the optimised timeline.

Key Relationships

Internal:

Marketing – Marketing Director, Brand and Customer Teams

Finance -Finance Director, Commercial Finance Analyst

Commercial - Commercial Director, Key Account Managers, Sales Operations Manager

Logistics – Supply and demand Manager

Campari Global – relevant contacts within APAC and Campari to align on internal and global best practise.

External: Brand Owners (Third Party Brands), Data & Shopper Agencies (Currently: Nielsen, Kantar, Quantium, IWSR and customer data supply (Tasman, Gilmour’s))

Direct reports: 0

Experience Required

• Experience with FMCG manufacturer and Off Premise Channel essential (5+ yrs)

• Proven track record of Strategic and Innovative thinking, holding senior leadership roles in either Sales, Marketing or Category teams (3+ yrs)

• Tertiary Education, with bachelor’s degree with relevant subject focus essential

• People management experience and coaching capability highly regarded.

• Liquor industry experience highly regarded.

• Previous experience with SAP and PowerBI is desirable.

Skills

• Analytical skills - The ability to translate Industry, channel, customer, category and brand information into actionable insights for both the Marketing and Sales cross functions.

• Commercial Acumen - demonstrating a deep understanding of Thirsty Camel’s P&L , customer profitability, and ability to apply financial modelling and ROI estimates on proposed initiatives

• Superior communication skills - The ability to translate actionable insights into compelling internal and external presentations (written and verbal)

• Project Management - Ability to coordinate and manage a complex project timeline

Functional Competencies

Formulating Strategies and Concepts - The ability to think at a big picture, future oriented level and think at the forefront of new and cutting-edge concepts in the field. Individuals with this competence quickly grasp new concepts and theories, are able to synthesise complex information and recognise patterns and possibilities, and new directions for their function and the business.

Presenting and Communicating - Able to present information, ideas and proposals and communicate in an influential, confident, clear and open way with both internal and external stakeholders.  Being able to articulate strategy and demonstrate how it connects through to the channel execution plan is central.

Relating and Networking - The ability to establish relationships both inside and outside the organisation as well as cultivating a wide range of contacts that lead to a greater ability to source information and build competitive advantage.

General Competencies

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Work Results & Execution – Pays attention to details; Achieves key objectives and meets the defined deadlines; Is highly productive and delivers high-quality; Works effectively under pressure or heavy workload, balances multiple projects; Accepts new and greater responsibilities.

Initiative and Judgement - Prioritizes own work efficiently; Takes direction without being prompted; Knows when to consult and when to act independently; Keeps management and peers informed of status and potential problems; Handles confidential information appropriately.

Consumer/Client Focus - Understands consumers / customers / internal clients’ needs; Provides all customers with solutions that best meet their needs; Proactively anticipates future needs and seeks out opportunities.

Communication and Team Work - Communicates persuasively and passionately; articulates ideas clearly; Demonstrates effective relationship skills; Responds well to constructive criticism; Obtains acceptance and takes action for ideas; Is an active contributor to the team

Ability to Learn - Shows curiosity and interest to be exposed to new situations / challenges; Quickly acquires and puts into practice new knowledge, behaviours and skills.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

At Campari Group we believe in building more value together, thus we see diversity in all forms as a source of enrichment. Our employment policies and practices ensure that we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment without regard to any individual’s race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or characteristics or expression, political affiliation or activity, age, veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Note to applicants:

Your application will be assessed based on your abilities, expertise, general knowledge and experience, not because of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information you may possess. You must not disclose to Campari Group any such information. In the event that you are asked a question that cannot be answered without disclosure of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information (including from a current or prior employer or their vendors or customers), you must decline to answer the question.

Notice to third party agencies:

Please refrain from cold-calling or emailing our executive leadership team or the HR community directly. The Talent Acquisition department manages centralized recruiting operations globally, including the selection and management of external suppliers. Currently, our preferred supplier list is at full capacity. To ensure we have your information on file for future consideration, we kindly request that you complete the online form provided here.