Assistant Category Manager at RCL Foods

Job Description    
Are you analytically minded with an ability to translate complex data into actionable category plans?

Our Talent Team is currently looking for a dynamic Assistant Category Manager within our Chicken Business to be based in Durban. The role will report to the Category Manager.

The Chicken Business entrusts the Assistant Category Manager to:

• To support the Customer Marketing Category Manager in driving the profitable growth of the Chicken category.
• The primary part of the role is to provide analytics and Go-To-Market initiatives to achieve category volume and profit objectives.
• Assist with developing and implementing customer/channel-specific category plans based on category and shopper insights to grow market share within the category. 
• To engage with key internal stakeholders to ensure execution excellence through all key Demand Functions

Minimum Requirements    

• Bachelor’s in business and or marketing equivalent related degree
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in related FMCG environment Solid experience with relevant software applications
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Organized, problem analysis and problem-solving, experience in meeting tight deadlines
• Collaboration and a team player, excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Two years customer facing, account management experience will be an advantage
• Two years brand building experience will be an advantage
• Proven track record of successful trade engagement and collaboration 
• Ability to manage stakeholders across brand, customer & suppliers.
• Project management skills to deliver on new product development

Duties & Responsibilities    
CATEGORY & BUSINESS PERFORMANCE:

• Coordination and consolidation of multi-channel 4P audits to track compliance and competitor activity. 
• Support the CCM’s in preparation of regular Customer Reviews to explain performance shortfalls and identify growth dynamics.
• Monitor category, competitor, and brand activation levels by account, evaluate ROI and strategic alignment, and identify correlations with performance.

REPORTING:

• Fulfil daily, weekly, and monthly reporting needs of the BU.
• Create & improve reports as needed.
• Use a critical eye to provide insights and analysis on reporting.
• Translate insights into business building opportunities within specific customer/channels.

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE:

• Gather information to support the development of a fact based and visionary category scope and construct, and platform of category and brand growth drivers that provide incremental scope for category and business growth.

PRICE OPTIMIZATION: 

• Routinely track category, competitor and brand pricing across channels identifying key trends and compliance gaps. 
• Support the planning and implementation of PI’s

ANNUAL BUSINESS PLANNING:

• Assist the Category Manager to develop and provide category level insights into the Brand Plans & Customer Plans process.
• Match brand objectives with customer/market needs.

GO TO MARKET EXCELLENCE:

• Lead customer specific category management projects.
• Lead regular range reviews by store cluster to identify issues and opportunities to improve productivity and strategic alignment.
• Support the Category Manager on design, production, distribution, execution and tracking of GTM initiatives. 
• Lead all new innovation forecasts and tracking.
• Manage, consolidate, review, and track promotional calendar.
• Work with field sales team to ensure excellence in in-store activation.

CATEGORY BUDGET:

• Manage and track spend against budget and evaluate ROI on category GTM initiatives.

TRADE CREDENTIALS:

• Support the Category Manager in the preparation of Category Stories and Trade Presentations.
• Execute brand standards (brand DNA) and support development and execution of channel specific brand standards. 
• Lead any customer related Trade Shows and/or events specific to customer

BUSINESS PROCESSES:

• Build effective collaborative working relationships and procedures with marketing, national accounts, ops, supply chain and external agencies.
• Provide support to Account Manager in monitoring and analysing retail margins and customer profitability.

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES:

• Lead (B level) customised NPD from brief to delivery (DOB’s/Private Label/Confined Label)
• Work closely with the Customer, NAM and Customer Exec. to ensure that all briefs meet the necessary requirements.
• Develop and work with cross-function team members in Commercial, Supply Chain, Packaging, R&D and Regional Stakeholders to ensure Customer satisfaction

Closing Date: 1st, April 2022