Category Manager (APAC)

Job Descriptions:

• Lead category development and devise category growth plan at zone level. Work closely with respective business manager and country marketing to consolidate regional opportunities and generate scale at zone level.

Growth plan and reports at market level:

• Understand category core consumer needs, consumption occasions, purchase motivations to identify core business opportunities and priorities for assigned categories within South Asia markets.
• Prepare and align long-term strategic category growth plan for South Asia markets to achieve brand and category performance, taking into consideration inputs from respective markets.
• Monitor global / zone market trend and local key competitors to run business analysis.

a) Derive category strategies and portfolio expansion in terms of developing category strategy roadmap and product positioning.

b) Leading development of zone innovation and renovation.

c) Enhancing product taste and application performance.

d) Driving product cost optimization and competitiveness to attain desired results.

• Prepare and consolidate Management reports and category performance (market share, product and pricing information and analysis etc.), working with local business managers, local marketing team and business analytics and insights team.

Zone Level Marketing Activities:

• Be the point of contact and knowledge centre for any matter from headquarters, zone and local markets/countries.
• Collaborate with global marketing and act as bridge between global marketing and local marketing team to execute any global NPD, advertising campaigns and Foodservice programme and events in the market as required.
• Work with key stakeholders including Technical Services (R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Packaging Development), Finance, Legal, business manager and country marketing to support markets to develop winning NPDs and key campaigns.
• Co-ordinate with insights and analytics team to conduct market research and analytics to support business needs.
• Drive new product development at zone (or multiple countries) level in line with global / zone category growth direction and approval procedures.
• To work on special assignments assigned by the line manager.

Job Requirements:

• Degree holder in Business, Marketing or related disciplines, MBA will have added advantage.
• Minimum 5 years of category management experience in FMCG with solid experience in new product development.
• Regional working experience is preferred.
• Good command of written and spoken English, preferably multi-lingual in any local language. Candidates that able to read and write in Mandarin will have added advantage.
• Good analytical and strategic thinking skill.
• Willing to travel overseas for assignment whenever required.
• Candidate must be willing to work in Shah Alam, Selangor.