Foods - Category Strategy & Planning Lead Unox

Join Unilever as Category Strategy & Planning Lead (Unox)

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

Unox is an 87-year-old savory brand, an iconic market leader that is present in almost every Dutch household and with more than 250 million euros consumer turnover, one of the biggest brands in the Dutch supermarkets. Unox is loved by consumers and represents typical Dutch habits and values. Famous for warming the Dutch stomach with products like Smoked Sausages, Knaks & Soups and loved for warming the hearts with activations like the ‘Nieuwjaarsduik’, the Unox Winterefteling and Ice skating. As the 7th biggest brand in the supermarket (and the 3rd biggest Food brand), Unox is a big and important partner for our customers. We work closely together to create new plans for category growth.

KEY FOCUS AREAS:

• Category Strategy & Planning plays a crucial role as the voice of the customer & shopper in the business teams on the one hand, and in leading the delivery of the business plans in sales on the other.
• Externally, the CSP is the expert category for key customers in helping them grow their categories through objective advice on category strategy, promotion, shelf and assortment.
• Collaborate with our most important retail customers in developing category strategies based on customer, consumer and shopper insights.
• You will lead a strong team of CS&P specialists to deliver great category growth plans and develop them to a high performing team.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE?

• Contribute to the delivery of 4 Sustainability Areas (climate, nature, plastics, livelihoods):
• Delivering business targets by ensuring Trade Category Plans are delivered per key customer OTIF.
• Translate UL category strategy to shop floor by taking the Category Strategy to Channels and Customers, selling in Trade category plans and executing customers.
• Deliver perfect execution of Category Projects across customers, such as innovations, activations, promotions and relaunches.
• Be the category expert for key customers by objective advice, deep dives and quarterly reviews (category and promo).
• Creating great relationships with buyers & customer strategy managers in order to drive profitable value growth of the category and Unox.
• Representing customer needs & category value drivers internally, ensuring alignment of Customer & Category strategy and brand plans.
• Drive impactful projects for the BU and platform to transform with end-to-end responsibility.
• Lead the total CS&P team to the next level in skills, customer plans and VMS driving initiative.
• Be a connector who can handle complex situations between all disciplines, CBD, MKT, SC and the BUCT.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Previous experience in category management or key account management.
• Excellent engagement, presentation, and communication skills, and an ability to manage a large and complex set of stakeholders.
• Ability to own & drive the agenda for the category (pro-active & independent worker).
• Strength in challenging others / holding others accountable, particularly cross-functional peers & senior partners.
• Experience in leading teams.
• Drive for personal development for yourself and the team.
• Experience with working with data like Nielsen, IRI, GfK, SIS and 7-even.
• Experience of the FMCG industry.
• Master’s degree in economics, Business Studies or Science, and a high level of numeracy and analytical skills.
• Fluent in Dutch (native speaking) & English.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

• Attractive total remuneration package: excellent company pension, bonus, share scheme.
• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & well-being resources whenever and wherever.
• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.
• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.
• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%-60% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate. For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office, you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.
• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products.
• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).
• Homework allowance.
• Company laptop and mobile phone.
• Green Mobility Policy.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, parenthood, pregnancy or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against.

By highlighting the gender diversity at the workplace, Unilever encourages women equally men to apply. If you look for a job after a long career break or after any type of leave, do not hesitate to apply.

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