Category Development Manager

As a Category Development Manager , you’ll play a critical role in shaping the future of the UK coffee category.

Working within our Category Development & Shopper Marketing team, you’ll partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and key retail customers to deliver category growth. Reporting to the Demand Accelerator Controller , you’ll lead the development of customer‑specific category strategies grounded in deep shopper insight and data.

This is a highly visible, externally focused role where you’ll combine analytical expertise with storytelling, influencing, and commercial acumen to position JDE Peet’s as the supplier of choice .

What you’ll be doing

Build category leadership with customers

• Develop strong, trusted relationships with key retail customers
• Bring our category vision to life, aligning it with customer strategies and growth ambitions
• Lead range reviews, assortment planning, and space optimisation across all channels (store & online)
• Deliver compelling insights and storytelling to drive decision‑making
• Analyse shopper behaviour, market trends, and performance data
• Identify opportunities to grow sales, optimise promotions, and improve profitability
• Deliver regular performance reviews and actionable recommendations

Drive commercial impact

• Lead promotional effectiveness analysis — defining what to stop, start, and continue
• Support distribution and assortment strategies
• Own Product Quadrant Analysis (PQA) and proactively manage underperforming SKUs
• Deliver quarterly market insight decks and category updates

Collaborate internally to win

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Category Strategy, and Shopper teams
• Support new product launches and relaunches to maximise impact
• Contribute to customer business planning and commercial reviews
• Ensure alignment on range review cycles and execution plans

Qualifications

What you’ll bring

• Proven experience in Category Development or Category Strategy (FMCG), ideally 4+ years
• Strong understanding of UK retail, shoppers, and customers
• Advanced analytical skills — able to turn complex data into clear, compelling insights
• Experience using data tools such as Nielsen, IRI, Kantar, or Dunnhumby
• Excellent Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Confidence presenting to both customers and senior stakeholders
• A proactive, self‑driven mindset with a focus on results
• Degree (or equivalent experience)
• Willingness to travel for customer engagement

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