Assistant Category Strategy Manager - Foods

Job Title: Assistant Category Strategy Manager - Foods

Location: Hoboken, NJ

Terms & Conditions: Full time, International assignment is not available for this role and relocation for local and international candidates is not provided

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, collaborative, and flexible working environment. Our organizational ambition centers around creating workplaces that foster equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across all aspects of our business. 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.

Background & Purpose of the Job:
This position supports and drives growth for Unilever’s Foods categories and its trade customers.  This person interfaces with several key organizational functions (Brand Teams, Field Category Management, Consumer & Shopper Insights, Sales, and Shopper Marketing) to design, facilitate and implement national Category Management Strategies, processes and tools for field sales and our retail customers.  This role will support our Condiments and Cooking Aids + Mini Meals businesses.

Additionally:  

• Identify and understand industry, category, shopper and consumer trends to proactively seek and recommend shopper-led solutions  
• Convert category insights and strategy into strategic merchandising strategies with actionable recommendations for customers  
• Integrate Category Management and Shopper Insights information into Customer Business Planning materials  
• Development of Category Management strategies providing insights and retail solutions, specifically addressing assortment and shelving.  

Who You Are & What You’ll Do:

• Serves as liaison between field category management and HQ brand teams to facilitate the field execution of category initiatives with major customers  
• Consults closely with brand teams to secure alignment around retail environment realities prior to innovation launches 
• Works with Shopper Insights and Consumer Insights Managers to integrate shopper research and understandings into category management initiatives/strategies 
• Assists in training, distribution and execution of category management tools field teams

Challenges  

• Multi-faceted business challenges that require interaction with various groups across organization  
• Flexible mindset required to adapt to the nuances across retailers, channels and key stakeholders.
• Ability to establish strategic priorities within the business unit in an environment with multiple stakeholders competing for your time  
• The ability to decompose a business situation and apply the appropriate category management tools to maximize business results 

What You Will Need to Succeed:

• Minimum of BA/BS degree, MBA a plus  
• Experience:  2-4 years consumer product goods industry experience with background in Sales, Consumer Insights or Category Management 
• Foods experience a plus 

Specialized Training:  

• Syndicated data sources, i.e. IRI, Numerator, loyalty card data a plus 
• Merchandising software, JDA Space Planning a plus 
• Adept at analyzing and utilizing Consumer/Shopper Insights in Category Management sales stories and Category Management strategies  

Competencies:  

Problem Solving:  

• Strong analytical/data interpretation capabi