Category Development Manager

Job Title: Category Development Manager

Location: Anchor in any hub location (Middlebrook, Cumbernauld, MK, London Hub) - Hybrid working pattern

Reports to:Senior Category Development Manager

Are you ready to Be Your Best Barr None?

Lets Grow!!!

We are all about Being Your Best Barr None and having a career with real Moments that Matter!

Employing around 850 people across the UK, we are proud to be a responsible business that takes care of our people, values diversity, gives something back to our communities and works to minimise our environmental impact.

For 150 years AG Barr has been building great brands and is home to some of the nations favourite flavours.

At our core is IRN-BRU, launched in 1901 and still going strong today, the vibrant RUBICON fruit based brand, Boost making every moment better with a caffeine kick, hydration hit or tasty treat, and FUNKIN where real fruit means authentic taste.

We also have a number of exciting owned brands within our portfolio including MOMA, which crafts quality oats into great tasting oat drinks and porridges.

There's never been a better time to join us!

The Category Development Manager is the analytical engine of the team, responsible for creating the high quality tools, retailer and shopper insights that support the deployment of our broader category strategy. This role ensures operational excellence through accurate reporting and planograms, while providing a clear pathway for the individual to develop into a customer facing strategic lead.

Your responsibilities will include...

The Insight Engine Room: Own the creation and maintenance of category customer & regional scorecards and performance trackers to provide the business with one version of the truth.

Space Planning Excellence: Execute detailed planograms and merchandising layouts that reflect the team’s strategic growth recommendations.

Timeline Management: Maintain a centralised master Range Review Calendar, tracking internal milestones against retailer deadlines to prevent missed commercial windows.

Tactical Innovation Support: Provide the data proof points such as quartile analysis and shopper switching data to justify new listings during range reviews.

Distribution Tracking: Maintain the Distribution Gap Analysis tools, highlighting specific stores or regions where headroom exists for our core range or new innovation.

Strategic Support: Assist SCDMs in deploying category strategies and category presentations by providing the necessary data evidence, slide builds and tactical planograms to bring the vision to life.

What you’ll bring...

• Foundation Experience: 2–3 years of experience in an analytical role (Category Assistant, Junior CDM, or Data Analyst) where speed and accuracy were paramount. Ideally a business or data led qualification preferred.
• Technical Toolset: Advanced proficiency in Excel or Sheets and specialised space planning software (e.g., JDA/Blue Yonder or Spaceman) to create accurate, store ready planograms.
• Reporting Excellence: Proven ability to build and automate performance scorecards that provide the business with a "single version of the truth" regarding category health.
• Project Management: Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and requests.
• Communication Aspirations: A desire to move beyond the data to participate in customer presentations, supporting the SCDM with tactical evidence and insight modules.
• Presentation Skills: Strong verbal and visual communication skills, with the ability to present data modules clearly and confidently in both internal briefings and customer-facing environments.

You will also demonstrate our AG Barr behaviours of Being Honest, Accountable, Connected and Brave.

We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive culture where your voice can be heard. Our skilled, loyal and committed people are critical to the future success of AG Barr which is why we are continually investing in our employees to develop their talent.

We look after our employees by offering a competitive salary and benefits package which includes;

• Annual bonus linked to business performance
• Defined contribution Pension
• Up to 34 days holiday (depending on shift pattern)
• Flexible holiday trading
• Flexible cash pot to spend on benefits
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Flexible benefits e.g. discounts & cashbacks, gym memberships, technology purchases etc
• Life assurance
• Save as you earn scheme
• Staff sales discount
• Free AG Barr products throughout your working day and staff sales
• Annual salary review
• Ongoing professional development and access to Learning and Development programmes and content

And much more!

To find out more about what it is like to work for AG Barr, please visit our careers platform here.

We are an equal opportunities employer and happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be needed for successful candidates with a disability, health or mental health condition.

While we have highlighted our ideal requirements for this role, we are realistic that the successful candidate probably won't meet every single requirement in this advert, but we are big advocates of people growing in role. So even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to submit an application - you may be just what we are looking for! Apply now!

External closing date 8th April.

Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications, so apply now!

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