CIS AFC Category Manager

Purpose of the job:

• As the Category Strategy Manager, incumbent’s primary objective will be to develop and execute strategic initiatives to drive growth and maximize market share across Central Asia & Caucasus markets. He/She  will work closely with cross-functional teams to analyze market trends, consumer insights, and competitive landscape, translating them into actionable category strategies to improve sales results and deliver customer category objectives, to define unaddressed consumer needs (“white space)” and to strengthen current/core business to contribute to overall growth of the company. He/she will also be leading annual commercial planning.
• This role reports to CIS Category Strategy & Market Development Director

Job Requirements:

• Category Strategy & Growth planning
• Defining near/long-term category strategy for the personal, grounded in market data, competitive analysis, shopper/consumer trends
• Leading category segmentation, role definition & category visioning across markets/channels
• Develop and evolve pack-price architecture, new product innovation impact on MS dynamics
• Develop and manage pricing strategy

• Category Strategy & Growth planning
• Monitor, evaluate & communicate changes in category, customer dynamics and competitor activities and recommend actions to address issues and opportunities affecting the category and/or KC brands            
• Defining near/long-term category strategy for the personal, grounded in market data, competitive analysis, shopper/consumer trends  Manage category performance across key metrics: market share, penetration, in-market sales (in value and volume)
• Identify gaps and opportunities across subcategories and sales channels
• Leading category segmentation, role definition & category visioning across markets/channels
• Develop and evolve pack-price architecture, new product innovation impact on MS dynamics, assessment of potential cannibalization rates.

• Commercial and Portfolio Optimization
• Develop pricing strategy, track/facilitate its execution
• Oversee assortment optimization, portfolio rationalization to deliver “priority SKU list”/ “MML”
• Support Annual T&C process with Key Customers, bringing them extra value of categories performance understanding based on deep analysis/research, developing/delivering impactful external category selling stories          
• Development of Master Version of on-shelf navigation (planogramme) and facilitating its roll out
• Development of Master version of secondary product placement
• Development of Joint Value Creation (JVC, annual shopper marketing activation initiatives) for key customers and facilitating its execution

• Cross-functional leadership & influence
• Facilitate cross-functional team or category squad responsible for execution across functions.
• Align stakeholders around category strategy/dynamics ensuring intea
• Oversee assortment optimization, portfolio rationalization to deliver “priority SKU list”, “MML”
• Support Annual T&C process with Key Customers, bringing them extra value of categories performance understanding based on deep analysis/research, developing/delivering impactfulexternal category selling stories           
• Development of Master Version of on-shelf navigation (planogramme) and facilitating its roll out
• Development of Master version of secondary product placement                       

Desired Skills, Experience & Capabilities

• Excellent project management skills to oversee and coordinate multiple initiatives simultaneously. 3-5 years of experience in a similar role in any other multinational CPG company.
• Proficiency in basic category development tools: assortment analysis, shelf space management, navigation solutions.
• Channel and shopper expertise
• Ability to leverage data and insights to develop pricing frameworks
• Strong analytical skills to interpret market data, identify growth opportunities, and develop category strategies.
• Ability to analyze consumer behavior, market trends, and competitive landscape to drive business growth.
• Experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams to execute category strategies and initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen to evaluate category performance, manage budgets, and drive profitability.
• Adaptability and agility to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Effective communication skills to present strategies, influence stakeholders, build collaborative relationships. present complex concepts and strategies to diverse audiences.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills to address challenges and identify innovative solutions.
• Effective stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external partners.
• Tenacious with a Growth Mind-set to Win Consistently, working in a spirit of partnership for the best overall result for the KC Enterprise
• Highly organized and structured
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in local or foreign university
• English – Fluent, Russian – Fluent, proficiency in KZ/AZE/UZ/KG languages – isn’t prerequisite, but can be a good asset.
• Strong command of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) & Nielsen Retail Measurement Database.
• Proficiency in Spaceman software or other space management software – isn’t prerequisite, but can be a good asset.

Desired mindset of candidate:

• Challenging the “status quo” & enjoying questioning in traditional ways of doing things for the sake of delivering sound business results, not just for the sake of demonstrating “different” attitude
• Strategic thinker, while maintaining clarify of purpose and possessing capability of being conscious about importance of focus on “execution” and “hands-on” approach
• Possessing ability of “storytelling
• Results-driven mindset with a focus on achieving revenue targets and driving business growth.